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Resentment Behind the Waning Patriotism of Liberal Americans
Townhall.com ^ | July 4, 2014 | Jonah Goldberg

Posted on 07/04/2014 5:06:29 AM PDT by Kaslin

You wouldn't think, five years into the Obama presidency, that so many liberal Americans wouldn't like America.

A new Pew survey found that 44 percent of Americans don't often feel pride in being an American, and only 28 percent said that America is the greatest country in the world. Respondents who "often feel proud to be American" were overwhelmingly conservative (from 72 percent to 81 percent depending on the kind of conservative). A majority (60 percent) of "solid liberals" said they don't often feel proud to be an American.

The polling data only proves what has been obvious for a while.

Georgia Rep. John Lewis recently said that, "If the Civil Rights Act was before the Congress today, it would not pass, it would probably never make it to the floor for a vote."

Lewis is right. If it came before the Congress today, it wouldn't pass. You know why? Because we passed it 50 years ago. The GI Bill wouldn't pass today either, because that was enacted in 1944. If, somehow, we had Jim Crow today, the American people -- and Congress -- would vote to abolish it in a landslide.

In fairness, Lewis was primarily condemning congressional gridlock, not GOP racism.

Primarily.

A legitimate hero of the civil rights era, Lewis has adopted the liberal habit of suggesting that his political opponents have a burning desire to return to the era of Jim Crow. At the 2012 Democratic convention, for instance, he gave a thundering speech that equated a vote for Mitt Romney with going back to the era of segregation.

Contrary to what you hear daily on MSNBC, Republicans don't want to force Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Dr. Ben Carson, Sen. Tim Scott or any other African-American to the back of the bus.

Lewis isn't the only leading Democrat incapable of giving the American people some credit. In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in the Hobby Lobby case, Hillary Clinton insisted we are following in the footsteps of anti-democratic Middle Eastern theocracies. According to Clinton, the majority on the court were like Iranian mullahs, behaving "in ways that are disadvantageous to women but which prop up them because of their religion, their sect, their tribe, whatever." The shocking, inarticulate stupidity of this analysis is only outdone by the stunning ease with which Clinton offered it.

She's not alone, of course. To listen to some of the hysterical responses to the court's decision, you'd think the government in Washington is the only thing thwarting the desire of millions of businessmen to drape their female employees in burqas.

This glib anti-Americanism manifests itself most readily when issues of race and gender are in the headlines, but it hardly ends there. MSNBC host Chris Hayes celebrated soccer's growing popularity in the U.S. because it strikes a blow against "anti-soccer trolls" who believe in American exceptionalism. "Part of embracing a truly worldwide competition," Hayes cheered, "is accepting the fact the U.S. cannot simply assert its dominance. Turns out we have to play just like everybody else."

It's ironic. In 2009, conservatives (myself included) pounced when Barack Obama seemed to dismiss American exceptionalism as an empty platitude. "I believe in American exceptionalism," Obama explained, "just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism."

By this standard, American exceptionalism isn't exceptional, it's a vague and meaningless form of national self-esteem, rather than a complex concept describing the uniqueness of the American founding and American character.

Liberals quickly and angrily defended Obama, saying none should dare question his patriotism, and of course he believes America is special. In May, Obama took another stab, telling West Point graduates that he believes in American exceptionlism "with every fiber of my being." But he immediately qualified what he meant by insisting that "What makes us exceptional is not flouting international norms and the rule of law; it's our willingness to affirm them through our actions."

Translation: We prove we're exceptional by playing just like everyone else - just like playing soccer!

Why liberals have become so comfortable running down America is no doubt complicated, but I think one part of the answer is obvious. Liberals tend to equate patriotism with the government. Obama was supposed to usher in a glorious new era of European-style big government. He's failed, though alas not entirely. But in the attempt he aroused a populist movement -- the tea parties -- full of people who wore their traditional patriotism on their sleeves and tricorn hats. The forces of American exceptionalism proved formidable, taking advantage of our exceptional constitutional structure to thwart European social democracy.

And liberal resentment over that fact is palpable.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: jonahgoldberg; liberal; soccer
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1 posted on 07/04/2014 5:06:30 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

How the picture of levitating futbol players is relevant, I can’t figure out.


2 posted on 07/04/2014 5:08:21 AM PDT by Tax-chick (If I die before I wake, feed Jake.)
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To: Kaslin

“Liberals tend to equate patriotism with the government. Obama was supposed to usher in a glorious new era of European-style big government. He’s failed, though alas not entirely. But in the attempt he aroused a populist movement — the tea parties — full of people who wore their traditional patriotism on their sleeves and tricorn hats. The forces of American exceptionalism proved formidable, taking advantage of our exceptional constitutional structure to thwart European social democracy. And liberal resentment over that fact is palpable.”

That’s right; after bashing the WASP foundations of this country for 50 years, libs expected Americans to surge with pride when their foreign Muslim token was elected (as the embodiment of the cultural decay they represent). They are furious that he instead has provoked a reaction.


3 posted on 07/04/2014 5:10:28 AM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: Tax-chick

“How the picture of levitating futbol players is relevant, I can’t figure out.”

My guess is it represents European exceptionalism (the German soccer team), and the pride they take in it.


4 posted on 07/04/2014 5:11:47 AM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: Tax-chick
The shocking, inarticulate stupidity of this analysis is only outdone by the stunning ease with which Clinton offered it.

This is a great line. ("Only" should follow "outdone," not precede it, Jonah.)

Also, I figured out the slight relevance of the soccer picture.

5 posted on 07/04/2014 5:13:13 AM PDT by Tax-chick (If I die before I wake, feed Jake.)
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To: Kaslin

Liberals blame others/things for their own problems.


6 posted on 07/04/2014 5:14:30 AM PDT by Vision (Living in beauty)
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To: kearnyirish2

I’m “supporting” Colombia with an occasional passing positive thought.

They’re not levitating, are they? They’re balancing on one leg.


7 posted on 07/04/2014 5:14:36 AM PDT by Tax-chick (If I die before I wake, feed Jake.)
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To: Kaslin
Resentment Behind the Waning Patriotism of Liberal Americans

Should read:

Shedding Patriotic Mask, Liberals Revel in True Ideology

8 posted on 07/04/2014 5:15:32 AM PDT by WorkingClassFilth
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To: kearnyirish2

If you go back to the phony victims, Sacco & Vanzetti, the war on WASPs goes back close to a 100 years. Those two lost the battle, but the rads won the war.


9 posted on 07/04/2014 5:16:16 AM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard Lives Yet!)
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To: Tax-chick

“How the picture of levitating futbol players is relevant, I can’t figure out.”

Perhaps this line gets to the gist of Jonah’s argument.

“Translation: We prove we’re exceptional by playing just like everyone else - just like playing soccer! “

Soccer is his metaphor of Euro-statism. The levitating part
is up for anyone’s guess - lol


10 posted on 07/04/2014 5:17:56 AM PDT by A'elian' nation ("Political Correctness does not legislate tolerance; it only organizes hatred." Jacques Barzun)
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To: Kaslin

This is what 13 years of public school indoctrination, followed by more years of college and university, will give the nation.

Nearly every teacher in this nation from pre-K through graduate school was trained by godless Marxists in Marxist-run colleges and universities. No one should be surprised at the results of this poll.


11 posted on 07/04/2014 5:21:40 AM PDT by wintertime
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To: Kaslin
Liberals hate America. "White guilt" is really "Liberal guilt". I am proud of my country's history.
12 posted on 07/04/2014 5:21:49 AM PDT by jeffc (The U.S. media are our enemy)
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To: A'elian' nation

As I sit here reading this, I am not convinced of the percentages listed but have this one suggestion for those who “dislike America”, it is simple enough for anyone who really means what they say to understand so here it is...........LEAVE.

Once you are no longer an American, you then have every right to say how much you dislike us but will find, you just made one major mistake and gave up the best country on earth.


13 posted on 07/04/2014 5:25:15 AM PDT by DaveA37
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To: A'elian' nation

As I sit here reading this, I am not convinced of the percentages listed but have this one suggestion for those who “dislike America”, it is simple enough for anyone who really means what they say to understand so here it is...........LEAVE.

Once you are no longer an American, you then have every right to say how much you dislike us but will find, you just made one major mistake and gave up the best country on earth.


14 posted on 07/04/2014 5:25:15 AM PDT by DaveA37
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To: Kaslin

Why liberals have become so comfortable running down America is no doubt complicated, but I think one part of the answer is obvious.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It is obvious. Marxofascist control every cultural institution in the nation. The infiltration began before the turn of the last century. Bill Ayers didn’t get to his lofty position without a lot of mentoring from Marxofascists of his father and grandfather’s generation.


15 posted on 07/04/2014 5:27:53 AM PDT by wintertime
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To: Kaslin
I've often wondered if it isn't time to rip a page out of the liberal playbook and form a Caucasian advocacy group. The group's sole purpose should be to file suit against any public figure who arbitrarily plays the race card. Maybe then we could put an end to this garbage.
16 posted on 07/04/2014 5:29:11 AM PDT by liberalh8ter (The only difference between flash mob 'urban yutes' and U.S. politicians is the hoodies.)
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To: Kaslin

These people are not my countrymen. I shouldn’t have to put up with their pols, their laws, their regulations, their religion.


17 posted on 07/04/2014 5:31:45 AM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
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To: wintertime

IMO - this was one of the goals of the social revolution of the 60’and 70’s - Weather Underground and all the other anti-American groups. They have succeeded beyond their dreams.


18 posted on 07/04/2014 5:32:25 AM PDT by elpadre (AfganistaMr Obama said the goal was to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-hereQaeda" and its allies.)
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To: Tax-chick

Liberals love soccer because it’s international. They like seeing us fail at it.


19 posted on 07/04/2014 5:32:42 AM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
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To: Kaslin

Hate to admit this, but he fact that so many of my fellow Americans seem to be liberal Kool-Aid drinkers makes me much less proud to be an American than I used to be. One can’t help be ashamed of a country that elected Obama twice. It’s like we are have become the surrender monkeys.


20 posted on 07/04/2014 5:32:57 AM PDT by rbg81
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