Patriotism
A friend's husband said to me the other night that he had given up on America as soon as Obama won. He later claimed that he was patriotic. I loved my country even when George W. Bush ruled, although I do not consider his first-term to have been legitimate, and I suspect that an analysis of variance would raise some serious questions about the 2004 ( Read more... )
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"In a monarchy, the king and his family are the country; in a republic it is the common voice of the people. Each of you, for himself, by himself and on his own responsibility, must speak. And it is a solemn and weighty responsibility, and not lightly to be flung aside at the bullying of pulpit, press, government, or the empty catch-phrases of politicians. Each must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide it against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may. If you alone of all the nation shall decide on way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have done your duty by yourself and by your country--hold up your head. You have nothing to be ashamed of." - Samuel L. Clemens, 'Letters from the Earth'.
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I still believe that the answer to hate speech is more speech, but I do think we need to be talking back, and we're not.
As for "lock[ing] DC down," I was talking about hardening targets, and keeping an eye on the crazy people with guns that are celebrating the worst ever terror attack on US by an American.
It doesn't mean that they shouldn't be allowed to say it. Criticism is not censorship. Vigilance is not censorship. You know that as well as anyone.
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