Obama Among the Patriots
Today Sen. Barack Obama fired back at critics who have challenged his patriotism with a speech in Independence, Missouri. TWI’s fellow network site Minnesota Independent has posted the text of the speech here.
“„Of course, precisely because America isn’t perfect, precisely because our ideals constantly demand more from us, patriotism can never be defined as loyalty to any particular leader or government or policy. As Mark Twain, that greatest of American satirists and proud son of Missouri, once wrote, "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it."
This is all finely wrought, but perhaps slightly too self-confident, as the "of course" indicates, for example. As a Washington Post story on the prevalence of false Obama rumors in one Ohio town suggests, "the campaign’s efforts [to debunk challenges to his patriotism] may be too late."
There’s still a long road ahead.
