Commentary; Posted: 9/7/05
Wear patriotism in your hearts, not on your sleeves
Devon Holstad
Guest Columnist
It was disturbing reading the Forest Lake Times last week as frivolous arguments criticizing the Americans who have chosen to use their God-given and First Amendment rights to voice their disagreement with the ongoing conflict overseas ruled the print.
The concept that some people still fail to grasp is the fact that those who speak out against the Iraqi occupation and other detrimental policies from our president have as much right to do so as those ìpatriotsî who claim ownership of free speech.
The notion that Americans such as you and I down in Crawford, TX have no right to disagree with the phony war is the most absurd thing to ever come from those who are mouthpieces for the right wing. It is self-indulgent for those who know someone in the military to claim that they have a right to speak about the conflict, whereas the rest of the citizens who employ those soldiers have to keep their mouths sealed.
(Unless, of course, they are going to denounce those using their freedom of speech and praise the man who put thousands of American soldiers in a death trap.)
There is another fact that those who are blind to free speech do not accept; there is a difference between supporting American men and women and supporting the lies that sent them to their deaths.
Do I pray for our troops and hope that they get home safely? Yes.
Do I think that Americans are dying because of a personal agenda? Yes.
Is that the fault of the soldiers? No.
It is the fault of those who are misleading our country and trying to erase the civil liberties granted to us by our forefathers.
It is a disgrace that the leader of our country who stands for a photo op in a fighter suit claims ìmission accomplishedî while Americans are being killed daily and havoc never ceases to make itself heard.
It is a disgrace that the case for the invasion in the first place was driven by personal revenge and ignorance. It is a disgrace that the occupation may now last years beyond originally thought.
It is a disgrace that there was no plan to remove ourselves from the ugly mess disguised as homeland security. It is a disgrace that Americans are having their voices and views suppressed in a way only George Orwell could describe.
I am reminded of the words of Benjamin Franklin: ìThey that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety.î
While having my patriotism questioned many times, I question the patriotism of those who ridicule and attack a grieving mother who wants an answer to one simple question.
Cindy Sheehan is a mother who wants to know why her son was asked to put his life in danger for a false war led under false pretenses. Cindy Sheehan is a mother who wants to speak to her president, to ask him why he made the lies he did that led to the death of her son.
How can anyone disagree with the simple request of a grieving mother who deserves to speak to the person who sent her son on a suicide mission?
How can anyone claim they are patriotic while mutilating the single most important premise of the free world: free speech?
Call those of us who question those fatal decisions ankle biters, kibitzers, or anything you please.
But we are all Americans, and we all mourn the loss of American lives. The right wingers, however, feel that they are more American and deserve more rights than others.
When that happens, we as a society are at risk of killing our country.
Patriotism is not agreeing with our president even if we think he is wrong simply because he is the president.
Patriotism is honoring the great country we live in by utilizing our rights as U.S. citizens. Patriotism is not what we wear on our sleeves, but instead what we wear in our hearts.
Writer Devon Holstad lives in Forest Lake. He attends St. Paul Academy and Summit School.
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