No "Contingent Patriotism", by Mary L. Wright

I won't reproduce the joke from George Carlin but I think his point was a good one: garbage in, garbage out. You can't complain about Bush or Clinton as if they are not representative of us. Unfortunately, whichever man or both seemed inadequate to you or I, they are representative of us as a people. We saw Clinton age 10 years on television in his last year in office. Bush's approval ratings fall as he alienates people by the day. They have different personality types. Both of these men handle accounting for their actions in ways I would not. But they still are our presidents while in office.

Here is the thing Carlin pointed out that should worry us. Our communities, parents & role models, our grade schools, high schools and colleges, our communities, churches, the governments and cultures of our 50 states, our political structure, media, and especially our election process... all together as if one giant computer, took every man and woman willing to do the job, and sifted down to these two men as the best America can do. There are people more qualified to be the president perhaps, but not by our standards. These men are the most qualified according to our system because they are the graduates in America's leadership program in the school of American Life as mentioned above. The great "computer" we use to select our leader has faulty programming. Even those who believe Gore was the actual winner still have Bush as President because of two additional elements in the program: election media coverage, and the Supreme Court - Bush was still the computer's choice. Even those who have the grandest of conspiracy theories have to admit they are still powered at the level of our society generally. If the candidates themselves had to earn our loyalty individually without partisanship, I doubt that these two men would have. Regardless, they are the product of what our nation searches for every four years.

By the way, if I could pick a candidate it would have been Ben Franklin. I haven't seen anyone since who really seemed worthy to lead the whole nation! It's a big job. That person needs to be outstanding! In our process I never get to see the Ben Franklin's out there and I want to. I want to sit with my family by a radio and listen to presidential debates that are good! How exciting to hear two brilliant leaders respond impromptu as a preview of what they would do as a president in the stress of the moment and toward his or her agenda.

I wish we had no loyalty to any candidate via party membership while they vie for our respect and then once elected, I wish we were all loyal or at least showed presidential respect for the four years we committed to. I wish we put solidarity first, and I don't think we need a war to do it. I used to have trouble saying the Pledge of Allegiance in times of national behavior I was ashamed of. . . but now I say it loudly, as if it were a prayer for my country to not come unglued. When I get discouraged by presidents or political parties and especially our actions or inactions in the world, I stop and remember our veterans and our colonists and emancipated peoples and conquered peoples and keep my patriotism alive for them. My patriotism doesn't quiver over Clinton, Bush, Gore, or any political party. In no time should we take for granted what we have and pick at it because we have clubs. Patriotism is gratitude. There are no strings attached to gratitude, and no political party or feeling toward a president is more important than our patriotism as individuals.

I would not elect President Bush in 2004 as some others would. But I will also not blame my disappointment of him on Government as if I were not responsible or part of it in any way. Just living in the nation is an agreement to support our rules in existence as I fight to change those I don't agree with. Furthermore, as long as I live here I willingly support our government and our nation as a whole even if I am ashamed of its behavior in certain years. If I can't do that any more I'll feel obliged to move before I skirt my responsibility as an American to support her.

So think it as you read it (and read about its unusual history and author Francis Bellamy (1855 - 1931) on Dr. John W. Baer's site The Pledge of Allegiance - A Short History, Copyright 1992. You can pick your favorite version, which I learned on Mr. Baer's site how the Knights of Columbus changed it to add Under God, and Bellamy felt pressured to not use the word 'equality' which meant much to his socialist views but was not yet available to women, black people and I'll add, Native Americans! So if you're a little patriotically wounded (and I feel for you), take back your Allegiance to the USA in this well-written Pledge and heal a little each time you say it.

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with equality, liberty and justice for all."

-- Mary L. Wright, July 2004

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