False Patriotism

Republicans have been feeding America a false sense of patriotism. By their definition, patriotism can only come from only symbolic gestures:

Stars and Stripes - several times, Orin Hatch has tried (unsuccessfully) to amend our Constitution to turn our flag into some sacred idol that cannot be touched. The true irony is that in doing so, he diminishes the very thing that the flag stands for.

The flag is not sacred, what it stands for is sacred. It is just a symbol. Do I want folks to burn the flag? No, but I would rather protect the right to burn the flag than have a government decide what I can and cannot say about them.

Flag Lapel Pin - Republicans are questioning the patriotism of Obama because he refuses to wear a flag lapel pin. Really? Republicans are not fashion cops. Does that mean our founding fathers and all the Presidents before were also not patriotic? After all, they didn't wear lapel pins of the flag. Should we require true patriots to wear armbands of the US flag? That way, we can tell who the real patriots are.

Cross your heart - the other attack by Republicans seems to be that if you don't put your hand over your heart when you say the pledge of allegiance, there must be something to it. Wow -- this just boggles the mind.

I'm not making this stuff up. They are really saying this stuff.
Yahoo News article

Do do really buy into this? Is your patriotism defined by the clothes you wear or objects you worship? If so, our nation is doomed.

The flag represents the freedoms of this country. Freedoms granted by our Constitution. The true power of those freedoms is that they allow you to burn the flag as an expression of that freedom. Yes, it pisses off most people -- but you still can do it. That's the true beauty behind the freedom it represents. Changing the Constitution to take that away misses what that Constitution is all about.

Lapel pins are not what makes you patriotic. You do not get a free pass in this department if you are happy to violate the values and principles of the Constitution while you wear your lapel pin. Mr. Bush wears his lapel pin as he orders warrantless spying on Americans, as he tortures people in our custody, as he suspends habeas corpus. I'm sorry -- I value the Constitution much more than some stupid pin.

These are all false gestures of patriotism. You are no more or less patriotic because you hold your hand over your heart. Cross your heart, hope to die, stick a needle in your eye -- yeah, sounds like something an 8-year old might say -- yet some are using this same thought process for determining who is and is not a patriot.