Subject:
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Re: One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 5 Jul 2002 12:57:56 GMT
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Viewed:
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4109 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, John Neal writes:
> But what you have defined so eloquently is a "liberal".
>
> It's all there:
>
> - Arrogance
> - Elitism
> - Intellectualism
> - Intolerance
I would (regrettably...) dispute that these traits are confined to (modern)
liberals. In my own county you need look no further than the local GOP
machine to find them, although the loyal Democratic opposition has them as
well. Perhaps not as much though, since most of their candidates are non
starters.
> > Every time I respond to stupid things about the U.S. or about our system of
> > government I am defending the republic and the ideals of our form of
> > government. Even when I defend these ideas from "insiders" I am defending
> > the republic -- and indeed, it may be even more important to defend the
> > republic from internal corrupting influences than to worry about imagined
> > threats from without.
This is the same point that many libertarians make, things are not 100%
right with the government, the constitution has been abrogated in many
areas, changed for the worse in some others, and we are seeing a gradual
erosion of freedom to internal corrupting influences.
> > I don't wave the flag of the republic because it is not important to do so.
>
> Well, if *you* say so, then I guess it's true.
>
> > What is important is to defend with all my being everything that the
> > republic stands for. The flag cannot defend the republic, it is a mere
> > symbol -- an inanimate thing. I defend the republic with my mind, my heart,
> > and sometimes I have defended it with my body.
>
> How noble of you; how ignorant of those flag-wavers!
What he's trying to say here that mere flag waving does not a patriot make.
I am sure that the guys who dragged a man behind their pickup in Texas
because of the color of his skin, and the guys who beat a man to death in
Colorado because of his sexual preference were flag wavers.
Being a patriot takes more than that. I consider Richard a patriot even if I
think he's dead wrong about some things, because he's at least willing to
argue his points. I consider you a patriot even if I think you're dead wrong
about some things because you're at least willing to argue your points.
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