For some reason the words to Lee Greenwood’s song keep running through my head this morning, but not because I am so proud to be an American today.
I’m not feeling very free, as the chorus goes:
And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
And I definitely don’t want to stand up next to the people who are saying all the vile and nasty things about our government and threatening our legislators.
No, I am not proud to be an American today.
When I wrote yesterday about the cost of this health care reform fiasco, I had no idea what the cost might be in terms of civility and decency.
And the fact that people like Sarah Palin are fanning the flames of discontent with such Twitters as “Lock and Load, folks,” makes me want to move to some deserted island in the Pacific.
I do love this land, almost fiercely, but I am dismayed at what people have brought it to.
No matter which side of the reform one is on, the senseless threats of violence is deplorable.
Make room for me on your island, will you?
I’m packing my bags as we speak! Regardless of where one stands on any issue, be it the war, education or health care reform, it only makes sense to support our government leaders.
I guess I will have lots of company on my deserted island. LOL.
Talked to my hubby about this nonsense and he said he is afraid there will be a real revolution or another Civil War. Yikes. That is really scary. Do you think people will come to their senses before something like that happens?
There has never been a time when the loonies haven’t crawled out from under their boulders at the slightest provocation to throw stones and make threatening phone calls. If the politicians and the media didn’t sensationalize these acts, they would die down in a hurry.
Saner minds will prevail over time. Use your right to free speech, know what you’re talking about, and don’t be afraid. If all the good guys run away or bury their heads in the sand, then we are truly lost.
Sarah’s “lock and load” comment is reckless. She doesn’t mean it literally, but she’s not making allowances for those with cereal for brains.
I agree with Patricia that things wouldn’t have gotten so far out of hand if the politicians, TV news and radio media weren’t so eager for attention that they’ve gotten to the point of believing any publicity is good. Isn’t there a law that if you lie and shout “fire” in a crowded theater and people die in the stampede, you can be held accountable?
Helen
Straight From Hel
Helen, if there isn’t such a law there should be. And Patricia, you are so right about the media making this bigger than it has to be.
Marianne, I was looking back through Palin’s tweets to find the Lock and Load reference and couldn’t find it. All I saw was:
“Commonsense Conservatives & lovers of America: “Don’t Retreat, Instead – RELOAD!” Pls see my Facebook page.”
Do you have a source for the Lock and Load quote?
I think I’m going to do a post one of these days on media responsibility, ethics of citing the source, and quoting in context.
I could not find the “lock and load” tweet either, although it’s not impossible for the author to delete a tweet. I’m not saying that’s what happened here, all I’m saying as that it’s not impossible and so I truly don’t know whether or not she actually said or tweeted it, and if she did, what the actual context was.
The thing that breaks my heart is the widening division between people. The loudest Democrats seem to think all Republicans are dangerous lunatics, while the loudest Republicans seem to think that all Democrats are dangerous liars. When you’ve declared your opposition to be entirely lunatics, liars, or some other such, then you’ve completely closed the door to civil discourse. And true civil discourse is what we desperately need right now. But right now, neither side is even capable of listening to other viewpoints.
What about ordinary people? Most Republicans, Democrats, and others (yes, we still have others in this country) that I personally know are good, rational, respectable people. I don’t see the lunatics or the liars except in the media (especially the internet), where the worst of both sides come out in droves. I think (hope) that these people are a minority in both parties.
I hope cooler heads–on all sides–prevail. We’re all Americans. We are still “one nation, under God,” and I hope we can restore “indivisible” to that phrase.
Patricia, I was listening to the national news and heard that. Perhaps the anchor was offering an opinion and I mistook that for a quote from the Tweet. If so, that is my mistake for not verifying before I wrote the blog. And unlike so many other journalists, I will admit my mistake.