Patriotism redefined [ ...by a Boston Globe Editor]

The Boston Globe ^ | August 10, 2004 | By Renée Loth

[johnny7]

AFTER THE Sept. 11 attacks, I put a small American flag in my front window. Some of my most liberal friends were appalled. The flag conjured up visions of jingoistic, Fox-watching rednecks, they said. Displaying it tagged me as a guns, guts, and God kind of gal, a vengeful Rambo in heels. At the very least, it meant that I was for bombing the daylights out of Afghanistan.

[johnny7]

“I devoutly hope my stepson is never called up for a military draft. But if he were conscripted into national service? I'd show the flag for that.

Which flag 'darlin? The French one... Belgian? Maybe just the good'ol hammer & sickle will suffice.

[evad]

>>The flag conjured up visions of jingoistic, Fox-watching rednecks, they said. Displaying it tagged me as a guns, guts, and God kind of gal, a vengeful Rambo in heels<<

What's wrong wit dat?
MY kinda gal.

[Maelstrom]

"Mandatory volunteerism"

It smacks of indentured servitude no matter how you slice it.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Compulsory service is a pretty good definition of slavery.

[Meldrim]

I devoutly hope my stepson is never called up for a military draft."

This attitude is one of the primary reasons I'd like to see the draft resumed. Too many folks are treating war like a sporting event: sitting down with their sons, cracking open a beer and watching the television report on missing young ladies from Oklahoma and West Virginia.

[hometoroost]

Compulsory national service sounds very unifying. With the government running it it would be unifying along the lines of "Ein Reich, Ein Volk, Ein Fuhrer."

[Meldrim]

But a universal domestic service program, one in which youth of all backgrounds take part, has appeal across the board.

No, this equates sweeping the streets with service in the Marine Corps. Resume the Draft: we need young men in the military. There is no requirement beyond that.

[Defendingliberty]

"So Democrats showed they too could produce full-throated chauvinism. I don't know how it looked on TV, but to me it seemed artificial, as contrived as the multicultural coalitions the Republicans trot out at their conventions every four years to show they're the party of inclusion."

This is the part where they call republicans racists......

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Considering that we were the party that freed the slaves and the DemonRATS invented the welfare ghetto for their descendants . . .

Considering that President Bush is being treated by interal traitors about the same way that President Lincoln was being abused by the "Copperheads" at the same relative time in his presidency . . .

[johnny7]

"Ein Reich, Ein Volk, Ein Fuhrer."

I was thinking more along the lines of a 'konsomol' to initiate young 'komrades' into 'the struggle' ...but that works.

[rhombus]

This "liberal's dilemma" piece is just sad. There are so many misconceptions it's hard to know where to begin. I guess I will start with the following question: What gives the Government the right to infringe on individual freedoms?

Well as always we should start with the Constitution. The power to draft is justified as "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." In fact, the Constitution almost requires that we bear personal arms and be ready to support the Militia if called on. I cannot find a place where other types of compulsory service is even suggested. Despite the heart-warming and noble purposes such a "Love-Corps" would engender among liberals, it may actually be in conflict with the 13th amendment: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Certainly voluntary organizations are appropriate. However, such servitude described by this author as "patriotic" appears to me to be unconstitutional. What's patriotic about that? Instead, we should be grateful to the young men and women who voluntarily protect us by doing harm in our name. If the flag makes some nervous, they should wave their Constitutions but by all means read them first.

[csvset]

..it seemed artificial, as contrived as the multicultural coalitions the Republicans trot out at their conventions every four years to show they're the party of inclusion.

Back to that old static. Renee, name a member of Clinton's cabinet that wasn't white. Bzzzzzt! Sorry Renee, time has ran out .

[viewfromafar]

you're exactly right! unfortunately, i've seen war and it's horror up close and trust me, it's just as terrible as you imagine. not like what's shown on television. some u.s. special forces guys i've spoken to say morale is fairly high in iraq, but what gets a lot of guys and gals down is that while they are killed and maimed and frightened, the american people don't have to make any sacrifices whatsoever. instead, we get tax cuts as the government sinks deeper into debt during wartime. a draft doesn't seem warranted yet, though. that's what the military leaders say, anyway

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

When you parse it, anything compulsory is a reduction of freedom. Conservatives can support military conscription if it is necessary. But if it isn't military service, conservatives understand that the free market will provide the service better than the government can. But Reagan managed to get by without a draft, and Bush has no worse military problem than Reagan had.

In the eye of the leftist, OTOH, problems are always critical but never serious. Always critical enough to justify more government, but never serious enough to require that the government actually succeed in solving them.

[Sloth]

instead, we get tax cuts as the government sinks deeper into debt during wartime.

What's wrong with tax cuts?

[Jumpmaster]

"Mandatory volunteerism" It smacks of indentured servitude no matter how you slice it."

Just like Mandatory Community Service credits to graduate from 'schRool'.

[7.62 x 51mm]

Ron Brown, Sec'y of Commerce?

[csvset]

Ron Brown, Sec'y of Commerce?

Lol, true, look what happened to him.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

while they are killed and maimed and frightened, the american people don't have to make any sacrifices whatsoever. instead, we get tax cuts

I thought the whole point of the military was to keep America from being killed and maimed and frightened or burdened with onerous taxation.

The trouble is not that American conservatives aren't frightened, the trouble is that leftists worldwide consider all problems to be critical enough to justify bigger government but not serious enough to actually hold the government accountable for solving the problems. Terrorism or education or anything else.

And perhaps the worst conscription of all is when, after a serviceman has been killed in the process of successfully protecting us, leftists want to use his name and the image of his returning coffin in a way which posthumously drafts him into commie "peace" movements which he scorned in life.

[LOC1]

This is the most lame-brained article ever written.