Pencil Stubs Online
Reader Recommends


 

Point of View - September

By Gerard Meister

A friend of mine telephoned to describe an incident that happened to him in a strip mall parking lot a couple of weeks ago. What transpired saddened him greatly, as it did me, but frightened me even more. Here's what occurred: my friend, who is in his late seventies and served in the Army Air Corps during WWII, flies a small American flag from his car.

As he parked a woman passerby spotting the flag fluttering from his car's rear window remarked, as she pointed to the flag: "I hope this doesn't mean that you're voting for Bush!" My friend did not dignify the taunt with a response and walked away, but remains puzzled as to why an American flag should show support President Bush. And conversely, he asked as we discussed the matter, "would the absence of an American flag show support for the Kerry/Edwards Democratic ticket?"

Clearly, that shouldn't be; Kerry and Edwards are loyal Americans and as patriotic as my friend or me or any of my readers, but that's not the point. The point is, why does that woman (and so many other voters) believe an overt display of patriotism to be a Republican symbol? Why should Democrats be seen as closet patriots?

Here is what I think happened: all the people who run around bashing America every chance they get - the likes of, Michael Moore, George Soros, Noam Chomsky, Ramsay Clark, Gore Vidal, Lynn Stewart and Howard Zinn, to name a few - have one thing in common, they all back the Kerry/Edwards Democratic ticket. Michael Moore is on record saying that he is "rooting for Iraq to win," yet his movie grossed over a hundred million dollars. Ramsay Clark has been in Iraq for weeks helping with Saddam Hussein's defense. Does anyone know this? Shouldn't everyone care?

Still, as we approach having to make a choice in the coming election, it is important that we understand the difference between "Bush Bashers" who dissent with the president's policies - Barbra Streisand, Maureen Dowd, Al Franken, Whoopi Goldberg, etc., and Americans who actually hate their country. Dissent, Jefferson said is the "highest form of patriotism." But the people enrolled in the Michael Moore/George Soros' school of thought aren't dissenters, they don't just disagree with the president, they believe that the United States represents the biggest threat to world peace. Knock America off its high horse, they believe, and all will be right in the world. It's not al Qaeda that concerns them, folks, it's us!

And that's what frightens me. Every single one of the people in America who are actively seeking to sink our ship of state is vigorously supporting John Kerry! If this scares you too, it is in your power to do something about it.

And may God continue to bless America.  

Refer a friend to this Article

Your Name -
Your Email -
Friend's Name - 
Friends Email - 

 

Reader Comments

Name: Clara Email: blair@airmail.net
Comment: Beware of generalizations, Gerard. I am a devout Democrat and both fly Old Glory at our front door and wear an American flag pin over my heart when I dress to go out. It is my flag too! Please make the distinction between people who feel dismay at the Bush administration and those who truly have no regard for the prosperity our country -- only their own pockets. In my opinion, the die-hard Bush supporters are complicit in exploiting our land and making "America the Beautiful" a nostalgic lament. Drilling for oil on the beaches of Texas! Reversing rules that were designed to protect the natural treasures -- the forests and rivers and once-abundant wildlife -- of our country for future generations. These are the traitors you should be outraged by, not the liberal pundits who are pointing our that the emperor is naked! We are not trying to sink the ship of state; we're trying to steer it away from the iceberg of profiteering and warmongering. The woman who presumed that proudly showing the flag automatically meant your friend had to be a Bush supporter was way out of line. Plenty of the loyal opposition also show the flag!

*

*

Post YOUR Comments!
Name:
Email:
Comments:

Please enter the code in the image above into the box
below. It is Case-Sensitive. Blue is lowercase, Black
is uppercase, and red is numeric.
Code:

Horizontal Navigator

 

HOME

To report problems with this page, email Webmaster

Copyright © 2002 AMEA Publications