Thursday, September 11, 2008

...And Another Thing That Bugs Me

...was when Sarah Palin announced that only one of the candidates had fought for our country, and that was John McCain. I have to say, since when was it true that the only way we "fight for our country" is when we are in the military? Since when is being part of the military the only way to demonstrate one's patriotism? A country demonstrates what it's made of as much when it's "at peace" as when it's "at war." Do its citizens fight for good public education, available to everybody? Do its citizens fight for health care for everybody who needs it? Do its citizens fight for arts opportunities, so that children with talents in singing and playing instruments and writing poems and dancing and painting can thrive and be happy? Do its citizens fight for clean water, clean air and fertile soil?

The narrowness and negativity if this exclusively military interpretation of patriotism really gets my goat. It's a reflection of a darkly rigid world view that I find immensely depressing.

2 comments:

Gillian Swart said...

You go, girl!

Macy Swain said...

Thanks, Gillian. I'm feeling angry about the mediocrity and stupidity of most of the discussion. Reason is an orphan, lost in the theatricality of vanity, ambition and lies.