So you want to be a patriot Alexander Cohen’s way.
Quite frankly, I am tired of listening to all this patriotic rhetoric, especially with most of it being without merit.
I can recall the first time I saw Jill Biden with Michelle Obama standing as patriots, side by side in a public service commercial talking about how much they support the soldiers, veterans and their families.
I knew then and there our military and veterans were doomed.
It was the buttering of the bread before it is taken away.
If the government is taking such good care of our veterans, especially disabled veterans, then why are there so many non-profit organizations having to raise money to do the right thing?
While you think about that, know that those commercials supporting soldiers and veterans went away.
It is harder to lie when the truth is already known.
I honor the U.S. Constitution and obey its laws but that does not make me a patriot because that very notion should be instilled in every American.
Unfortunately, by today’s standards it is not.
A majority of self-serving, single-issue voters who, for some reason, believe they are entitled to something either monetary or personal, have made a mockery out of the principles that helped established this nation.
They are backed by wealthy elitist who seem to be bent on creating a totalitarian party.
Yet they consider themselves patriots when they are not.
Patriots do not sacrifice everyone else’s freedoms to satisfy their own needs.
These “patriots” are however, “useful idiots” whose ignorance is helpful for the elitist to take away the freedoms of those of us not so easily influenced by offerings from the government.
There are two types of patriots in America today, those who have and those who have not.
Those who have are lead by principles to protect the things they love.
Those who have not, rely on those who have, to do the same thing for them.
Doing civic responsibilities such as jury duty and voting are acts that make a patriot by definition.
But I cannot stand the way Alexander Cohen cries as if he might have to leave the things he loves in order to defend those very things he values most.
It takes the shine off his patriotic theory because pouting is not a quality of patriotism.
A patriot should never define themselves by what they want to do but rather what they are willing to do.
Nobody wants to leave behind what they love but a patriot is willing to do so if it means protecting what they love.
Not everyone is able to do this but if a person is willing to do something as simple as wave the American flag at a Veterans Day parade that is good enough for me, especially if they are willing to give up their good seat to an excited child or a disabled person to enjoy.
Doing for those who are not able to do for themselves is the highest form of patriotism.
As for Congressman Rangel wanting to require two years of military service for young Americans, I really do not have a problem with that.
I have seen much more good than bad come out of military service.
But I would not worry too much about that happening.
That I know of, Rangel has tried this angle since 2004 and it has failed each time.
The term for such an act is conscription and traditionally only takes place during national emergencies or acts of war.
Without going into the history of wars of this nation, conscription has happened more times than you might think.
The way this current administration loathes the military, it probably will not happen.
As for Congressman Rangel suggesting an alternative of two years of military service being some sort of involuntary community service, I am pretty sure the constitution will have something to say about that.
As for the question of what kind of patriot I want to be, I am glad I am not the same kind of patriot Cohen seems to be advocating.
Jack Rawlings
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