The New Patriotism and People Proud of Their Country for the First Time

IHT has an interesting article (thx b5) out of the East Bay exploring the phenomenon that was very apparent on election night: a new-found patriotism for some Americans. It discusses how many liberals are now not so embarrassed to sport American flags and might even learn the words to the Star-Spangled Banner. Maybe this is a good thing. One of my biggest dislikes of the American left is not for their criticism of lousy government policy, but rather their open sympathies towards enemies of American ideals. During the Bush years, we have been treated to a host of American celebrities schmoozing with Venezuela's thug-in-chief, a consistent misrepresentation of events in Iraq to make America look worse than it was, and even many pro-terrorist type festivities that persist to this day. These are examples of a radical element of the left, and, likewise, there are a large number of knuckleheads on the right reading The Turner Diaries as gospel and jerking off to outrageous government conspiracies. But, I have been incredibly disapointed by the mainstream left's inability to ostracize these blatantly anti-American elements from cultural influence.

So, maybe the newfound patriotism can end this corrosive element of politics that actively seeks to take down America by aligning with her enemies. We are lucky to live in a nation that was founded on a set of principles by some very intelligent people instead of just whatever warlord happened to rise to power. But, like Benjamin Franklin said, we're "a republic if you can keep it..."