-Caveat Lector- Nationalism vs. Patriotism Jeff Adams
"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does NOT mean to stand by the President or any other public official save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country." - Theodore Roosevelt Ever since September 11, 2001 we have seen folks clamoring for war. How ironic that the vast majority of these war advocates who encourage and defend the federal government claim the cloak of 'Patriotism' for their efforts. If it is simply loyalty and support for the central government that is the axle upon which their wheels turn, I would say they aren't Patriots, but Nationalists. There is a difference. I read a quote once where a historian said, "Patriotism is the love of a land and its people, Nationalism is the love of a government." While not exact definitions, they do represent a very real difference in how many Americans are viewing events going on today in America. Patriotism is more than just love and loyalty to one's land and people. In this land, it is love, respect and loyalty to the Constitution. If one is cheering on the feds, and that cheering is for actions that are clearly outside of their role as laid out in the Constitution, then one is a Nationalist, not a Patriot. This is what neo-cons do. As I've written before, neo-cons aren't really conservatives, but merely socialists who've fallen in love with capitalism and have a token respect for traditional social values. The problem here with Nationalists is that they, like the neo-cons, are happy with whatever the federals do, as long as it is their guy in charge of the ever-centralizing federal government. The federal government is only considered too big or oppressive when the 'other side' is in control. That is really a moot point today, as there isn't a whole lot of difference between the Republicans and Democrats. Patriots stand on principle, and on the Constitution. Some would call them strict constructionists. Under this view, sometimes you get your way, sometimes you don't, but if we are to be a nation that follows the rule of law, not the rule of men, then the Constitution, with all its limits on government, must come first. Patriots are very few today. In fact, about the only Patriot serving in elected office at the national level today is Congressman Ron Paul from Texas. I've read articles over the last year where people gave jaded, and sometimes outrageous, justifications for blindly waving the American flag and sending our youth off to war. I saw where one writer, explaining why pro-South organizations should support war, said the Southern tradition of arms, and the many Southerners who proudly serve in the U.S. military should be supported, as if that was enough reason to go to war. I'd like to point out that with the formation of the Confederate States of America, president Jefferson Davis said that the Confederate States only wished to be left alone in peace. Hardly a ringing endorsement for military intervention overseas. Looking historically at wars in which Southerners have been engaged, overwhelmingly [including the War Between the States] it has been a matter of self-defense, not overt aggression. President Bush's 'you are with us or against us' attitude unfortunately has left no room for neutrality, and puts a large segment of the world on the defensive against U.S. aggression. Another article was almost comical in embracing war by touting John Brown as a Christian martyr on the side of righteousness. It is a stretch, to say the least, to grab a seriously mentally disturbed man who had more in common with Al Qaeda terrorists than true Christian principles and present him as some kind of saint. John Brown was better known for murdering innocent men, women and children, than for freeing any slaves. His actions were not only unconstitutional, they were clearly unbiblical. God save us from the deranged individuals who hold the likes of this murdering wacko up as an example of how to conduct our lives. And what Brown's actions had to do with honoring the military is beyond me, as it was the military which captured this mad man, and handed him over to civilian courts for a much-deserved hanging. [As for John Brown's eternal fate, that is a matter for the Almighty, whom I am sure can look with mercy on even the most addlebrained of poor souls, including an y adv ocates for Brown's sainthood.] All this is not to say there aren't times when war is necessary. The problem is that the central government has a tendency to be less than forthcoming in its arguments for war, as if they don't trust the American people with the truth. Personally, considering the fact that surveys over the years have repeatedly shown that almost half of all U.S. military personnel come from the South, I want the truth before the central government sends my fellow Southerners off to die. I am not interested in an American Empire, and especially not one that is built on the bones of Southerners. Yes, Islam is a religion of conquest and brutality. Yes, most Arabs don't like us because they perceive us as a Christian nation [among other reasons.] Yes, it really is a religious and cultural war. But it didn't have to be this way, and the government distorting the truth to play both sides of the fence is infuriating. [If I hear 'Islam is a religion of peace' one more time, I think I'm going to barf] True Patriots would be more willing to embrace military action if our leaders would establish grounds for action that are rooted in the Constitution, honesty, and moral clarity, rather than mealy-mouthing around and wasting time with futile coalition building and pandering to the UN [our one-world eunuch.] Unilateralism is sometimes a must to ensure sovereignty. American Nationalism is loyal to the central government of the U.S.A., and therefore supports empire and believes in 'preemptive strikes against potential attackers.' If the idea that we 'must' preemptively attack Iraq to protect ourselves is valid, then why aren't we preparing for attacks on Iran, North Korea, China, Cuba, or even Mexico, which is actually carrying on an invasion of our land right now? Where does this end? Does the U.S. government claim the right to attack anyone at any time to prevent any possible future attack from anyone they happen to be upset with? If that is the case, then let's turn the whole world into a parking lot for the U.S.A. to use as it sees fit! This is the road American Nationalists [neo-cons] are choosing, whether they realize it or not. Patriots are loyal to our people, our land, and our Constitution. It is up to the Patriots to demand our elected officials respect the Constitution and their oaths of office. It is up to those who understand there is a difference between 'The People' and the U.S. government to reject empire and insist on recapturing our republican form of limited government. Ask yourself a question: Do you support U.S. military action against Iraq because it really protects us [as if Saddam is actually plotting an invasion of America,] or simply because the federal government says this is what we have to do, and you're not really sure how this makes us more secure here at home? How about another question: If war abroad is supposedly making us safer, what's being done to ensure our safety from illegal immigrants who are flooding across our border? And one last question: Does the USA Patriot Act and the new Department of Homeland Security really do anything to protect us from foreign attacks or invasion, or does it simply give the government more power and allow more spying on American citizens while ignoring our rights as defined in the Bill of Rights? The U.S. military action in Afghanistan was justified, timely and successful in the initial limited scope that was put forward. Continued action there is on shaky ground. Action on Iraq is questionable, and at best is way behind the power curve on when it should have been done [by over 10 years.] We are heading toward perpetual war, to the seeming glee of American Nationalists. Patriots should stand up and demand answers before we go too far down this road and become a full-blown police state. ------- Mr. Adams is the State Director of Education for the Texas League of the South, and may be reached for comment at [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------- -iNFoWaRZ "So I say this to the militias and all others who believe that the greatest threat to freedom comes from the government, if you appropriate our sacred symbols for paranoid purposes and compare yourselves to Colonial Militias who fought for the democracy that you now rail against, YOU ARE WRONG! How dare you call yourselves Patriots and Heroes. If you say the government is in a conspiracy to take your freedom away, YOU ARE JUST PLAIN WRONG. 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