column # one

The room was large, and since it was early, mostly empty. My friends and I sat around a table, eagerly searching though a book that listed karokee songs. Above us, flags hung from the ceiling representing the branches of military service, along with a flag for the National Guard. On the walls there were numerous American flags and pieces of military memorabilia. On this night, My friends and I were in a V.F.W. chapter, waiting for the evening festivities to start.

As might be expected, the crowd was extremely patriotic. Sometime during the night, the DJ, who happened to be a member of the V.F.W., asked for everyone to please rise and join with him in singing America the Beautiful. My initial response was to smile, as I enjoy open shows of patriotism. And, as usual, the sheer force of passion arose within me, and before the first verse was over with, the hair on my arms was standing straight up and I was singing along whole heartedly.

Shortly after the song finished, however, someone at our table made a remark that sent my temperature rising. The individual said, "This patriotism stuff is overrated. America isn’t so great, really." Now, the wisdom of making such a comment while inside an establishment such as a V.F.W. should be blatantly obvious. What requires analysis, however, is my response to such criticism.

My knee-jerk reaction was to become irate, angrily questioning and eventually, when he persisted, threatening this individual. I want to be especially clear that this individual was not commenting upon the current Bush regime, but upon the very nature of the United States itself. I couldn’t believe that someone would make such a statement in any form, however, it seemed especially incredulous considering our location and the fact that the United States of America is currently at war with a dangerous enemy.

There was something wrong with my reaction. While it is always wrong to threaten someone, it is especially wrong to threaten someone when they are opining upon their nation. This individual was exercising his right of free speech, and after doing so, faced not true criticism, but violence. True criticism would have been justified (in my opinion) as well as a measured debate and, a rather urgent, intellectual spanking. America is by far the greatest nation on earth. But, back to the point, when an individual makes a strong statement, they must stand by their statement and accept peaceful criticism. In effect, they own their criticism and are responsible for the consequences resulting from it.

Patriotism cannot be spread though violence or fear, but rather though explanation. It must be explained that America was created though the desire for religious and intellectual freedom, and that it serves as a beacon of hope for both. It must be explained that America has stood strong against murderous tyrants in two World Wars. It must be explained that America faced off against an evil empire of conformity and indoctrination that ran contrary to human dignity, besting it in the end. And, along with many other things, it must be explained that America values a minority opinion, allowing its’ citizens to tear even herself down. However, when this Yankee is around, anyone criticizing the nature of Uncle Sam had better qualify their statements.