The Patriotism ProblemThursday, Apr. 03, 2008
By JOE KLEIN
Patriotism is, sadly, a crucial challenge for Obama now. His aides believe that the Wright controversy was more about anti-Americanism than it was about race. Michelle Obama's unfortunate comment that the success of the campaign had made her proud of America "for the first time" in her adult life and the Senator's own decision to stow his American-flag lapel pin — plus his Islamic-sounding name — have fed a scurrilous undercurrent of doubt about whether he is "American" enough.
"In this campaign, we will not stand for the politics that uses religion as a wedge and patriotism as a bludgeon," he said on the night that he lost Ohio and Texas. But then he added, "I owe what I am to this country, this country that I love, and I will never forget it." That has been the implicit patriotism of the Obama candidacy: only in America could a product of Kenya and Kansas seek the presidency. It is part of what has proved so thrilling to his young followers, who chanted, "U-S-A, U-S-A," the night that he won the Iowa caucuses. But now, to convince those who doubt him, Obama has to make the implicit explicit. He will have to show that he can be as corny as he is cool.
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7 comments:
My first reaction was "patriotism is bad" - Obama shouldn't sell out to this nonsense of patriotism. The Olympics are coming up, and I again will be embarrassed when I hear the "U-S-A U-S-A" chant. Why? Because it reeks of this version of patriotism where you think your country is better than everyone else's (like many Americans do) and blindly support the government. People wonder how you can be a patriot when your government does so many wrong things? But, my problem is with the current definition of patriotism.
Patriotism today has been conflated with jingoism and authority. It in turn leads to people having to take a ‘position’ on the matter - you are either for or against us. So, if you criticise the government, you are automatically unpatriotic. This manipulation of the concept leads to the situation where people blindly follow and believe in their government, even though the government is well and truly screwing up.
So maybe Obama can get corny by redefining patriotism. I believe that constant criticism of government and "checking" is the role of a patriot. You can love your country and try to change it for the better which is true patriotism. There are positive things in true patriotism. True patriotism can include expression of respect, care for a community and values. It can also imply a concern for service and duty - attitudes which have got lost in the individualistic, capitalistic, selfish notion of ‘I can do what I like when I want and stuff the consequences’.
Poor grammar- attitudes have gotten lost - not got lost.
Running against McCain, Obama will get killed on issues like this. They'll tear him apart. Like they did Kerry.
TB
TB - not necessarily.
A couple now, his patriotism has been questioned , bringing up things like Obama not wearing a flag pin.
I have seen him throw out the challenge to the Republicans to have that debate, and each time they have backed down.
Obama is ready to challenge them on whether it is patriotic to start an unjust war and squander billions of dollars and sacrifice thousands of our young soldiers in the process.
to Irene - I really agree with you on this line:
" This manipulation of the concept leads to the situation where people blindly follow and believe in their government, even though the government is well and truly screwing up."
However, what if large numbers of voters can be persuaded that true patriotism is supporting your country's leader whether right or wrong - and wearing lapel flags and putting your hand over your heart, etc? Could his stubborn independent attitude about these things cost him the election?
A local politician years ago once said to me: "Alice, I don't care what the papers say about me or how often as long as they spell my name right and put it in the headline. When the public comes to vote they won't remember what was said, they'll just remember they've seen & heard my name often." It worked for him. And I think it's working now. Alice
The kind of patriotism whereby people support their leader right or wrong is dangerous form of nationalism - and Nazi Germany is a perfect example. Patriotism might be willing to fight and die for your country's ideals, in which case, McCain is a sure winner. Kerry would have been too, over the draft dodger Bush.
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