Cover Story: What Is Patriotism Really About? – Between the Lines

But Barack hasn’t gone under. In fact, he has sustained, and maintained, that America can be better if it is willing to change. Just as black America has sustained over the notion, throughout the past 400 years, that America is not what it was but is not what it could be. Even when we say things are getting better, our patriotism is called into question. Michelle Obama’s “really proud” comment is a case in point. She never said she wasn’t proud of her country. She said she was “really” proud of her country. In the black community, we call that “Mo Better,” meaning more proud than we’d previously been able to acknowledge. Because black America doesn’t have many opportunities to brag on the greatness of America, this was a significant moment, but it was twisted and spinned in a way that deflected her love of country, and was accentuated in the context of a critique, when it wasn’t meant to be a critique. That’s how discussions around patriotism land. Many have taken offense at any critique of John McCain’s service record, but patriotism can’t be solely based on serving our country because most of the members of his party, who voted for the war, didn’t serve a day – hiding behind deferments and exemptions. Are they less Patriotic for not going into the military, or serving their country? You rarely hear that criticism. The confliction around patriotism is real. Such confliction is the greatest black leader of all-time, Frederick Douglass, refused to speak on July 4th in 1852. He spoke on July 5th instead because he knew patriotism in America was a shell game, and like any game of three card Mollie, black America was always tricked into picking the wrong card. The Constitution of the United States was rarely under the card we turned over and we are always doped into saying we love America even when America didn’t love us. It’s the same today. Barack must say he loves America, flaws and all, to change it. Anything less, and he will never be seen as patriotic enough to lead the country. What a deal…