This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Geez Louise! Larry, Conrad, etc.... "ANTI-AMERICAN" activities? "UNPATRIOTIC?" Just what do you think patriotism is? Just what do you think it means = to be an American -- a good, loyal American? Do you think our country was founded by docile sheep, who mindlessly = followed the dictates of King George and paid their tea taxes like good = little subjects? NO! Our country and government (like most countries = and governments) was born from a rebellion. Our founders recognized = that their government was unjust, despite the fact the "law" said = otherwise. This is how our founders explained themselves in a little = letter to King George, with bold facing added for emphasis: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created = equal...That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of = these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and = to institute new Government... But when a long train of abuses and = usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to = reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their = duty, to throw off such Government..." Our founders did not look to the law to know what was wrong and right. = Nobody had to TELL them they were being treated unjustly by Britain. = These truths were self-evident. It was therefore the DUTY of these = people to question unjust laws and policies and to rebel against them. = Why was it their duty? Very simply, they were morally obligated to = correct what they saw as being wrong with their state of affairs and the = state of affairs of their fellow colonists. They were morally charged = to right what they believed deeply to be a wrong. This is what it means = to be a patriot -- to love one's land and people enough to take the risk = necessary to improve it. Patriotism isn't about loving what your = government is doing, whether it is right or wrong. Patriotism isn't = about blindly and unquestioningly following laws that may or may not be = just. These are the qualities of sheep, not patriots. Patriots are people like Rosa Parks, who refused to sit at the back of = the bus, knowing she would probably be arrested for defying authority. = Patriots are people like the mayors throughout this land who have defied = the "Defense" of Marriage Act and have married gay couples because they = believed the law to be unjust. Patriots are people like the "right to = choose" activists and the "right to life" activists, who may be on = opposite sides of the issue but both believe fervently in their cause. = Patriots are the citizen lobbyists who stream constantly into Washington = to try to change laws they feel are unjust. Patriots are the = conscientious objectors who refuse to pick up rifles and march off to = war, opting instead to go to prison if necessary, because they feel war = is wrong. Patriots are the young men and women who enlist in the = military, putting their lives on the line in service to their country. = Patriots are the Peace Corps volunteers, many/most opposed to war, who = often put their safety on the line in hostile lands in pursuit of = American ideals and for betterment of the world. Patriots are the = Habitats for Humanity volunteers who put in long, hard hours to elevate = the living conditions of the ever-growing ranks of impoverished = countrymen. Patriots are the people who run the soup kitchens for their = homeless countrymen. Patriotism isn't simply waving a flag and mindlessly saying, "God bless = America." Patriotism isn't showing up at the Fourth of July parades. = Patriotism isn't voting Republican or Democratic. True patriotism is seldom easy, and it almost never comes without = sacrifice. Certain things are UNpatriotic: It is UNpatriotic to "vote for one's = pocketbook" (i.e. vote out of self interest), without concern for the = ramifications for larger society. It is UNpatriotic to break the law = for personal gain. It is UNpatriotic to lie, cheat, and steal at a cost = to the well-being of one's countrymen. It is UNpatriotic not to vote. = It is UNpatriotic not to speak out when you feel something is wrong. It = is UNpatriotic to blindly obey laws you feel are morally wrong. It is = UNpatriotic to hold a public office and not use that position to fight = like hell for the betterment of America. It is UNpatriotic NOT to = question authority. It is UNpatriotic not to consider the larger = implications of any issue. It is UNpatriotic not to think. It is = UNpatriotic not to act. It is UNpatriotic to be inert -- a "sheep." =20 It is UNpatriotic to accuse a person of being UNpatriotic or UN-American = for doing whatever his heart of hearts -- his deepest conscience -- = tells him is the right thing to do. It is UNpatriotic to accuse someone = of being anti-American, just because he doesn't conform to your point of = view. (How DARE you?!) John Kerry is anything but unpatriotic or un-American. There's more = patriot in that man than we've seen from either major party in a long, = long time! That is the thing that most stands out about him. He = passionately wants to make this land a better place. What better thing = could one say about the man? He's not in it for the money. He's not in = it to be ruler of the world. He's not in it for the power trip. He's = in it because he loves America with all his heart. John Kerry is the prototypical American, who would have found good = company with our nation's founders. He is the very essence of a = patriot. Peace, Sarah ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/8b/6c/11/a6/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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