The "Dissent" School Of Patriotism

This is from Jonah Goldberg at NRO. I could not have said this better myself - and, believe me, I have tried. This post actually delineates the infantile intellectual paralysis which commonly afflicts those on the Left. If you don't believe me, visit Daily Kos, Democratic Underground or the Left leaning site of your choice and then tell me how wrong I am. Emphasis is mine:

"So, Jonah, here's the problem I have all too often with the "dissent is the highest form of patriotism" line. Patriotism, as I see it, is love of country—an actually-existing, historically grounded, geographical, political, and social entity. It's not uncritical, it's not unwilling to acknowledge flaws or misdeeds, but it's a fundamental attachment to an entity, a place, a thing, a group of people, and in the case of America, of course, a set of ideals enshrined in our founding documents.

The "dissent" school seems to acknowledge love not of the actual country, but the Country of the Future, once all the flaws are fixed, which is not only utopian but utterly quixotic, since no group of human beings can ever organize themselves in a fashion without problems. Moreover, it's a very subjective standard. You're dissenting on whatever the hell problem is your own hobby horse. Feminist A is upset about the state of women and is patriotically "dissenting"; Klansman B is upset about the state of white folk, and in his mind, he's equally patriotic in his "dissent." There isn't a hell of a lot in the "dissent" principle that can distinguish the two. A historically-grounded analysis says the feminist is (perhaps) appealing to American ideals of equality while the Klansman is appealing to an ugly tradition of anti-black bigotry, but neither are, in any real sense, showing their love of country. The former may be offering a constructive criticism, the other clearly is proposing a destructive one, but both are equally ideological and neither is expressing a love of America qua America, but rather a love of what they think America should be.

While that's a grand American tradition, I don't think it's patriotism. Moreover, it easily descends into narcissism and paranoia when the messy reality of America meets the pure, pristine clarity of their ideals—"I hate this country so much because it's not the country I want it to be, but because I have in mind the Other Country It Should Be, I'm a patriot of the Ideal America of My Mind.

The great, truly patriotic reformers of American history have the country for what it is despite its flaws, which they dedicated themselves to amending. It's only of late, under the influence of Marxism and the tumult of the '60s (perhaps the Kennedy assassination, if you believe that guy's new book) in which you see large numbers of people expressing the loopy theoretical proposition that you can despise your country out of love for it, which seems to be the bottom line for a lot of petty university-educated intellectuals these days."

And the intellectual Lefts love of "The Country of the Future" might also explain why they are the last bastion of socialism/communism - since it is all quite lovely on paper. But then reality intrudes and "therein lies the rub".

Quote Of The Day

"Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.

This is known as "bad luck."

- Robert A. Heinlein

Two Kinds Of Patriotism

Jonah Goldberg recently wrote this in an article published by The Los Angeles Times:
"I've come around to the view that the culture war can best be understood as a conflict between two different kinds of patriotism. On the one hand, there are people who believe being an American is all about dissent and change, that the American idea is inseparable from "progress." America is certainly an idea, but it is not merely an idea. It is also a nation with a culture as real as France's or Mexico's. That's where the other patriots come in; they think patriotism is about preserving Americanness.

Many liberals hear talk of national culture and shout, "Nativist!" first and ask questions later, if at all. They believe it is a sign of their patriotism that they hold fast to the idea that we are a "nation of immigrants" -- forgetting that we are also a nation of immigrants who became Americans."

Treason?

Treason is a very ugly word. Unfortunately, it is currently being thrown around with impunity by all sides of the political discussion in this country. Ed Morrissey offers this very sensible warning:
"We should hold the hyperbole, and assume the best motives whenever possible. That doesn't mean we shouldn't criticize actions and speeches when wrong, or that we should do so with insufficient vigor. It does mean that we should hold the most dire allegations for those who deserve it. Adam Gadahn is a traitor. Robert Byrd and Barack Obama are fools. The two are not synonymous. If we don't recognize that patriotism means love of country regardless of wisdom on policy, then we really will have reduced it to only the last refuge of scoundrels."

Friends Of Fred

Fred sure has some friends over at the American Thinker:

"Conventional wisdom is hardening around the proposition that Fred Dalton Thompson is too lazy, ill-prepared, tired, old, lackluster, inexperienced, inconsistent and bald to make a successful run for President. Of course, conventional wisdom rarely gets anything right. When it does, it's only by accident.

In this case conventional wisdom is not just wrong but comically so. Thompson will win the Republican nomination for two reasons. First, he's a very impressive candidate. Second, there's no realistic alternative. He will win the general election for the same two reasons.

Fred Thompson isn't Ronald Reagan. But he can restore the Republican Party to Reagan's default settings. He can make the GOP once again the party of the American Revolution and distinguish it sharply from the party of the French, Russian, Chinese, and Cuban Revolutions.

After a recent Thompson speech in Iowa a member of the audience called out: "Kill the terrorists, secure the border, and give me back my freedom." Thompson replied "you just summed up my whole speech."

No other candidate could have carried off that quip because no other candidate is capable of delivering a convincing speech focused on those powerful themes.

Certainly Hillary's theme - A kinder, gentler America at home and abroad - can't compete. Socialism never had the electoral appeal in the United States that the chattering class expects it to have. Nowadays it is painfully passe."

Quiz Time

And this one counts - more than you know.

"America’s Founders were convinced American freedom could survive only if each generation understood its founding principles and the sacrifices made to maintain it.

Failing Our Students, Failing America: Holding Colleges Accountable for Teaching America’s History and Institutions asks: Is American higher education doing its duty to prepare the next generation to maintain our legacy of liberty?

In fall 2005, researchers at the University of Connecticut’s Department of Public Policy (UConnDPP), commissioned by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s (ISI) National Civic Literacy Board, conducted a survey of some 14,000 freshmen and seniors at 50 colleges and universities. Students were asked 60 multiple-choice questions to measure their knowledge in four subject areas: America’s history, government, international relations, and market economy. The disappointing results were published by ISI in fall 2006 in The Coming Crisis in Citizenship: Higher Education’s Failure to Teach America’s History and Institutions. Seniors, on average, failed all four subjects, and their overall average score was 53.2%."

Take the quiz here.

I went to university to become a high school history teacher and was so disturbed at the level of cynicism exhibited by the teachers I did field work with that I quickly changed my career plans. While I have never really regretted going into teaching, I have to admit that when I see articles such as this I do tend to dispare. Many people do not enjoy history and as a result tend to be uninformed about the spectacular experiment in self government this country truly is. Sometimes I think that if I had become a teacher I might have been able to make a difference.

I have also contended that many on the Left fail to grasp essential political issues because they do not know their own history or they have been exposed to flawed versions which this article makes abundantly clear. The Left often desires a certain outcome because they want it - not because they understand all of the history behind why things are the way they are. We can always change our government and or country but take the time to understand them first. You might just find out more than a few things you didn't know.

So, how did you do on the quiz?

Star Trek Weekend

I think they have lost their minds over at NRO! And I offer this as proof.

Tristan

This morning we delivered a member of our family into God's hands after thirteen years of love and friendship. Though we are diminished by her absence, we are infinitely richer for having had her in our lives.

Rest in peace.

Concert Vault

This is amazing!

Remember when I wrote about Bryan Ferry's latest solo album and mentioned seeing Chris Spedding play guitar on Ferry's solo tour? Go to Concert Vault and you can actually hear Ferry recorded live at the Bottom Line in New York City during his 1977 solo tour with the aforementioned Mr. Spedding on guitar. I prefer the late show version of The "In" Crowd.

Concert Vault is a collection of digitally remastered concerts recorded from the Sixties to the Eighties by the legendary promoter Bill Graham as well as the archives of The King Biscuit Flower Hour. All of the shows can be listened to for free and many can be downloaded for a price. You can hear Led Zeppelin in 1969, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Faces, Jeff Beck, Bob Marley, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Janice Joplin, The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers - the list is truly impressive.

You will undoubtedly find something that will make you say "Damn!".

There May Be Hope For Congress After All

I have to admit that I am a bit behind on listening to my podcasts. However, I was awestruck by one I heard earlier today which was recorded at The Heritage Foundation on August 1 entitled "When Do You Know You're Winning? Combating Insurgencies - Past, Present and Future". Congressional Representative Thadeus McCotter (R-Michigan) was the guest speaker and I particularly liked this exchange (emphasis added):

Question - "How do you gauge your caucus’s temperature on Iraq? Do you think it is going to stay together in September?"

Answer - "I earlier advocated and I continue to advocate that this is not a political matter for our party. That if we descend to the level where national security and elemental questions of right and wrong become an issue where we can be coursed or cajoled then we have not done our jobs as the representatives of the sovereign American people and we will descend to the level of those that view everything as a political matter in relation to your national security.

When your nation is engaged in warfare overseas you retain your right to descent. But you also have the responsibility to put forward constructive solutions to further the cause of victory. If you do not like what the President is doing then you should tell the President how we can best achieve our goal, be victorious and allow our troops to come home to their loved ones. I think that when you treat this as political matter you stray from that fundamental principle and you get into all sorts of trouble.

So we have not whipped our caucus on this and we will not. It is a matter of conscience and we believe that, in the end, this is the best way to approach this because it is the right way to approach this. I know how I will be voting; my constituents will know how I will be voting; and I think that is right and proper and anyone that asks me will be told. But if they do not ask, I will not force it upon them."

Just when I began to think Congress was nothing more than a collection of blithering idiots this man comes out and very concisely articulates my very feelings about how the liberals have come perilously close to treasonous behavior regarding the war. All I want to know is if/when he will consider running for higher office. I think he just might have a future.

Quote Of The Day

"The nice thing about working with your own tomatoes is that you don't have to remove a sticker."

- The Young Squire

September Gardening

We are watching a light frost melt off this morning and are very glad we covered the new crops of lettuce, spinach, green beans and radishes we recently planted. Our young miss just called to say her thermometer read 32 degrees F this morning and discussed what she should do about her garden with M'Lady. Apparently, it was a good thing the young squire and I picked all of the tomatoes yesterday!

Today will be devoted to all things tomato - tomato juice, tomato sauce and dried tomatoes. We have well over a hundred pounds to deal with and that doesn't include the four gallons of tomato sauce we have already canned. To date we have canned or frozen pickles (both dill and bread and butter types), beets, hot pickled mix, green beans, stuffed green peppers, hot peppers, apple sauce, grape jam, honey and the above mentioned tomato sauce. And an entire harvest of squash awaits our attention as well. Needless to say, our weekends have been busy.

The Definitive Word

In their editorial on September 11th The Wall Street Journal provided the definitive word on the MoveOn.Org/New York Times tactics (emphasis added):

"Important as was yesterday's appearance before Congress by General David Petraeus, the events leading up to his testimony may have been more significant. Members of the Democratic leadership and their supporters have now normalized the practice of accusing their opponents of lying. If other members of the Democratic Party don't move quickly to repudiate this turn, the ability of the U.S. political system to function will be impaired in a way no one would wish for. "

"MoveOn.org calls itself a "progressive" political group, but it is in fact drawn from the hard left of American politics and a pedigree that sees politics as not so much an ongoing struggle but a final competition. Their Web-based group is new to the political scene, but its politics are not so new. More surprising and troubling are the formerly liberal institutions and politicians who now share this political ethos."

"In an editorial on Sunday, the New York Times, after saying that President Bush "isn't looking for the truth, only for ways to confound the public," asserted that "General Petraeus has his own credibility problems." We read this as an elision from George Bush, the oft-accused liar on WMD and all the rest, to David Petraeus, also a liar merely for serving in the chain of command. With this editorial, the Times establishes that the party line is no longer just "Bush lied," but anyone who says anything good about Iraq or our effort there is also lying. As such, the Times enables and ratifies MoveOn.org's rhetoric as common usage for Democrats."

Be sure to read the entire editorial.

What If MoveOn.Org Existed 65 Years Ago?

The answer:


CWCID: Red State

Quote Of The Day

To put The New York Times editorial mentioned below in perspective:

"It appears we have appointed our worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers! In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editor/geniuses plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late. Accordingly, I'm readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I'll, in turn, do my best for the cause by writing editorials - after the fact."

Robert E. Lee, 1863