Patriotism // Current TV

Oregon veteran faces eviction if he hangs US flag

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) — Edward Zivica, a 70-year-old who served in the Navy in... more

cabinettags
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3 months ago
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The most patriotic thing you can do

Billionaire entrepeneur Mark Cuban: "Go out there and get rich. Get so... more

Cabal
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5 months ago
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1 comment

Conservative Morons Continue to Annoy

Seems they Love American Symbols More than They Love Their Fellow Americans!... more

ParkyBill
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6 months ago
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Man Arrested After Hanging Giant Stained American Flag

J.B. Dikruck isn't happy that he spent 48 hours behind bars in a tiny... more

adamluebke
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6 months ago
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My Thanksgiving Prayer

MY THANKSGIVING PRAYER

Given the state of the government, the world, humanity, the environment, and numerous offshoots, I've been in a funk for the last few years. But when Karl called to remind me about the City Band performance for the Veteran's Ceremony at the American Legion, I replied reluctantly that I'd be there. Truthfully, I was getting sick of receiving, then deleting, emails relating to the war, the election, and new patriotic songs. I'd just listened, then deleted, a new one called A Pittance of Time, which was circulating through the ranks. It was another self-righteous guilt trip, as far as I was concerned. "They fought and some died for our homeland---now it's our land". Well, yeah, now that things have settled out from the time we did the same to the Natives of this country.
So on Saturday morning, I was getting set to be there at 11:00. I looked again at my calendar, and discovered that the assigned time was actually 10:00, giving me only 15 minutes to get dressed, run a brush through my hair, (forget the shower), and go! Fortunately there was a granola bar in my glove compartment.
The band was set up already, and getting music in order. As I climbed up onto the crowded, funkier than funky stage, I apologized for being late, and Karl replied "that's ok, you're on the third clarinet part". Fine. So, with no elbow room, and the cymbal about four inches from my ear, I began pulling out my clarinet and sorting my music. My hands were freezing. So was my clarinet. Finally though, with the preliminaries done, I had a few moments to sit on my hands. I looked at the audience and counted twenty people--about one person for every four or five seats. I looked at the band. I'd estimate there were about fifty of us. We warmed up. We played our first march. We sounded great. We finished, and there was no applause. Not one clap.
Three more songs into it, a few people started applauding, and the seats were starting to fill. But I was bored and didn't want to be there. I think the Armed Forces Salute was our fourth number. There I was, barely going through the motions, when I eyed a man in the front row by himself, maybe 80, wiping a tear. Apparently what we were doing meant something to someone, bless his heart. I started playing for him. Those anthems, and all they stood for, started to permeate my soul, and I found it hard to maintain my composure, wondering what specific story or group of stories prompted him to react so. Were his politics anything like mine? Does he feel it was worth it to go through whatever it was he experienced? What if it were me? The band kept on, and the room kept filling up, almost to capacity. The people were a little late, but they did get there.
The older I get, the more the answers elude me. What is freedom, really? For what will I be giving thanks this Thanksgiving? This man sacrificed what?---so that I may advertise a "Girls Gone Wild" video on Comedy Central?--or if I want to make a billion dollars, I'm free to merge, then downsize into oblivion? I'm reminded of a book--what was the name of it?-- about Tecumseh, the brave warrior who fought against us in the French and Indian War. His likeness now graces our best selling baking soda product. I've often looked at soldiers as the hired protectors of other people's wealth. Sure we all have a chance to "make it" in America. It's just easier for some than for others. What must the terrorists think?
We kept on with the marches and anthems. My hands were thawing. Then came the ceremony. There was a lot of standing and sitting, which I had to do carefully because of the uneven floorboards. I knew the eleventh month was November, and I knew the eleventh day was Veteran's Day. I even knew that the eleventh hour was significant to veterans, since I'd played at numerous Elks’ Club functions. I'm embarrassed to admit, though, that it wasn't till then that I put it all together and realized that the end of WWI, the "war to end all wars" was ended on the eleventh hour of November eleventh.
Overseeing the ceremony was the commander of the American Legion. Uniform clad ladies and gentlemen solemnly placed flags into their holders as we played soft strains of Danny Boy. There was an explanation for the table setting to the side of the flags--a small table with a white tablecloth, symbolizing the loneliness, and a single red rose, symbolizing the blood that was shed. Then, like in a funeral, vets were asked to come to the microphone and share their stories. Half way through it, I recognized the words of one of the storytellers: "Look at his little child. There's no fear in her eyes. Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?" Those words were from the song!
The veterans and one wife told a few more stories. "Flags of our Fathers" was highly recommended. I plan to see the movie soon. We finished up. I went home to my husband, a Vietnam vet. I plan to show him my appreciation tonight. I thanked God for the VA, which has helped us through some tough times. I pray for guidance for our country, both the leaders and the led. I felt I'd honored some truly significant people. May we bless them with a country that is worthy.MY THANKSGIVING PRAYER Given the state of the government, the world,... more

Signengis
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6 months ago
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How Much Carlin Is Missed

← The Most Powerful Message About Patriotism You'll See This WeekHow the... more

chrisntom
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7 months ago
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GOP is ALLOWING PETTINESS OVERCOME PATRIOTISM

McConnell's debt plan: What's in it for GOP? His proposal would give Obama... more

chrisntom
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7 months ago
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St. George's Day in East London

n Barking and Dagenham local families gather to celebrate the day of St. George, the... more

Rowsell
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9 months ago
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LSU Student Decides Against Burning Flag as Thousands Stage Counter Demonstration (with video)

A student’s plans to burn an American flag on the LSU campus were cut short... more

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9 months ago
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Breaking News: Osama bin Laden Killed by the United States

On Sunday, May 1, 2011 Barack H. Obama, the 44th President of the United States... more

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10 months ago
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Superman Renounces Citizenship - Fox News Invests in Kryptonite

"Besides being riddled with a blatant lack of patriotism, and respect for our... more

BrushwithDeathToothpaste
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10 months ago
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Jeremy Scahill debates liberal war cheerleader Ed Schultz on the Libyan war

Progressives sure are singing a different tune all of the sudden when it comes to... more

maasanova
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11 months ago
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A New Pledge of Allegiance for a New America

America is a changed place these days and we've become a nation selfish to a... more

omnipotentpoobah
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12 months ago
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Patriotic Labels!

The Sacred Homeland is now safe! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_ipepC0wek

Progresshiv
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1 year ago
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19 comments

Obama Feels Patriotism Deeper Than His Heart

You should see how he Pledges his allegiance to the flag...

S3th
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1 year ago
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Thoughts On The Flag

This song perfectly sums up my thoughts on Flag burning.

Radical_Centrist
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1 year ago
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Watch: Elizabeth Hughes National Anthem Glitch Hockey Crowd Sings (VIDEO) - The Daily Blender

Elizabeth Hughes, 8, made her debut signing the national anthem at an AHL Norfolk... more

dryeraser
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1 year ago
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Join Stephen Colbert in discovering the value of Art

On Wednesday night's "Colbert Report," Stephen Colbert welcomed the... more

Argon18
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1 year ago
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44 comments

How can we balance increasing transpareny with the need for secrecy regarding sensitive information?

In the wake of controversy around the latest documents to appear on Wikileaks,... more

sgwhites
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1 year ago
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35 comments

America's Misconception of Freedom

America was founded in an attempt to escape the oppression of not only religious expression, but also the misrepresentation from a monarchist system that cared only for the proliferation and interests of the elite class. After 250 years, we have found ourselves in the same position as those who left Europe for these shores so long ago: oppressed by a system that only wants to serve itself before the citizens that support it. They say history repeats itself, and nowhere is this more evident than in the case of modern America’s politicians, putting their corporate puppet masters and damaging agenda of faux patriotism before the needs of the people.

To understand how we have been led to the erroneous conclusion that America is somehow a free nation, one must come to an understanding of what type of political system exists in this country and how it adds to or detracts from our social system as set up by our forefathers. We also must recognize the erosion of our system under the watch of the overzealous quasi-patriotism which has served to initiate the current Police State in place and growing in America.

First and foremost, it is important to understand that we do not live in a democracy as most people have been led to believe; America is a republic where we are granted the opportunity to elect representatives to make decisions for us. Our forefathers were learned enough to understand that a pure democracy was not possible in a complex society, especially the one they were setting up. In a democracy, although touted as the ideal system for freedom of the people to decide all matters of State, the minority only has those privileges granted by the dictatorship of the majority. In a democracy the sovereignty is in the group, whereas in a republic the sovereignty is in each individual person.

The problem with a republic, though, is that the inherent rights of the people are surrendered upon the casting of a vote for representation. After this action has taken place, our fate lies in the hands of politicians who, with the innate human deficiency of sin, represent our interests. This type of system was set up because the idea of a complex society deciding all aspects of government and the minority becoming unrepresented was unrealistic. The thought that we the people could effectively be served by those who are concerned not with the continuation of our liberty but with the development and proliferation of self-service has been greatly discredited by the reality of this, our modern model of representation.

To understand our freedom, or lack thereof, it is important to recognize what type of political system exists within our social structure into which we put our faith each election period. This country is currently run and controlled by a two-party system that determines for us, the “free” voters, who we can vote for. The choice of candidates is determined by the parties themselves as the proper representatives of their interests, rather than the interests of the American people. Even the self-labeled “freedom party” or Tea Party, is just an extension of this old, two-sided coin. We can either vote for the lesser of the evils, or suffer the consequence of others doing the voting for us.

Regarding words by James Madison on the American political system, Jack N. Rakove of Stanford University writes:
Madison assumed politicians . . . would be able to command the allegiance of large numbers of voters. Once in office, they would act with a broadmindedness that would elevate the very quality of public life. They would think not in terms of the immediate interests of their constituents, but of the larger public good which was synonymous with the concept of the public itself. The virtue which could no longer be expected to reside in the populace might still be found, he hoped, in its rulers.
It is clear from today’s system that this assumption was wrong. Our modern politicians are largely self-serving, and the quality of our lives is directly relative to our freedom to vote for true representation.

Read More: http://globalpoliticalawakening.blogspot.com/2010/11/americas-misconception-of-freedom.htmlAmerica was founded in an attempt to escape the oppression of not only religious... more

GLOBALPOLITICAL
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1 year ago
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