Here’s an excerpt from a comment I just made over in a long running discussion on Dan’s blog. Since I spent a couple minutes typing it, I figured I’d post it out here as well so it wouldn’t go to waste, since unless you use an RSS reader to track the comments or check them regularly “by hand” you’d probably miss it.
I do, however, take offense at the comment that the left “hates America”; that is completely untrue.
First of all, I object to categorizing people as “left” or “right” in the first place, although our culture and media (especially radio) tends to encourage that kind of thinking and labeling. I’d rather have my own opinions of any given issue, whether they align politically with the “left” or the “right” doesn’t really concern me.
Many of my views could be considered “left” by some, but I also have many opinions that would more closely align with the “right”, so does that mean I only love/hate America half-heartedly? No, it just illustrates that the whole generalization is just plain wrong.
What’s more, I have many friends (such as you, and most of my friends, actually) who would consider themselves much more “right wing” than I am. I don’t think that any of them would believe I hate America, even though I’m probably the most “left wing” person they know.
Conversely, I wouldn’t accuse them of “hating America” either, even though it’s my view that the “right wing” has taken many actions to directly oppose the principles that this country was founded on (research “Free Speech Zones” - ever think you’d hear that phrase in America?)
Just because someone opposes certain policies of the government in power, doesn’t mean that they “hate” that nation. When the former president (Clinton) was in office, there was non-stop criticism of him by the “right”; does that mean they “hated” America?
The criticism I offer (on either side) is completely meant to be the constructive type, speaking out against injustice where I see it. The kind of criticism that just attacks and insults “the other side” (whoever that may be) is pointless.
This kind of negativity is prominent on both sides of the political spectrum. It’s certainly not unusual to turn on the radio and hear talk show hosts name-calling the “libs”, and if you look hard enough to find the stations, you will eventually come across some that speak similarly about the “neo-cons”, etc.
Like I said before, I may not speak out quite as much about the actions of another country, but that doesn’t mean that I think less of America, or that I think other countries that do things like this are not also in need of rebuke. The reason that I call attention to our own shortcomings is that I think it’s our responsibility do take care of our own problems first, before we go around telling others what theirs are.
I have been given no voice to speak to the leaders of those other nations; but, in America, we have the freedom and the responsibility to let our leaders know what we think, what direction they should be going, etc. since they represent us. Exercising that freedom by living up to that responsibility is the most patriotic thing that an American could do.
If we stifle that dissenting opinion, or censor ourselves or others in the name of “patriotism”, we are essentially dishonoring everything this country was founded on, and the sacrifices that were made to preserve it.
If it is considered wrong (and now even illegal, in some cases) to express our beliefs when they disagree with the actions of our leaders, then how is that different from the nations we condemn for their dictatorial regimes?
In speaking out on these issues, I attempt to defend America, not tear it down.