Just back from three weeks of travels, and I am slowly getting back into my routines - like writing my weekly blog. The topic this week? It is always difficult to write something when so many disturbing things are happening all at once. Between the "Send Her Back" chants from Trumplings to Mueller's day of Congressional Hearings, what more can I say that hasn't already been said? Most Americans understand that the "Love it or leave it" slogan has always been a Right Wing mantra to silence critics, but the additional emphasis on telling those that oppose the President to "Go back where you come from" is a new low.
Now we have the president tweeting that all Democrats hate America and if they criticize him that alone proves they are haters of the US. If it wasn't so pathetic, it would be funny, but far too many now cling to the theory that opposing Trump is UnAmerican (but opposing Obama was somehow "Patriotic"). How far have the ignorant come when it comes to lacking any appreciable understanding of what America really is all about - "This land is my land, this land is your land..." Now it's only the land for White folks that support Trump? Trump sure has succeeded in "Making America Hate Again".
As I hit several airports during the past several weeks, I noticed the push to venerate veterans in every way possible; pre-boarding used to be for the disabled or those traveling with special needs or small children. Now if you are in the active military or a retired Vet, you get priority seating. Although this is a neat concept, where is the priority given to first responders? To those that teach in our public schools? If you pay attention to social media, some now claim only veterans have a right to speak out when it comes to civil rights and due process. Why have we decided that one class of citizens that served in the military are somehow "more American" than those that did not serve? Considering our President received countless deferments to avoid the Viet Nam draft, why do so many hold him up as being a true patriot while others that serve in other capacities are not afforded the same kind of veneration and respect?
When I am asked (which is now often) "did you serve?" I try not to be too defensive in my response. You see, I turned 18 in December 1975. The Viet Nam War was over and the draft had been discontinued, In fact, I am part of a demographic of males that never had to even register for the Selective Service. In 1975, the military was cutting back, seeking to cut loose many that were in uniform. When offered a full scholarship to attend college, who would have really turned that down and volunteered to enter the service instead? Who is to say the 10 years of teaching in the public schools for 1/10th of what I made in the private sector was not enough "giving back to my community"? As a result, are Americans like me that did not serve really lacking standing to be "real Americans"? No one person has standing to judge anyone else's level of patriotism - yet this practice seems to be emboldened in the Trump Era. And it's dangerous to our democratic-republic to begin demanding such standing.
As former presidential candidate George McGovern once said; "The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain." We are all Americans, and we need to start act like it! Have fun watching Robert Mueller and observing the lies that will spew from the hate machine now known as the White House. Have a great week!
Now we have the president tweeting that all Democrats hate America and if they criticize him that alone proves they are haters of the US. If it wasn't so pathetic, it would be funny, but far too many now cling to the theory that opposing Trump is UnAmerican (but opposing Obama was somehow "Patriotic"). How far have the ignorant come when it comes to lacking any appreciable understanding of what America really is all about - "This land is my land, this land is your land..." Now it's only the land for White folks that support Trump? Trump sure has succeeded in "Making America Hate Again".
As I hit several airports during the past several weeks, I noticed the push to venerate veterans in every way possible; pre-boarding used to be for the disabled or those traveling with special needs or small children. Now if you are in the active military or a retired Vet, you get priority seating. Although this is a neat concept, where is the priority given to first responders? To those that teach in our public schools? If you pay attention to social media, some now claim only veterans have a right to speak out when it comes to civil rights and due process. Why have we decided that one class of citizens that served in the military are somehow "more American" than those that did not serve? Considering our President received countless deferments to avoid the Viet Nam draft, why do so many hold him up as being a true patriot while others that serve in other capacities are not afforded the same kind of veneration and respect?
When I am asked (which is now often) "did you serve?" I try not to be too defensive in my response. You see, I turned 18 in December 1975. The Viet Nam War was over and the draft had been discontinued, In fact, I am part of a demographic of males that never had to even register for the Selective Service. In 1975, the military was cutting back, seeking to cut loose many that were in uniform. When offered a full scholarship to attend college, who would have really turned that down and volunteered to enter the service instead? Who is to say the 10 years of teaching in the public schools for 1/10th of what I made in the private sector was not enough "giving back to my community"? As a result, are Americans like me that did not serve really lacking standing to be "real Americans"? No one person has standing to judge anyone else's level of patriotism - yet this practice seems to be emboldened in the Trump Era. And it's dangerous to our democratic-republic to begin demanding such standing.
As former presidential candidate George McGovern once said; "The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain." We are all Americans, and we need to start act like it! Have fun watching Robert Mueller and observing the lies that will spew from the hate machine now known as the White House. Have a great week!
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