Ichabod's Kin
A place for politics, pop culture, and social issues

          One of my favorite bands begins each performance with the national anthem and a tribute to all military, living and dead, who have protected our country.

          Well and good. This time, at tribute’s end the lead singer added that while all may not be perfect America, honoring those willing to risk life to defend the rest of us is, as he put it, “non-negotiable.” Ditto that.

          I suspected that the words he added were occasioned by his notice of one member of the audience not standing, hand-over-heart, but head down and on one knee in obvious protest. That person too is a huge fan of said band.

          Such a public stance is not altogether welcome even in liberal Massachusetts; others who share such feelings may choose to avoid occasioning a disturbance. Overall, people of our Commonwealth are more prone to tolerance than others in this much-divided Republic.

          I am equally uncomfortable with some patriotic displays—many of which are over-played and intimidating to those who are as sincere in their passion for freedom as those who wrap themselves in flags. There is a difference between Patriotism and what are called Nationalism, Super-Patriotism—and jingoism. None of us is happy with demonstrations of the latter three when manifested by powerful countries other than our own—like Russia.

          Pure patriotism is the deep love of the land that birthed or welcomed us as immigrants. Words and music of such anthems are passionately beautiful, marking its natural beauty and the better angels of its people, not menacing and despotic. It is the reason I was part of a movement many years ago to make “America the Beautiful” our Anthem in place of the more militaristic one long in place, regardless of the fun fireworks and booming cannon.

          It is no flimsy choice on the part of the aforementioned who chooses to kneel at the playing of it. It is her awareness in these times that too many Americans choose to look away at our national failures. She feels we will be stronger, not weaker, to face what is and has been wrong, thus to be a more perfect union–steps common as well to individual therapy and motivational programs.

          I feel as strongly about that as does the petite blonde beside me at such public events. My choice is that this is my country and flag too and have right to protest those who deny our imperfections. That does not make me better than the one next to me and when she kneels, I know why and I love her for it; and as I stand next to her, hand over heart, my other hand is on her in solidarity of our common passion for a more perfect union.

          Honoring our military is correct in that it is largely comprised of the young and willing who trust their country to call them to do what is truly necessary The harsh fact is that such is demonstrably not so.

          The Mexican War of 1845 was opposed by future president Abraham Lincoln and young soldiers forced to fight it. The taking of Texas and the entire Southwest was papered over by the bogus “Alamo!” cry, a bogus “patriotic story” crafted in its aftermath.

          In Vietnam again, the young and willing lost lives, limbs and futures while their leaders merely “made mistakes.” Defense Sec. Robert McNamara later revealed how he and many others misrepresented the course of that war to the public, and its misguided planning and execution—a betrayal of the innocent patriotism of our young warriors.

          The slave trade was an unforgivable disgrace—as was the euphemistic “sharecropping” that replaced it with economic slavery; as is the overt racism that continues; as has been the inequality of women and ongoing violence against Jews and LGBTQs.

          What travesty and tragedy! As long as we strut along without self-assessment and redress of our failures, we will worsen as a society and tempt an ugly end to the great American experiment.

          Colin Kaepernick took a knee and the world hates him, but no one died—and NFL owners, commanders of the epitome of male strength, are revealed as the worst of cowards, fearing the wrath of super-patriots who mix their politics into everything, including sports.

          That’s why I prefer “America the Beautiful” and its call to “mend thine every flaw.” And we can’t do that without self-reflection, confession and atonement.