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| LA Times dismisses flag haters |
| 2001-10-07 |
Consigned to the extreme margins of the national debate, the flag haters and jingoists resort to caricature. On talk radio, a feeble drumbeat suggests that the "God Bless America" signs in car windows somehow echo the Vietnam-era bumper stickers: "America--Love It or Leave It." Wrong. Polls, dinner conversations and aggressive eavesdropping suggest that while the evolved patriots want greater security, they also know that the freedom to assemble and openly debate policy is precisely what makes America worth defending. When Jerry Falwell spouted fundamentalist blather, patriotic centrists drew apt comparisons with the twisted ideology that inspired the terrorists. When thugs lashed out at people perceived as vaguely "un-American," church leaders, rank-and-file conservatives and the Republican president gave stern lectures on what that term really means. Cynics on the left hint that those whose cars fly flags are of the ignorant masses, in dire need of consciousness-raising. These pontificators need to get out more. With nothing to rivet, today's Rosies turn in frustration to nailing down facts. The evolved patriots are not just buying American flags; they're also overwhelming Amazon.com with orders for books on Islam, Afghanistan and foreign policy. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |