Our country, right or wrong

Townhall.com ^ | March 22, 2006 | W. Thomas Smith Jr.

[SuzyQ2]

Decatur is best known for his 1816 toast to the nation at a dinner party in his honor. Raising his glass, he said, “Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but our country right or wrong.” ... Then there are those like Hollywood film star George Clooney and Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy who today have their own takes on Decatur’s words.

[SittinYonder]

Stephen Decatur ping

[Pessimist]

Excellent post!

[JLAGRAYFOX]

George Clooney, sad to say, is about as dumb as a person can be!!!!

[eyespysomething]

Good article. What heroes our country has offered, and what honor they lived with, and died with.

I would assume he knew Captain Otway Burns, of whom Burnsville, NC was named after.

The people mentioned in the article (Clooney, Kennedy et al) are fit to repeat ANY word Stephen Decatur said. I dislike them with a fiery passion. (I'm trying hard, really really hard, to not use the word 'hate')

[Mad Dawg]

This is an honorable commitment, but I think we should be aware of its tragic aspect. I think it was Chesterton who said something like, "Saying,'My country right or wrong,' is like saying, 'My mother, drunk or sober.'"

To me that means that if and when she is wrong, we grieve, we try to amend what is wrong, but we never stop loving or caring for our country.

But I hope that nobody reads this and thinks I have an ounce of sympathy or agreement for the Swimmer or for Clooney. What a pair of scoundrels and dopes!

[Cicero]

With Ted Kennedy and his ilk, it's more like "I hate our country, right or wrong!" Or, maybe, "Our enemies, right or wrong!"

[Blzbba]

"With Ted Kennedy and his ilk, it's more like "I hate our country, right or wrong!" Or, maybe, "Our enemies, right or wrong!"



Actually, with Teddy Fata$$, it's "Make it a double!" or "I'm sober enough to drive".