Patriotism is, as a patriot does By Curt Andersen News-Chronicle Mom always used to tell me that I would catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. I always wondered, “Who wants to catch flies? It’s apparent this advice was not given to a large group of conservatives, for in the last year I have been called a “tree-hugger”…not that bad a name, but not said with warmth, either, but still makes me wonder why loving trees and nature should be a bad thing; “Liberal” (said with mocking derision); “baby killer,” even though I did not support Bush’s war which is killing hundreds of older babies, while I did support our troops; and “traitor,” my own special favorite, because I did not agree with their opinion, and which endears me to those Conservatives in ways I could never before imagine. The “traitor” label came during a protest of a protest of the Kerry rally in Green Bay back in May. Representative Mark Green (Republican - Green Bay) met with perhaps a dozen supporters at the Veterans’ Memorial next to the Brown County Veterans’ Memorial Arena where the Kerry rally was being held. I was surprising that any veterans showed up to support Green, because he has been less than supportive of veterans’ issues. One particular 30-ish veteran (I took his word for his veteran status) decided to shout in my face. When I said I was a veteran, too, the man first called me a liar, then a traitor (for not supporting the war in Iraq.) When I told him where I had been and what I had done while in the Navy, it wasn’t good enough for him. He felt his service was more important than mine, you see. That protestor must really hate Bush’s record…or lack thereof. I remember being an hour late for duty one time, and getting three hours of extra duty for my crime. A shipmate missed the movement of our ship from Norfolk to Portsmouth, a distance of about 3 miles, when he went home to see his father, who was dying of cancer. His ride back to the ship from Upstate New York didn’t show up, and in spite of Al’s heroic attempts to get back to the ship on time, flying from airport to airport to airport to do so, he missed the departure by about 7 minutes…which is known as “Missing Ship’s Movement.” This rule was intended to keep the weak from skipping out on serving during a time of national crisis. Al got Executive Officer’s Mast for that “crime.” Bush missed months of Air National Guard meetings and the right-wingers want to give him a pass. I think not. Bush was a malingerer at best, a deserter, or a chicken hawk at the very worst. Bush supported the Vietnam War, but scrupulously avoided serving there. He was a deceptive coward when it came to his own service! Have you noticed how many people who are bug-eyed happy to go to war are also whining about high taxes? You don’t have to be Albert Einstein to do that math. This brings me to the subject of the zealous warmongering in America. The shouting about patriotism is getting a bit tedious. The definition of patriot: “One who loves his country and zealously supports its authority and interests” comes from the Greek for “father” and generally refers to respecting authority of one’s leader. This definition leaves no room for what is demanded of citizens when our government loses its way. It is not just our right, but also our patriotic duty to criticize that government when it strays from its proper mission. Those who favor authoritarian government are unlikely to support this criticism. That’s the trouble with authoritarian governments…just when fans are getting all gooshy that others were being yanked around by authoritarian rules, they get caught in the same net, and then who do they complain to? Nobody, if they know what’s good for them. Just shut up and snap a salute. The so-called patriotism I have witnessed lately has been more like super-irrational nationalism, “a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of all other nations.” It seems to me that bringing back the draft would dissolve much of this nationalist fervor, but before that, I think a good sweep of those who really believe in the war should be first to go, no matter their age or physical condition. Let’s see how their so-called patriotism holds up under those circumstances. We’ll hear all sorts of lame excuses, as in the Phil Ochs’ song, The Draft Dodger Rag: “I’m only sixteen, I’ve got a ruptured spleen, And I always carry a purse. I’ve got eyes like a bat, And my feet are flat, And my asthma’s getting worse. Consider my career, My sweetheart dear, My poor old invalid aunt, Besides I ain’t no fool, ‘Cuz I’m goin’ ta school, and I’m workin’ in a defense plant.” Such patriotism is like wiener water soup…thin on nutrition. Have you noticed that our government seems to have been taken over by those people who never paid attention to math, history, or civics classes in high school? When you look at the crop of economics-challenged legislators, right from the top on down, you have to wonder how the devil they got into office. It was with tremendous help from special interests. It also helped that many of them were born without an ethical bone in their body. While the war mongers rant about their obviously transparent patriotism, we are hearing about more and more of their ilk cheating the government out of revenue, whether needed for infrastructure or schools, or for paying for the foolish war in Iraq. Companies that move offshore to avoid taxes do not deserve to profit by our system, nor do owners deserve to live here. Alas, the Bush administration has given them both profit and a place to live. Thanks, CEO W. Bush. What a fine mess you’ve gotten us into.