A young friend speculated that American patriotism was arrogant and bigoted. Here is my response.
Rodney King ask :"Can't we all just get along?" He had an excuse, he's a spaced out drug addic. Windrow Wilson had no such excuse. He was simply naively optimistic.
I wish I could sit you down for an evening with Brenda and me to discuss this, alas I'll have to try and put it into a few written words.
There is no prejudice in American patriotism no bigotry! Despite personal prejudices America has answered the question "is it nature or nurture?" It's nurture! In America every race, people from every where in the world have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. American independence has allowed any one and every one a chance to succeed. American independence has provided a standard of living for our poor that is the envy of most of the world.
Celebrating independence, is second only to celebrating God. For those that don't believe in God it should be their biggest celebration, for no where is the freedom to believe as you wish more acceptable than here!
If we are to be "planeteers" are we to live in squaller like Obama's brother or are we to lead and inspire? If we give up capitalism who will provided food and medicine to the rest of the world? Who will provide hope?
Arrogance is only self delusion when it's wrong, when it replaces accomplishment instead of celebrating it.
My dear if you get your wish please remember:
"Each evening, from December to December,
Before you drift to sleep upon your cot,
Think back on all the tales that you remember
Of Camelot.
Ask ev'ry person if he's heard the story,
And tell it strong and clear if he has not,
That once there was a fleeting wisp of gloryCalled Camelot.
Camelot! Camelot!
Now say it out with pride and joy!
Camelot! Camelot!
Yes, Camelot, my boy!
Where once it never rained till after sundown,
By eight a.m. the morning fog had flown...
Don't let it be forgot
That once there was a spot
For one brief shining moment that was known
As Camelot."
Thank you Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe how wonderful your vision of Camelot. How sad if America is only to be remembered!
America in all it's flawed glory is to be experienced.
Bill
William J Archambault Jr,
By TwitterButtons.com
Bill
William J Archambault Jr
The Real Estate Investment Institute
wja@reii.org 832-259-7078 or 702-516-1569
From my past: GRI 1975, FLI 1974, Catalyst from a client 1974 an agent that makes things happen, REII, The Real Estate Investment Institute 1995.
©William J Archambault Jr ©The Real Estate Investment Institute ©REII
Bill - For the record, I loved/love your comment. I think, though, that you may have misinterpreted some of the meaning behind that post. It's all subjective, I guess. I love you both... but I'm only going to cuddle with her;)
Jason.
I hope so!
Please cuddle up and give her my best!
Bill
Bill - excellent response, expresses well how I feel about it also.
Mike,
A kindred sprit! A patriotic sprit! I knew that.
Bill
Bill if being Patriotic is arrogance then I guess I am arrogant. Anyone who would call those that are Patriotic, arrogant obviously have never served this country especially in a time of war. Let them do that, and then I will give weight to their comment.
It is those who never served, and risked their life to preserve the freedom that we have, that show their ignorance as well as arrogance by making comments like that.
George,
Not every one has had the honor and privlige to serve, my own service was cut short. But, I wouldn't have missed it.
"who never served," Have missed a great deal of maturing, some thing that many never recover from.
Yes, I'm arrogant. I've accomplishhed a thing or two. I've had and have the privilege of some truly great associations.
I'm a capitalist, capitalism is the worlds strongest motivation for success and achievement.
I'm a Euro-centrest, because there is no other way to explain man's achevements in the last 400 years.
I'm an unrepentant, out of the closet, practicing hetero sexual.
I a unicuturalist, I'd love to travel and experience multicurlisim.
I'm an American, my ancestors originated in France on both sides, but I'm American my family has been here over 400 years.
I am not a bigiot I don't juge people by accidents of birth, but rather by the decisions they make, some things just can't be forgiven!
Lastly, I belive in God, because not too is the hight of baseless arrogance.
Bill
Bill very well said my friend, and your last sentance is something we both share.
Uncle Bill... I suspect we are closer in our beliefs than you suggest. I find any belief, any claim of pride that in it's basis is exclusionary, to be arrogant and suspect. I am simply saying that we HAVE achieved something great. (Or our forefathers/mothers have)... But we cannot rest on that alone. As someone wise and wonderful once said, 'we are only as great as our last performance'. The obvious next step is to work towards freedom for all who reside in this epoch. Wherever and whenever and however they live. Let them live in freedom too.
Dear Jen,
"Epoch" every moment is!
"I find any belief, any claim of pride that in it's basis is exclusionary, to be arrogant and suspect." Don't you believe in Jason? Don't you take pride in him? Are you arrogant? Are we to suspect you because you chose him to the exclusion of all others? Pride requires exclusion, pride requires a degree of argoance, pride with out them is suspect! Have you ever heard anyone proudly proclaim we're sufficient?
'we are only as great as our last performance'. Sounds like me. But, the context is from the stand point of some one that wants some thing from you. It's relevant to the other guys opinion of you not to your pride. To most of the world we'll never be great until they have every ting we have at our expense. Most of those people who disapprove of us would become one of us if given the can ch. Think about it, next time you go to the drive in and have to order trace hamburgers.
"Let them live in freedom too." Why? If you aren't proud of our system of our freedom, why impose it on others?
Our success is not at the expense of others, it's despitetheir often indiscreet, influence, indifference, indiscretions, or insolvancey. I'm proud because of the totally of what and who we are not because of the current epoch!
"I suspect we are closer in our beliefs than you suggest." I hope so!
Uncle Bill