2008 Woodie Awards
Patriotism
Jarrod Moore
Issue date: 10/4/06 Section: Opinion
Imagine that one evening, as you're gleefully puttering about on one of Southern California's amazingly under populated freeways, a truck begins tail-gating you, attempting to bully you into "moving it or losing it."
When you don't succumb, the truck violently swerves around you, engine gunning, and you catch a glimpse of a rude gesture in the blur of steel and exhaust. When the truck swerves in front of you, you notice a bumper sticker on the back windshield that reads "God Bless America."
It is little instances like this paradox-on-wheels that make me question the prerequisites of the popularized self-proclamations of "patriotism" that have been storming the nation since we went to war.
These days, it seems the main attributes necessary to be "patriotic" are the unwavering support of your government's actions, no matter how stubborn they are, the desire to join the army just to go overseas to "kick some ass," and a plastic girlfriend with a tattoo of Calvin waving the flag while pissing on Iraq an inch above her gluteal cleft. Bang-up job, kiddo, keep it up, and Cheney just might toss you a doggie treat!
I am a patriot, though I harbor an aberrant perception of patriotism. I don't trust our current administration, and offer no support to its endeavors. I won't buy into T-shirt rhetoric nor do I concede to pro-war propaganda. And I believe it is these traits, as well as my vehement opposition to the
contextually baseless war in Iraq
that define me as a patriot. I oppose these things because I love my country.
Our nation is one entity, made up of millions of people. Our
government acts internationally as the representative of our country, and its actions reflect upon every single one of us.
I am patriotic because I care about the effects these actions may have on our nation in the international community.
Our current administration has undermined the paradigm of
freedom and democracy that founded our country as independent by attempting to globalize it with force and having it ratified by associating it with a separate war against an "ism."
When you don't succumb, the truck violently swerves around you, engine gunning, and you catch a glimpse of a rude gesture in the blur of steel and exhaust. When the truck swerves in front of you, you notice a bumper sticker on the back windshield that reads "God Bless America."
It is little instances like this paradox-on-wheels that make me question the prerequisites of the popularized self-proclamations of "patriotism" that have been storming the nation since we went to war.
These days, it seems the main attributes necessary to be "patriotic" are the unwavering support of your government's actions, no matter how stubborn they are, the desire to join the army just to go overseas to "kick some ass," and a plastic girlfriend with a tattoo of Calvin waving the flag while pissing on Iraq an inch above her gluteal cleft. Bang-up job, kiddo, keep it up, and Cheney just might toss you a doggie treat!
I am a patriot, though I harbor an aberrant perception of patriotism. I don't trust our current administration, and offer no support to its endeavors. I won't buy into T-shirt rhetoric nor do I concede to pro-war propaganda. And I believe it is these traits, as well as my vehement opposition to the
contextually baseless war in Iraq
that define me as a patriot. I oppose these things because I love my country.
Our nation is one entity, made up of millions of people. Our
government acts internationally as the representative of our country, and its actions reflect upon every single one of us.
I am patriotic because I care about the effects these actions may have on our nation in the international community.
Our current administration has undermined the paradigm of
freedom and democracy that founded our country as independent by attempting to globalize it with force and having it ratified by associating it with a separate war against an "ism."
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