Punch-drunk on patriotism, blind-drunk on borderism...

I've had it in a comment recently, and heard it repeatedly on the far right wingnut radio talk shows: Obama is not patriotic enough to be president.



When I hear this, I have to chuckle.

I would like someone to show me the Patriotism Scale and explain to me how we rate individuals on this scale.

• If I have three, yellow, made-in-China, magnetic ribbons on the back of my gas-guzzling SUV and you only have one, does that make me MORE patriotic than you?
• If I fly my flag on a 25 foot tall flag pole, and you just hand yours from a pole on the front of your house, does that make you LESS patriotic than me?
• If I recite the Pledge Of Allegiance every morning as I'm shaving and you don't, does that mean I can be president, but you can't?
• If I stand, put my hand over my heart, and sing along anytime I hear the National Anthem, and you only stand, does that mean you're less suited to the Oval Office than I?
• If I've served in the US Military, even if I was drafted and was in against my wishes, and you were never in uniform, even though you may have wanted to be but couldn't due to medical reasons, does that make me MORE of a patriot than you?
• If I wear a flag on my lapel, and as a tieclasp, and as cuff links, but you only have the lapel pin, does that mean I'm to be more trusted than you are?
• If I ONLY wear red, white, and blue clothes, but you wear clothes of all colors, does that make me MORE of an American than you?
• What if I only wear boxers that have a flag design on them, but you wear plain white briefs, does that mean I'm a better American than YOU are?
• If I talk a lot about patriotism and wrap myself, metaphorically in the flag, but then trample all over the Constitution, condone torture, spy on my fellow citizens without a warrant, and suspend rights like Habeus Corpus at my whim, does that make me, like George W. Bush a better president, than...oh, say the OTHER 43 presidents we've had who DIDN'T do this stuff????

Patriotism, to me, is a lot like religiousness: A man can go to church Sunday mornings, Sunday evening, Wednesdays night, or how often during the week he wants to, but then go home and beat his wife, and molest his daughter, and cheat on his taxes and yet, he can still claim to be religious and no one could contest it because no one sees the other stuff he does.

Patriotism, like religiousness, is in a man's heart. And since we don't know what's in a man's heart, who are we to question ANY man's partiotism?

But if, as some insist, Obama is not 'patriotic' enough to be president, then please, as I mentioned, show me the scale and how we rate people. And we'll see where on the scale he fits. By the same token, though, we'll rate McSame and see if HE'S patriotic enough to be president. And we can look at George W. Bush as well for that matter.

And when Bushie doesn't reach the level of "presidential patriotism", I sincerely hope he'll be a good upright, decent citizen and resign, as he should never have been elected in the first place.

POLT Listening to "Heart And Soul" by Joy Division

We're gonna blow the roof off this garage in a most rock-tastic way! - Ken, Freaks & Geeks