I've been thinking about how Senator Barak Obama should respond to the charges of being unpatriotic by the McCain lackeys. I don't know if a debate format or a rally would be the best venue, but I jotted down a few notes.
Senator Obama: Lately, some supporters of Senator McCain have questioned my patriotism based on my not wearing a flag lapel pin.
(Senator Obama reaches into his pocket and pulls out an oversize flap pin and puts it on his lapel.)
Since my pin is twice as large as the one that Senator McCain wears, does that make me twice as patriotic? No. Pins do not mean you are patriotic, deeds do.
Patriotism means not wasting our soldiers in an unnecessary war in Iraq that was based on misleading and untruthful statements.
Patriotism means supporting the troops if you do send them to war, not make them scrounge through landfills for armor to protect them.
Patriotism means supporting the wounded, in both body and mind, when they come back, not cutting VA funding and warehousing them in substandard medical facilities.
Patriotism means honoring the fallen, not sneaking them into the country in the dark of night and trying to pretend they didn't die.
Patriotism means supporting the members of the intelligence community, not outing their operations for political purposes, and then lying about who was responsible.
Patriotism also means not leaving American citizens to die in a catastrophe that was seen days in advance, like hurricane Katrina.
Patriotism means putting competent people in charge of governmental departments, not cronies and political operatives.
Patriotism means bringing jobs to this country, not sending them out of the country.
Patriotism means defending the Constitution of the United States, not trying to find ways around it, or just ignoring it when it conflicts with what you want to do.
Patriotism means supporting 300 million American citizens, not 300 corporations.
Patriotism means not running up huge debts on the backs of our children to give tax breaks to the most fortunate of us.
Patriotism means making sure that all children have access to health care, not vetoing programs like SCHIP.
Patriotism means making sure that all adults have access to affordable health care, not making them choose between food and medicine.
Patriotism means making enemies into friends, not friends into enemies.
This is what patriotism means, Senator McCain, and you can relay it to your supporters. It does not mean a lapel pin or a bumper sticker. It does not mean a certain religion, race, political party, gender,or gender orientation. It means We The People.
(Senator Obama removes the pin and puts it back in his pocket.)