IntelligentStandards.com

"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just." -- Thomas Jefferson

"And if that child should ever get the chance to travel the world and someone should ask her where is she from, we believe that she should always be able to hold her head high with pride in her voice when she answers, "I am an American." That is the course we seek. That is the change we are calling for."

So to Obama, it would be a change for an American child to be proud of her country? This guy is not only unfit to be President, he's a disgrace to the Senate and a poor excuse for an American.

Excuse me? In no way can I make the jump that Obama's quote (which appears to be accurately attributed) somehow makes him either unfit to be President, a disgrace to the Senate, or a poor excuse for an American. Do the folks at rightwingnews really believe they've got the corner on who can criticize our government and still be patriotic?

In fact, I would say that it is very patriotic for Senator Obama, or anyone, for that matter, to wish and yearn for a better America. I don't think it's the least bit unpatriotic to criticize things we see wrong with our country and call upon the citizenry to work to address them. Throughout this country's history, America has done many things of which we would and should not be proud.

And Americans have certainly done things in the name of "keeping us safe" during President Bush's time in office that many reasonable and patriotic individuals across this country would find "un-pride-worthy." But it isn't limited to President Bush - we have had lapses in our National morality dating back to the founding of the republic - everything from the treatment of the native Americans, to slavery, to segregation and Jim Crow, to the interment of Japanese Americans, to the more recent practices of "torture" and extraordinary rendition. There's plenty out there for us as a nation to be ashamed of.

So, SPARE ME.

SPARE ME the faux patriotism.

SPARE ME the puffing about who isn't patriotic because he isn't wearing a flag on his lapel, or doesn't have his hand over his heart.

Just SPARE ME.

Thomas Jefferson's statement that he 'trembles for [his] country when reflecting that God is just,' must mean that he sees an imperfect country. Perhaps even an unjust country. Perhaps... just perhaps ... a country that has done downright evil things. Otherwise, why might he tremble? We can only speculate. But he did seem to recognize there are things wrong with America that we must be vigilant against.

Thomas Jefferson's words were right when he said them, and they still hold true today.

Perhaps the folks at rightwingnews don't consider Thomas Jefferson to be a true patriot after he dissed his ... OUR ... country - that I do not know.

But I do know that it is the height of patriotism to look for that which is wrong with our country -

It is the height of patriotism to point out that which is wrong with our country -

And it is the absolute height of patriotism to aspire to improve that which is wrong with our country.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

D