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April 21, 2008

Bob Schieffer On Patriotism

This is perhaps the centerpiece argument against Bush's America. You can have 100 lapel pins, but it doesn't make you 100 times more patriotic. You can say "we don't torture" a thousand times, and it doesn't mean that we don't torture. CBS's Bob Schieffer:

Finally, today, I watched the ABC debate the other night when that question came up again about why Senator Obama doesn’t wear a flag pin in his lapel. Since no one asked me, here is my thought on all that. I think it’s a nice thing if people want to wear a flag on their lapel. But I believe it more important to keep the flag behind our lapel in our hearts. I feel the same way about wearing my religion on my sleeve. It just fits me better on the inside. When I go to see our local baseball team, I do wear my Washington Nationals baseball cap. But am I less a fan if don’t wear it to work? The truth is I have been known to wear a red, white and blue stars and stripes tie on the Fourth of July. But am I less patriotic when I trade it for my Santa Claus tie at Christmas? Patriotism is no more about signs or pins than religion is about reminding others how pious we think we are. No, the proof in these puddings is not the signs that we wear, but how we act. Wouldn’t that also be a better way to judge our presidential candidates than by the jewelry they wear?

By the way, right after 9/11 I directed an improv mockdoc about idiots who turn patriotism into a contest. Here's the first 10 minutes of the movie:

(Order the DVD here)

Posted By Bob Cesca | April 21, 2008 12:58 PM

Comments

Posted by: Jimmyz at April 21, 2008 3:28 PM