The emergence of the flag-waving liberal
Originally published at Examiner.com
Black Americans are justifiably proud of their country in the wake of the election of Barack Obama as President. In fact, most Americans, including yours truly and other conservatives and Republicans, are proud that the election of a Black man is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that America is not a racist country.
Of this, I am much thankful on this most American of holidays. I have known for decades that America isn’t racist, but do understand, as one African-American columnist put it, that only such an election could convince many blacks that “America loved them back.”
As I wrote on the day after Election Day, we have but one president at a time, and the President-Elect will be my President come Inauguration Day. But we have only one country for all time (if we can keep it), and my patriotic love for it is unrelated to the outcome of elections.
But, not all Americans share this kind of patriotism:
“I felt [Old Glory, pictured] was no longer a symbol of the country I love, but of Bush and support for his war,” said [Ronnie Chapman, a] 48-year-old pharmacist from Cary. “The first thing I did the morning after the election was take it from my den and fly it proudly in front of my house.”
You did the right thing, finally, as did all those that were flying their Star Spangled Banners the day before the election who didn’t take theirs down.
The Raleigh News & Observer considers Chapman’s response as reflecting “the emergence of an unusual – and some might say contradictory – new figure: the flag-waving liberal.”
“For years it’s felt like patriotism was a Republican thing,” said Raven Moeslinger, 21, a senior at UNC Chapel Hill. “Now I feel like we’ve reclaimed it.”
Why did you feel that way for years? Could it be because you have so often heard liberal Democrats complaining of having their patriotism challenged when only their judgment is challenged and remembered Shakespeare’s “Methinks thou dost protest too much” and reached the obvious conclusion?
“We’ve” reclaimed “it”? No, Raven, but hopefully you have joined “it” and that “it” will be a lifelong marriage in love for the extended family we call country. I pray we are not two irreconcilable Americas.
You can build that love by following this example:
“The night after the election, I got in bed and started reading the Declaration of Independence for the first time in a long time,” said Sherry Harmon, 55, of Cary. “I felt I needed to touch base with our roots because I think we need to refresh our ideas of who we are as Americans.”
Bravo. Read the reasons for loving this “Best hope of man on Earth” from the first Independence Day in 1776 thru Election Day 2008.
What you will discover is that, but for the “old” patriotism that led men and women to sacrifice their lives, fortunes and scared honor to found and preserve this Shining City on a Hill, no matter the party of the Commander-in-Chief, there would have been far less to be thankful for.
Here is hoping that the “new” patriots will remain so when the sunshine reflected off Barack’s visage has turned to night.
God Bless America and pass the turkey!
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer, Examiner.com and Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
November 27th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
US has the glorious and prosperous at present because of those men (and women) wore uniforms.
From war with England to have Independent,
From civil war to free black people as slave,
From war with France, to get Louisiana,
From war with Spain , to get New Mexico, California
and purchase Alaska from Russia
Patriotism is just the same, from time to time, there is no old patriotism or new patriotism.
God Bless America !
November 27th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Hello, this article shows that this article was written by someone who is not African-American or maybe not even a minority. Yes, the election of Obama has shown that it is possible. However what about racist parts in the south, the racist threats against Obama more than any other canidate in US history as yahoo reported and on his interview with Barbara Walters last night mentioning it.
You see this is part of why the Republican Party is having problems attracting other minority groups. Lets put label conservative and liberal on something and call it that way. People are tired of that because it had caused division for the past 8 years and so forth.
I am glad that some can celebrate the moment, but to say that this country still does not have serious racial issues is ignorant. McCain beat Obama by 12-13 points with the cauc vote Hillary would have won that or come very very close.
Sure things have come far since the 1960′s but to say that ITS over is not being realistic. I think Mike who wrote this and other people who want to see what people me go to parts of SC, TN, Al, and talk to people as whole you will see what I am talking about
November 27th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Blacks whine too much.
November 27th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Wow, another craptastic column by Gamecock.
“the election of a Black man is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that America is not a racist country.”
And you’re a lawyer? It says nothing of the sort.
November 27th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
#3, WTH does that mean?
November 27th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
#2 I agree that liberals have caused a lot of division in the past. That’s why I left the party in 2000 after 18 years a dem activist and party official.
November 27th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
#3 There were many non-race reasons to vote against Obama of course. He is a liberal. He got more white votes in nationwaide and in the South than Kerry. That he did worse in the South is a testament to the wisdom of the South, not racism.
November 27th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Falz, now you see, that type of BS is why the Repub are in trouble. You are another example of a person who KNOWS NOTHING ASBSOU nothing about race realtions in this country and if you did you would not say crap like that. Then you wonder why alot of African Americans do not want to be a part of the repubs party. Why because of people like you. thats why. I guess the pictures I see on here of Condeleza, Deroy, Murdocks etc is a reason why I saw one arguing with pat buch. When you have a history of things and threats being made on a pres elect mroe than any other in US history and most of the threats are because of his race, then you better get the hell off the pot or take the pot out of your mouth.
As for Mike thats good where your point is.
However, I am saying this, as I said it before. There is only one color that people in this world do NOT DISCRIMINATE against and you know what that color is………….GREEN………………That 8 or 9 times out of 10 will superceede alot of things and racisism is one of them. There were people who were against Obama because of his race calling him some of the worst names in the book. but they still voted for him why…..because they feel that he can do something for them in their pocket books……..
I call it the Dallas Cowboy affect. Go to Texas and you will here some Texas yelling all the racial names in the book at some players when they are winning for them and giving them a victory but as soon as they begin to lose for them, watch out they are apes, N, etc etc again……..
Repubs like Falz is why the party is where it is…………..if you want to win again. Don’t take his advice or you will lose but find ways to even if you don’t agree or able to realte to someone else………try to put yourself in their shoes or listen to diff points of few and find a compromise if possible
November 27th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I agree with number 3 and 4 If anyone is most offended I am………… I think that #3 makes some good points on here. As for Mike a bit further…….Labels like Liberal and Natzi……..is this the 1980′s is Regan still in the white House? Those type of Labels and what not do not mean once they once did………..Because if they did. Lets see, the Conservative party in period of JFK and Nixon wanted to keep segregation and the Liberal party wanted to end it (JFK)………….Hummmmmmmm there are other examples but this is one of them. If you want to keep losing elections then by all means go ahead and use the Liberal and Conservative Labels because alot of skin head consider themselves Conservative….
November 28th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
#9 We disagree. The reason you may think they don’t matter is due to the non-cpnservative leadership in the GOP in the WH and Congress lately, but beginning with Obama’s first 100 days, we will all get a new lesson in the difference.