I don't like emotion in politics and I really, REALLY fear patriotism and nationalism. After the hundreds of stories I heard from refugees, I don't trust those emotions to produce anything good. The "it can't happen here" thing doesn't cut it.

But boy howdy, patriotic is how I felt tonight when I listened to Obama. I've decided that's okay. There were no enemies in his speech. And it wasn't that we're supposed to be better than anyone else ("America as the last best hope" aside) it's that we're supposed to be better than ourselves.

Yeah, okay. Good.

PS. Another sign I've been reading too much Pratchett ...because I thought, Whoa dude, Obama is CARROT!

Comments

  1. Anonymous8:12 AM

    I agree. People who have nothing in their lives to be proud of or feel good about but their country are some dangerous folks, and nationalism strikes true fear in my heart.

    But acknowledging that we have the power to save the world if only we'd live up to our potential is okay with me. I'm so sick of an administration that uses "but everybody ELSE is doing it!" as an excuse for everything from torture to bad environmental policies. I'm ready for somebody to raise the mark and say, essentially, "...and if everybody else jumps off a cliff, do we have to follow?"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beth9:01 AM

    Yay. I got all emotional listening to him, and not just because he completely shredded McCain's earlier speech (though that certainly felt terrific) or because of how historic his candidacy is (which was definitely part of my weepiness), but because everything he said made me think I am free to start loving my country again. It's almost like therapy: It's not Us vs. Them, it's our good selves v. our bad selves - and we can win!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sam9:32 AM

    I was just talking about this today with my neighbor. She's German, and saw was rabid nationalism can do.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Darla7:13 AM

    Is it even possible to read too much Pratchett??

    I think you may have something there--Obama = Carrot. There's definitely a certain similarity.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Carolyn Crane9:19 AM

    I still can't believe he's the nominee now! I live in Minneapolis, and I SO wanted to go see him give that speech in St. Paul. You could just feel the excitement all around the city about it. I couldn't, but I was there in spirit!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous11:39 PM

    Re: Obama is CARROT!

    So Michelle is Angua? In which case, Cindy McCain sure as hell better watch her ass, cuz Michelle's gonna have to tear into it pretty damn soon (remember how Cindy went after Michelle over Michelle's "unpatriotic" comment?)

    ReplyDelete

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