I was five when Ronald Reagan was elected. My parents wouldn't let me stay up to watch the election results, but they promised they would wake me when the final count came in. True to their word, they came into my room around midnight with the news, "Lizzie! We have a new president!" I burst into tears. "But I was voting for Carter!" I wailed. My father turned very red and growled at my mother, "I blame you for this."
But the beginning of my precocious political consciousness was soon drowned out by the 80's. A lot of things got drowned out by the 80's. They were loud. Some people started making an assload of money, we got the Olympics, Bruce Springsteen was singing "Born in the USA," and I fell for this cultural myth of prosperity hook, line, and sinker.
It didn't matter that we had just lost a house, or that my parents couldn't always keep the utilities turned on. I believed the 1984 version of my life. I don't mean the Orwellian version of 1984. I mean the Brat Pack version. I mean the Mary Lou Retton version. I believed that we were all experiencing unprecedented prosperity, regardless of the fact that half my town was out of work when Chrysler pulled the plug at the AMC plant. I believed in my heart that the U.S. was the only country in the world that mattered, because that year, it looked to be true.
The Los Angeles Olympic Games made me a patriot. I wore red white and blue all summer. I told everyone I met that I was going to run the 400m dash in the Olympics someday. I hated the Russians. They were bad. Why? They had nukes. So did we, but that was beside the point. I hated the East Germans, because everyone knew they used steroids. So did we, but that was beside the point. Blinded by red white and blue, I was incapable of seeing the rust on our glossy permacoat. I was satisfied with my freedom to see Molly Ringwald movies. "Can you believe the East Germans aren't even allowed to watch movies?" was the extent of my political understanding.
Then the Berlin Wall came down. This was a huge flag-waving moment for the U.S. We had won the Cold War! Yay rah, us! The end of the Cold War coincided with the return of my critical thinking skills. I don't know if it was the sudden transparency of the once-mysterious socialist bloc that allowed me to see past the Coca-Cola version of the world, or if it was my own brain development kicking in right on schedule, but that happy moment in world history made me a cynic. One of my first thoughts while watching people stream from East to West was, "Well, now what? All the state-employed East Germans are out of work. What's Mr. Gorbechev gonna do about that?" Patriotism changed for me when the Wall came down.
Suddenly, I could see. My own parents were out of work. We had no heat. We were starving in the richest country in the world. Molly Ringwald was making a ton of money, just for being cute. I was freaking adorable! Where was my paycheck? My Olympic heroes began confessing to steroid use. The rust spots grew bigger every year straight on through to adulthood. But the 80's were not an era of social justice. No one in my life taught me how to work for change, because the U.S. did not believe it needed to change.
I now believe that true patriots question their government and hold them accountable for their actions. True patriots do whatever they can to better their communities. They want the U.S. to be better than it is. They don't care what we did in World War II; they want to know what we're doing today. Patriots don't wave flags or light fireworks. They look for news from sources outside the U.S. True patriots do not have red white and blue ribbon magnets on their cars. And above all, they do not allow the U.S. to rest on its laurels or on its ass.
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I always hate flag waving. I tdon;t think it particularly patriotic to sit around with a flag, praising the success of the nation. Get out and do something.
As Gandhi would say, be the change.
"Don't blame me. I voted for Kodos."
Homer Simpson
I don't understand any of the points this article is trying to make.
For one, if you are implying that the fall of the Berlin Wall was a questionable good, then why don't you simply examine how much the standard of living has raised since then or, better, simply ask a few germans if they sometimes question having their civils rights returned to them. It sounds like you are implying that only American, arrogant patriotism could make us think that we actually were any better than eastern germany, well, maybe you could base that on the tens of thousands of east germans who celebrated the wall coming down, or the thousands who died trying to flee from east germany in the years preceeding the fall.
Also, the 'sudden transparency' of the socialist bloc obviously hasn't done you any good, because now you can plainly read about the marvelous 'camps' in Soviet Russia created for the children of political dissidents- not even the dissidents themselves, who were usually just killed- but their goddamn kids just for being their kids. You can look into the glorious mass executions of the beautiful socialist world, which you imply was only 'wrong' because of stupid, American patriotic ignorance.
If you want an international test of America's worth from that time, ask someone from Poland what they think of Reagan, because he's a hero in their country, and I don't make up the word hero, that is the word that three Polish backpackers used to describe him to me.
You were starving in the richest country in the world? First of all, I highly doubt you were 'starving', being hungry isn't starving. You tell me the last time you heard of a person starving to death in America- not because they were tied up by a sadistic aunt or something, but because they were actually wandering around the streets starving and then suddenly just dropped dead.
Now, the 80's were, empiracally and inarguable, a great era of American prosperity. Your family had a rough time- guess what, I was poor my whole goddamn life, boo hoo hoo. That isn't the fault of the country or the system. Nothing in life is perfect, there has never been a perfect political or economic situation, it's the way of nature, some will succeed, some will not, and it isn't always because of their own merit- sometimes it's just because of shitty luck.
The fact is that even the lower class in America lives better than the average, gloriously 'equal' citizens of any of the old socialist country's did, and much better than Cubans. Capitalism does not promote universal economic equality, instead it promotes universal economic prosperity. Yes, most people (except the politicians and politically favored industrialists) in the old socialist bloc made the same amount of money- but that same amount was lower than the America's lower classes. That's not an opinion, that's a fact.
Now, while you whine that you won't let America 'sit on it's laurels', how do you even see that happening? The most succesful men in American- the Bill Gates' and Warren Buffets- have donated more of their private money to international chairty than many small country's possess in their gross national product. That, again, is a fact. The United States government itself, with money garnered from taxes, distributes billions of dollars annually to international relief.
Now, your really insightful claim that you want America to be 'better than it is,' in what way? Do you actually have a plan? I don't mean a- we should be nicer to people and stuff- I mean, do you actually have a plan before you go wheeling around spouting a bunch of nonsensical, emotional fluff?
Oh, and real patriots don't go around waving flags- give me a break, there are plenty of men and women who wave flags all day and get teary eyed at the national anthem that have done far more than you to make this country better. You want to judge people for what you deem to be ignorant? As if you know so much better than they. Of course there are dumb asses who wave flags, there are dumb asses who don't wave flags, too. there are also brilliant, passionate, compassionate people who wave flags and love their country, and have far better ideas then making America somehow 'better' and stuff.
I used to be like you, thinking I was so advanced and elevated,and that I saw through the facade of American prosperity. that was, until I put my emotions aside and really looked at the facts of history,and saw that this country, while imperfect (the same as all things in life)- has been the greatest example of individual liberty, freedom, and prosperity, in all human history.
Of course American's need to constantly try to better this place- and it is being taken away right now by statist minded clowns who want to run our lives under the pretense of social planning- but just because someone has pride in the history of this country doesn't mean that they're fools and you're not. I would wager all of my money that their are millions of flag waving people out there that are smarter, harder working, more accomplished, and have done more to better people's lives than you have.
Oh, and just as a side note- why is that people think it is so open minded to use the news sources of other countries and not our own? Do you think that these other countries are less prone to media manipulation? Why would their news be any more or less reliable?
It is unfortunate that with your "enlightenment" came the loss of your compassion.
"You were starving in the richest country in the world? First of all, I highly doubt you were 'starving', being hungry isn't starving."
"Your family had a rough time- guess what, I was poor my whole goddamn life, boo hoo hoo."
"I would wager all of my money that their are millions of flag waving people out there that are smarter, harder working, more accomplished, and have done more to better people's lives than you have."
I take it you know ediblewoman! That you grew up next door to her, went to the same schools, went over to her house for family meals. I bet you work with her now, too! Are you in the same classes? Because you're making quite a few judgments about her personal experiences and contributions to the community. This blog is a personal testimony and unless you have evidence to refute any of this story as told through her eyes, your judgments on her life are completely uncalled for.
"I used to be like you, thinking I was so advanced and elevated,and that I saw through the facade of American prosperity. that was, until I put my emotions aside and really looked at the facts of history,and saw that this country, while imperfect (the same as all things in life)- has been the greatest example of individual liberty, freedom, and prosperity, in all human history."
I'm curious to know why you put your emotions aside. I absolutely see needing to look at history with as much objectivity as possible so we can process and apply its lessons in shaping our government and the way we live our lives, but I have a difficult time seeing how removing the emotional connection to that history can aide in any sort of enlightenment. Applying compassion can help us recognize inequality and suffering when we see it in our backyard. An emotional connection and belief in the idea of this country is what drives me to passionately question the way it is run now.
I also suggest a movie called Goodbye Lenin. It questions the way in which capitalism was so quickly forced on East Germany, and highlights some of the good that socialism brought to the table. It was incredibly popular in East Germany when it premiered. Its very good, I highly recommend it.
This is in particular relating to the comment "but I have a difficult time seeing how removing the emotional connection to that history can aide in any sort of enlightenment." I laughed over this for quite a bit. It is intellectual understanding of what helps economic systems and political systems that makes peoples lives better. You may start with the emotional desire to see what is best for people, but it is rational thought that leads you to discover what the answer is to what the best system is for people. This really makes me laugh because communist/socialist sympathisers really like to argue from this emotional, 'oh my god you must not care about humanity you capitialist' mindset. It is, has always been, and always will be the keystone from which all such arguments come, because there is no rational or historical basis by which to argue the success of communism/socialism, only this flightly, half brained idealism. I don't normally like to quote the bible, but 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions.' I care for humanity, in particular the country I live in, and discovering the best system and the best solutions for our future comes from rational thinking and logical assessment- that is what some people like to call 'creative problem solving.' Emotion comes in the happiness from making the world better, from the pain of seeing it hurt, not in the systematic deliberation of problem solving or in rational historical appraisel.
If your "rational thinking and logical assessment" causes you to react so angrily to a blog simply because you perceive that it even hints at ideas you oppose, how can it possibly lead to positive problem solving skills?
I'm sorry the story of my experience as a 14-year-old first awakening to the broader issues of the world made you so angry. The point of the story was not glorification of socialism, it was that before the Wall came down, I had no clue about anything that went on outside of the U.S., which is my definition of flag-waving patriotism. I believed those countries, and worse, their citizens, were bad because somebody said so, but I did not understand why. The transparency afforded by the fall of wall allowed us to see what really went on. You are right on that, and that is exactly the point I was trying to make. Seeing that opened my eyes to all kinds of social injustices, overseas and at home.
And we were pretty fucking hungry. I agree with many of the things you say, but I disagree with your unfounded judgment of me.
I was a kid. I'm sorry my coming of age tale offended you so.
Oh, and a side note- catching other sources of news gives alternate perspectives. I don't see how that can be a bad thing.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Perhaps you weren't spouting pro commuist ideas, and if you weren't then I apologize, it's just that there is a huge pro-statist (socialist/communist/'progressive') movement and I have made it a personal cause to challenge all the crap I hear, because I think that the distorted historical perspective and 'idealism' is the greatest threat to prosperity alive today.
As for the news media, I just don't understand the idea of it, which I hear all the time. I just think there is a logical inconsistency in the thinking. I agree that the American media is a bunch of manipulation, so I don't trust any news at all, I always read it with a grain of salt and try to figure out what is really going on underneath. All I'm saying is that the same manipulation and one sidedness that afflicts our media is going to affect all the world's media, often decidedly moreso. I understand what you're saying, I'm just saying that I think their 'perspective' is a bunch of crap, too, and, like I said, often very much moreso. You can't trust a news source that doesn't even pretend to be seperated from the state.
There is so much joblessness right now, which goes into your story, and it really worries me. I'm just worried that people are becoming so desperate and scared, which I understand, that they are ready to endorse some really, really bad ideas that will, in the long term, lead to much worse things for this country.
There are some stories we simply don't get. If you listen to the BBC, for example, you get to hear about a lot of events that just don't make headlines here, even on the back page. I'm not even talking about conspiracy theories here. Just about getting as much information as possible.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Jeffs, you saved me alot of time tearing apart this mush.
A Fact is Always Better Than an Ideal.
I daresay most bloggers lapse into mush from time to time. Your own blog, while hardly feel-good or soft, has a few fluff pieces. It happens.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
"Criticize me, civilize me"
Neil Peart
Animate Me - Counter Parts - Rush
http://www.asklyrics.com/display/Rush/Animate_Lyrics/174693.htm
A Fact is Always Better Than an Ideal.
As a five year old were you aware of how soon after Reagan was inaugurated Iran released the embassy hostages?
The Soviet Union and its' 'client states' of eastern Europe shot people dead for attempting to leave.
They imprisoned homosexuals from 1933-1993
http://community.middlebury.edu/~moss/RGC2.html
There is even reason to question if the nazis were the worst war criminals in WW2:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_war_crimes
It is good that you see the ignorance you had while all of that was going on, and the tyrany of evil ruled that many peoples lives. I question if you have really advanced from that state when you belittle one of the greatest improvements of human freedom in history. Certainly the west winning the cold war was the largest advancement of human freedom of your lifetime.
Reagan increased military spending, fought Soviet agression on every front, even when the less PATRIOTIC members of congress opposed it , and WON. When he took office in 1980 Carter and the Democrats were losing that war.
Are you glad the good guys won the cold war?
Do you think they did?
Are you even aware there was something worth fighting over involved?
What is your 'real Patriotism'?
Perhaps I am misreading your post, but it seems that you are snobishly downplaying the success of Reagan, and implying that he did something wrong. Perhaps you just think he did nothing good by making hundreds of millions of people more free, or should have given more hand outs to your parents instead? If I have you all wrong then what are you trying to say?
A Fact is Always Better Than an Ideal.
I thought I hit the reply button, but I must have missed it. Your reply is below.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
All I'm saying is that my understanding of the world was the one from movies and Coke ads until the Wall came down. It was what opened my eyes to all sorts of injustices and I was fondly remembering the day my perspective broadened.
My definition of patriotism is participating in local government, working in your community, keeping an awareness of global issues and voting accordingly. It is not slapping a "Support Our Troops" ribbon on the car and patting oneself on the back for a job well done.
I'm glad you were able to read so much more into it.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Your writing skill is excellent. Your title, OT paragraphs, and critique of patriotism skillfully avoided saying things that would have been indefensible.
While the cold war was being won nearly half of America was trying to lose it. The half I refer to was focused inward on the social issues and government sponsored anti-poverty while they criticized the 'Patriotism' of the half that supported the policies that prevented socialist dictatorships from expanding throughout the world. Such an effort was taking place in Africa, Latin America, and Asia and even within the US sponsored by the Soviet Union.
While it may not have been your intention, you parroted a large part of that rhetoric here.
A Fact is Always Better Than an Ideal.
as you read, I was checked out for the entirety of the cold war.
What's an OT paragraph?
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Or at the least you are at the authors’ mercy when it comes to putting events into perspective. All writers have their own bias, so I guess I would encourage you to go out and get more info on which to base your own. ;-)
OT = Off Topic Referring to living in a supposedly rich country and you family struggling. I was reading the blog with a different understanding than you were writing it from. To you it seems it was just a personal narrative which makes those comments on topic.
I first read it as belittling the victory in the cold war. Millions of people gave their lives fighting against the Soviet style of Communist/Socialist oppression. You are right that work must continue to take advantage of the freedom that has been won, but if you don't know how that mistake got started (liberal, pro worker, anti-capitalist, anti-business, Power to the people, trust the government to solve your problems) you risk working your way right back into it.
In a way the cold war ending increases the risk that we will slowly give up our freedoms for security. We lost our hideous opposite example which made being Patriotic for our side the equivalent of standing for individual freedom.
A Fact is Always Better Than an Ideal.
I live in a flag-waving town, and this was a lungful of fresh air. Thank you for sharing your views on this, and I wholeheartedly agree with them.
@chillbill: There is nothing here beginning to suggest that their was a problem with the Berlin Wall coming down. Please, don't be guilty of the straw man fallacy. It's not pleasant to look at. However, what I read (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that ediblewoman seems to be saying that the flag-waving 'patriots' in our country who are unaware of politics as a whole are damaging to our country.
"There is nothing here beginning to suggest that their was a problem with the Berlin Wall coming down."
Oposition to the policies, and administration, that brought it down is the problem. Real opposition to agression was called for, or the real situation would not have played out as it did.
Being anti-patriotic, and supporting reduced defense budgets then taking the position that you support the RESULTS of the OPPOSITE policy when they defeat oppression is the fallacy here.
Patriots don't wave flags or light fireworks. They look for news from sources outside the U.S. True patriots do not have red white and blue ribbon magnets on their cars.
Thank you. I'm not a fan of the sudden surge of "patriotism" people started displaying these past few years. The most disgusting thing I've probably seen are the bumper stickers that say "Osama I Did Your Mama."
Additionally, I don't think that putting a boot in people's asses being the American Way is something to be exceedingly proud of.
I don't have a huge problem with people flying flags and displaying ribbons. Even if it's just to belong to the crowd, maybe they still feel a little bit of real pride for the country and that's ok. But, you know, at least try to make it look good...
Sometimes, driving on the highway, I can look below me and see a gas station flying a huge flag. Maybe I'm not the best example of a military brat, but it pisses me off to see that the flag they're flying is filthy and tattered and has probably been displayed for the past 7 years, 24/7. If you want to use false patriotism to promote your business, that's fine. Just have a little bit of respect.
And for everyone with yellow ribbons plastered to their vehicles, the ribbons are meant to be displayed vertically. Your car looks tacky when the ribbon is facing left to right instead of up and down.
I get my news from theguardian.co.uk :-)
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sawaboof
"...There is a crushing guilt that comes with being a Catholic. Whether things are good or bad or you're simply... eating tacos in the park, there is always the crushing guilt."
-30 Rock-
Oh yea? Well I get mine from The Onion!
That is, perhaps, one of my most favorite news sources ever.
I was only mentioning my non-US source of information before. ;-)
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sawaboof
"...There is a crushing guilt that comes with being a Catholic. Whether things are good or bad or you're simply... eating tacos in the park, there is always the crushing guilt."
-30 Rock-
The Onion is clearly the most reliable source of news the world over.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
McCain will win! The Onion said so!
Alas, the Onion is all-knowing.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
You made a really good point about Patriotism, one that I think many people forget. I feel that it is important for people to question their government because without questioning what you hear and the government, there can be no progress. I believe it is becoming more common to just believe what we are told. I can't say waving a flag is a bad thing though. It is only bad if that is the extent of patriotism a person displays.
~Jessica Mondillo
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/jmondillo
Sure, lets all throw away flags and tear down Uncle Sam. While we're at it we might as well throw away the millions of lives sacrificed to defend it, the principals it stands for, and everyone who believes in it. Waving a flag, standing up for your country is not an alegance with any political party, its an alegance to the principals of america, freedom, and democracy.
Children around the country are without heat or shelter, yet they continue to wave flags not because the government forces them into some sort of crazed patriotic blindness, but because america is what garuntees them their civil liberties, america keeps them out of labor camps and wars. Its more than a flag.
But sure, if you want to go ahead and destroy the 4th of july be my guest. We can all stay home, watch liberal-dominated news programs and become even more depressed. Instead of working hard and uniting as a nation we could go with your idea and waste our time whining about better living conditions and why everything is the fault of our government. lets see how far that gets us.
You do not have to wave a flag in america. You do not even have to vote. But if you chose not to, then please allow those of us who desire to move america forward to continue cheering this great country forward. Otherwise you may take advantage of yet another great american principal -the freedom to leave!
I think if you read more carefully, you'll see that I encourage people to work for the continual improvement of our country. I say nothing against the people who have fought for and died for our freedoms. The kind of patriotism I was criticizing is the kind that is unexamined. If one feels that the U.S. is the best country in the world, one should know why, and more importantly, one should be working hard to make it even better. It seems patriotism is a hot button word. I don't think patriotism is bad. I think bumper sticker patriotism is bad. Actual grass-roots activism is real patriotism. Doing something is patriotism. Questioning our leaders, regardless of political party is patriotism. I think we agree on more than you realize. Sorry the post made you so angry. It was meant to make you think.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Anger and disagreement are two entirely different emoptions. I believe in activism completely. Patriotism is the support of your nations principals, which in essence are represented via the symbol of the american flag. Yes, we need to question our leaders when it is appropriate however i think on occasion the government is questioned to the point where it has no power. There should be a healthy balance of checks as we have today. People should not trust their government, but they do need to ttrust their flag.
Judging by your response I believe we believe we probably do agree more than disagreement. My attack was meant to probe for the radicalism I am trying to erradicate. I apologize if i seemed offensive however there are still many who will interpret patriotism as something we both disagree with.
I've got nothing against standing behind your flag and all that it represents. I simply believe that part of that should be understanding and upholding our responsibility as Americans. I advocate for mindful patriotism, and not blind allegiance or jingoism.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I'm glad we have an understanding