Jon Stewart on Rudy Giuliani's "Obama Doesn't Love America" Comment

I'm so gonna miss Jon Stewart, and can only hope they pick someone like John Fugelsang to take his place. . .

[Excerpt]

Stewart To Giuliani: You Know You're Not The Mayor Of 9-11, Right?

The Daily Show's Jon Stewart took a whack at Mr. A-Noun-Verb-and-9-11 this Monday and his ridiculous statement that he's since tripled down on that President Obama supposedly doesn't love America and gave him the treatment he deserves. . .

Read more at: Crooks and Liars

What is Patriotism?

This scene, from the pilot episode of The Newsroom, shows a fictional cable news anchor asked the "tough" question, "Why is America the greatest country in the world." His eventual answer when pressed is classic Aaron Sorkin, and wonderfully performed by Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy. The show itself has seen a barrage of criticism, but I have to say I'm liking it. It is heavy-handed at time, but as the dialog of the show points out, you have to speak truth to stupid sometimes.

And I for one do not find this speech in anyway un-patriotic. I think "American exceptionalism" is a perfectly laudable goal, but it is not a given. I think true patriots want to make America better, not proclaim it to be #1 in areas where it is empirically not. That doesn't mean that I don't have a swell of patriotism when July 4th rolls around, and it doesn't mean I don't love my country. It makes me a realist.

The Tea Party Debate in 75 Seconds

What the heck are Michele and Rick looking at?
Image from Uproxx

Though the 75-second clip is illuminating, it is the shot at left that really gets me. It's funny, because Rick Perry is known to be something of a doofus, and he looks like one in this shot. It is also notable for the fact that Perry does not have his hand over his heart. There is a photo of President Obama without his hand over his heart during the National Anthem, and right-wing world has beat it to death. From now on--particularly if Perry wins the nomination--this photo should be used as an instant answer to that, anyway.
 

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Last Night’s Tea Party Debate In 75 Seconds 

Have you been watching the seemingly endless Republican presidential debates? If not, you should be, because they are high f*cking comedy, let me tell you. They are also scary as hell. Those debates are the funniest and scariest thing on television right now. By far. It’s like Curb Your Enthusiasm meets Tales From The Crypt or something. . .

Read more at: Uproxx

Holiday Cheer: Pat Benatar's Christmas in America

I'm going to try to put together a few new Holiday Cheer posts over the next couple of weeks. But I put up quite a few last year, and as you know, this "Christmas Special" stuff is perennial. And were you reading this blog a year ago? I thought not. So, without further ado. . .

[Original Post]

Holiday Cheer: Pat Benatar Christmas in America

The criminally underrated Pat Benatar happens to have a fantastic Christmas song. She's at the top of my favorite singers list. And this song should even please the right-wingers! I think the overt patriotism is due to its production right after 9/11.

Oh, and that dude with Pat is her husband and producer, Neil Geraldo. They've been married forever, and in recent years he seems to always get equal billing. Whatever, it's great stuff. Enjoy.

Nationalism vs. Patriotism

I didn't post a specific Memorial Day post yesterday. Mostly, that is because of the few veterans I know personally, none have died in battle. I do not diminish the veterans who have died in service, I just have no personal reference. So, remembering them is a very symbolic and disconnected feeling that I can't express with any degree of honesty.

I also fall into the same camp as Barack Obama as it applied to the ludicrous flag lapel pin controversy. I find knee-jerk patriotism kinda phony. The flag-waving on FOX "News" typifies this sort of attitude to me. Sean Hannity's constant haranguing of Michelle and Barack Obama's comments would be a good example. This isn't patriotism it is nationalism. The two ain't the same.

What's the difference? Watch this video to find out. Sure, "Dan" is a bit bombastic, and the bad contrast of the video makes it look like he's wearing lipstick. . .but his commentary is solid.

Barack Obama's Patriotism Still Being Questioned

Photo from source, Free Republic

The Presidential election season is still pretty young, given that we still have eight months to go. And if we're going to have eight long months of this idiocy, I fear the early enthusiasm may start to wane.

So far, most of the mudslinging has been--despite the lather the cable news channels are worked up in--fairly tame, in my estimation. It's all piddly, silly crap for the most part. And it bears repeating that usually, any of the sniping in the primary/caucus portion of the race is largely forgotten once the general election campaign ramps up.

But by far the stupidest of charges comes from conservatives toward Barack Obama, regarding his religion and his patriotism. I've commented on the ridiculous "Barack is a Trojan Horse Muslim" meme before (here, here and here), but it's the anti-patriotism issue that really comes off as stupid.

What we have is faux-outrage over verbiage (often with a bunch of outright hoaxes mixed in--see above links). To think that Michelle and Barack Obama hate America is just unbelievably stupid. And to claim that one must be "proud" of America at all times, in all circumstances is flat out ridiculous.

I for one am not proud of America in its current state. I am embarrassed by our President, genuinely outraged by his actions, and disgusted with Congress. That does not mean I hate my country, and neither do the Obamas.

Barack Obama said the following in a speech:

"And if that child should ever get the chance to travel the world and someone should ask her where is she from, we believe that she should always be able to hold her head high with pride in her voice when she answers, 'I am an American.' That is the course we seek. That is the change we are calling for. " (Source: Town Hall)

Conservatives (at least the hard-right variety) are taking this to mean that Obama is not proud of his country currently, and that makes him despicably unpatriotic. Rubbish. There is plenty of reason to not be proud of our country right now. It doesn't mean he (or I) hate America, it means we want to fix it.

Here are just a couple of comments from the far-right Free Republic site, to show you the ridiculous things they're saying. I'm not convinced anyone actually believes this stuff.

"We don’t say Obama is unpatriotic, we OBSERVE that he is unpatriotic."

“Barack Obama Isn’t Proud Of The Nation He Wants To Lead. No Liberal ever is. Americans got that message loud and clear a long time ago!!"

"He and his wife think alike - - they both hate America."

Ludicrous.

Read more at: Free Republic

Oklahoma's War On Terrorism Plate

Image from OnlineDMV.com

Let me start by saying, I don't hate America. I don't love, coddle or want to appease terrorists or terrorism. Thinking that over-the-top, wrapped in the flag patriotism is silly doesn't change those facts.

I work at a sign company, and right after 9/11 we immediately started making American Flag decals and other patriotic signage, both for our own vehicles, and for our customers (often for free). Nothing too over-the-top, but we were festooned like it was the bicentennial. But very shortly after that, we started getting requests for things like the crying eagle in front of the burning towers surrounded by the flag. Even more puzzling, "God Bless America 9-11-01" surrounding the Pentagon with burning towers in the middle.

Even though it was that same month of September, I was slightly nauseated. I mean, I know these people were motivated by the same impulses we were with our flag stickers, but there was something about these messages that just seemed somehow off to me. It was the same feeling I had when, right after the Gulf War started, I spied people wearing desert camouflage, and T-shirts with "Operation Desert Storm!" logos on the front.

We brand wars and even terrorist attacks just as much as we brand our food (see post below).

But somebody please tell me this is somebody's idea of a bad joke. Oklahoma just can't be offering this "special" license plate, can they? It isn't just the sentiment, it's the design. It is just beyond amateurish. A clip art eagle? CLIP ART?!? Pixelated cammo? This is just wrong on so many levels. . .