"Pro-America" America
Oct. 21st, 2008 09:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
catsittingstill Some people love their country as a worshipper loves an idol, believing that its every whim must be honored, that anything it chooses to do is right, no matter how unfair or damaging or downright evil that action might be. Some of these people believe that anyone who doesn't love their country in this unquestioning way, hates their country.
What these peopole don't understand is that some people, like me, love their country as a parent loves a child, knowing quite well that it can fall into bad company and do evil things. When we see that happening, of course we criticize the country, as a parent would criticize a child, not out of hatred, but out of love. It does a child, and a country, no favors at all to tell her that the rules that apply to others don't apply to her because she's so special and we love her so much. It does a child, and a country, no favors at all to tell her that it's okay for her to do evil if that's what the other kids, or the other countries are doing. We expect more from her, because we think she is better than that, because we love her.
When Palin talks about "pro-America" parts of America, she means people who love America with the first kind of love, the spaniel, idol-worshipper kind. Whether or not we call it out as such, we all know it.
When Michelle Bachman talks about "anti-Americans" in Congress, she means people who love America with the second kind of love, the adult, parental love. Whether or not we call it out as such, we all know that too.
So I hope those Republicans who understand that we all love America in our separate ways are watching, taking note, and thinking about this. Because we're going to have to put the country back together after the election.
Just saying..
What these peopole don't understand is that some people, like me, love their country as a parent loves a child, knowing quite well that it can fall into bad company and do evil things. When we see that happening, of course we criticize the country, as a parent would criticize a child, not out of hatred, but out of love. It does a child, and a country, no favors at all to tell her that the rules that apply to others don't apply to her because she's so special and we love her so much. It does a child, and a country, no favors at all to tell her that it's okay for her to do evil if that's what the other kids, or the other countries are doing. We expect more from her, because we think she is better than that, because we love her.
When Palin talks about "pro-America" parts of America, she means people who love America with the first kind of love, the spaniel, idol-worshipper kind. Whether or not we call it out as such, we all know it.
When Michelle Bachman talks about "anti-Americans" in Congress, she means people who love America with the second kind of love, the adult, parental love. Whether or not we call it out as such, we all know that too.
So I hope those Republicans who understand that we all love America in our separate ways are watching, taking note, and thinking about this. Because we're going to have to put the country back together after the election.
Just saying..
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 02:57 pm (UTC)I further hope that when you are among people who love their country like a parent, and who are mistaking those of us who love our country like a child for people who hate their country, that you can bring yourself to help set them straight.
There is room for a lot of opinions, as long as people will leave room for a lot of opinions.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 03:44 pm (UTC)