Patriotism

Here it comes, again. The Fourth of July. The day when Americans flock to the lakes and streams and mountains or the back yard to have picnics and shoot off fireworks, celebrating our independence.

I think some people have a curious way of proclaiming their patriotism. They put bumper stickers on their pick-em-up trucks and wrap themselves in material that appears to be made from American flags. They put humongous American Flags in their front yards, and then let them stay up through all weather, and all night without proper lighting.

These are the same people who loudly criticize others for not wearing flag pins or placing their hands over their hearts during the singing of the National Anthem, as if either of these actions would prove one's patriotism.

General Wesley Clark made the rather mild comment, during an interview, that merely flying a fighter jet and getting shot down did not make a man qualified to be president. Of course, the national media jumped right on it, and tsk, tsk, tsk'd for about three days under the heading "Breaking News".

Another tempest in a teapot.

Which do you think is more patriotic - sitting back and letting the government do whatever it wants, and never making waves, or seeing things the government is doing that are damaging to the citizens, and speaking out, even though you know that people with the opposite opinion will attempt to shut you up by either making fun of your opinions or just plain censoring you?

The Founding Fathers knew what they were doing when they insisted upon protecting every citizen's right to free speech, short of "yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater", for instance. In other words, you have a right to your opinion, and a right, and even a duty, to express it aloud.

The Fourth of July would probably be a very good time to think about our freedoms, and why they had to be protected by the Constitution and Bill of Rights.