PATRIOTISM IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

PATRIOTISM IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

I was walking in the Mall and greeted my friend Foley and we decided to have lunch at Applebee’s. They had about a half dozen TV sets on.  Foley and I watched a military honor guard lead a singer to sing the National Anthem.

“Why do sports events start with the national anthem?” I asked

“It’s patriotic,” said Foley.

“Should that apply to all large gatherings?”

“You better believe it” Foley asserted.

“How about a movie theater before each film is shown?”

“That doesn’t count.”

“How about a beach on a hot day?”

“Nope, wrong occasion.”

“A funeral?”

“No, again”.

“So being patriotic is something to celebrate?”

“You got it.”

“Can you criticize the government and still be patriotic?”

“Not in my book,” said Foley.  

“So if Republicans criticize President Obama, they’re unpatriotic?”

“No, because they’re telling the truth.  It’s Obama who is unpatriotic”.

“Why is that?”

“He doesn’t stand up to our enemies.  He is destroying free enterprise.  He is inviting 10  million illegals to a path to citizenship.”

“ Would it be patriotic if I criticized Republicans for buying elections, depriving citizens of their right to vote, allowing the rich to escape paying taxes, and rushing into wars based on deceptive claims? “

“No, Elof, that’s just sour grapes liberals spew”. 

“So where does that leave the patriotic motto ‘My country right or wrong’?”

“That applies to me, not you.  Get your priorities straight, Elof.”