Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Shame

You remember the flap about Michelle Obama saying that 'this was the first time she was really proud of her country', and people jumped on that, saying she wasn't?

Listening to the bilge that Palin is spewing, I feel nothing but shame that this is one of the faces of my country. She's appealing to the basest instincts in the crowd. McCain's not covering himself with glory, either.

4 comments:

Sweeti said...

No, that's not what people jumped on, It was that she was never proud of her country before her husband was running for President.
Which brings into question the association of the people they hung out with.
All people are judged by with whom they associate, Giving weight to the old adage "Birds of a feather flock together"

Cerulean Bill said...

Thats not what she said.

"Speaking in Milwaukee, Wis., on Monday, she said, "People in this country are ready for change and hungry for a different kind of politics and ... for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback."

Greeted with rousing applause after making the comment in Milwaukee, Obama delivered an amended version of the speech later that day in Madison, Wis.

"For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country ... not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change," she said. "I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment."

As for being proud, generally -- I don't think countries get that as a freebie. I don't believe in 'my country, right or wrong'. "My country", yes; unabashed flag waving no matter what idiocy is going on -- no.

Sweeti said...

Well, hmmmm, How old is she?
...and how many Presidents and how much change has happened in her lifetime? I can tell you honestly Bill, I have always been proud of my country regardless of the President in office.
Pride in country is something that is displayed by the heart of the people of this great country and that's something I really don't want to see "Change"

Cerulean Bill said...

I don't either. But my automatic delight in being able to say I'm an American started to die when Nixon's misdeeds came to light, and I realized that all presidents - yes, even the one I want in office - have feet of clay. But it took Bush to make me shudder with disgust. Torture? If nothing else - not the stupidity, the syncophants, the Miers, the Gonzales, all of that -- Torture? My country? MY country?

No one can be proud of that. I know, you didn't approve it, and neither did I -- but if the President is the country, and the President said it was okay, then the country said it was ok. Thats not the country I want to be part of. I want MY country back. The one thats known for -- even mocked for -- doing the right thing, treating people fairly, trying hard. Getting taken advantage of, all the time, and failing, oh so many times -- but trying. Always trying.

Thats what I see in Obama.