“Love it or leave it.” This is a far too common statement from conservatives when you voice any criticism about anything in this country, specifically when a Republican sits in the White House. Any disagreement means you should be the one to leave, or that you are somehow un-American. Think for a moment on the absurdity of that statement. Criticism does not equal hate. In fact, the MOST American thing to do is complain. We are great at it. We are even better at complaining about complainers. That’s why we have Facebook/Twitter to begin with -to complain. But it’s also woven throughout American history -the Boston Tea Party, Declaration of Independence, the FIRST Amendment, the Civil War, Women’s suffrage, Civil Rights movement, the Tea Party, the Women’s March. Criticizing our current government in order to fix it is how we fulfill the promise in the Constitution “to form a more perfect union”. And today we still have things to work on – income inequality and corporate greed, structural racism, access to health care, a flailing educational system with crippling student debt, and on and on.
But alas, Conservatives often invoke that differences in opinions means that you hate America. Wanting something to be better doesn’t mean you hate it. Wanting to improve things doesn’t mean you hate them. Your parents don’t correct your behavior because they hate you. It’s based on love, a desire to see you be your best self, realizing your potential. Same is true of teachers and coaches. And if criticizing the government or the current administration means that you hate America, then what did that mean about Republicans between 2009-2016? That would have been the most unpatriotic period for an entire party. Republicans complained about everything relating to Obama, and even protested. The Republican Party sent a letter to Iran saying that the President doesn’t speak for America, really? Was that un-American? No. Completely and utterly wrong, but perfectly in the vein of being American. People screaming MAGA were literally saying that America wasn’t, in fact, great. Un-American? Nope, just really annoying.
We are meant to disagree and we are free to be who we are – Christian/Jew/Muslim/Athiest/etc, Straight/Gay/Whatever, Capitalist/Socialist/(even)Communist. There is no Un-American, because literally everything is American. We are everything That is the freedom we celebrate as Americans. Resorting to the “Love it or Leave It” or Un-American argument means that you have no argument. You have no rebuttal but ad hominem attack. It is intellectual weakness. That is true from the left or right. Heard on one of my podcasts this week, and cringed. Things can be unethical, unconstitutional, illegal, or just plain wrong, but not really un-American.
Wanting to make things better is patriotism. Loving your country, despite the flaws of our history or current politics, is patriotism. Holding a corrupt administration accountable, is patriotism. Finding a way to help your fellow citizens afford health care, afford college, and protect the environment, and realize the American Dream is patriotism. Meanwhile, failing to accept differences of opinion is nationalism. Demanding absolute loyalty to a particular partisan President is nationalism. Pretending everything is perfect despite available evidence is nationalism. Thinking only your personal beliefs represent America is nationalism. Nationalism stifles the debate, but Patriotism encourages discussion. Nationalism disparages large swaths of American citizens and residents, while Patriotism celebrates them. In America, you are completely free to be a nationalist but as you can tell, patriotism is far superior to nationalism. And when a President says that American citizens should go back where he thinks brown people come from or that the opposition party simply hates America, that President espouses the most vile of nationalism, a racist white nationalism that doesn’t make America great. Our diversity makes us great -diversity of opinions, thoughts, and beliefs.
Political Punch 