Thank you for directing my attention to that first sentence. It’s actually very interesting, and something along the lines of what liberals seem to be trying out lately (patriotism=bowing down, “law of the land”, etc...).
Even though I agree with your post about it not being 1955 anymore, Americans do still recite the pledge quite often, and the flag does still fly in front of a lot of homes and businesses. The writer seems to think it odd that people who would do so would be averse to being governed, or he plays at thinking that’s odd. As our government has grown, our culture has withered. The flag once represented the American people and culture, things beyond the government. That was what made us unique. A foreign power once burned out capital, and still didn’t beat us. That was the America about which de Tocqueville wrote. I wonder if it still exists.
I appreciate your posts here, this phrase above all. It captures that all-too-common tiresome offended party stance.
I will never forget all the bandwagon libs who willfully took Bob Barr's "real America" comment and forever on misquoted it as "real Americans", with all the righteous and unrighteousness indignation they could muster. I heard the original comment in context, then in the next moment heard it misquoted with that "indignation" ... and it devolved from there.