"I will never apologize for the United States of America — I don't care what the facts are."
— President George Bush
1988
Bush was demonstrating his patriotism by excusing an act of cold-blooded mass-murder by the U.S. Navy. On July 3, 1988 the U.S. Navy warship Vincennes shot down an Iranian commercial airliner. All 290 civilian people in the aircraft were killed. The plane was on a routine flight in a commercial corridor in Iranian airspace. The targeting of it by the U.S. Navy was blatantly illegal. That it was grossly immoral is also obvious. Except to a patriot.
http://www.intellnet.org/resources/america...ingQuotes1.html
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061...eich/index.aspx
Full Version: "I will never apologize for the United States of America — I don't care what the facts are."
QUOTE (g7enn @ Sep 10 2008, 07:39 AM) 
"I will never apologize for the United States of America — I don't care what the facts are."
— President George Bush
1988
Bush was demonstrating his patriotism by excusing an act of cold-blooded mass-murder by the U.S. Navy. On July 3, 1988 the U.S. Navy warship Vincennes shot down an Iranian commercial airliner. All 290 civilian people in the aircraft were killed. The plane was on a routine flight in a commercial corridor in Iranian airspace. The targeting of it by the U.S. Navy was blatantly illegal. That it was grossly immoral is also obvious. Except to a patriot.
http://www.intellnet.org/resources/america...ingQuotes1.html
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061...eich/index.aspx
— President George Bush
1988
Bush was demonstrating his patriotism by excusing an act of cold-blooded mass-murder by the U.S. Navy. On July 3, 1988 the U.S. Navy warship Vincennes shot down an Iranian commercial airliner. All 290 civilian people in the aircraft were killed. The plane was on a routine flight in a commercial corridor in Iranian airspace. The targeting of it by the U.S. Navy was blatantly illegal. That it was grossly immoral is also obvious. Except to a patriot.
http://www.intellnet.org/resources/america...ingQuotes1.html
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061...eich/index.aspx
Except to a patriot? "My country, right or wrong" does not define a patriot. "My country, good or evil" doesn't define a patriot.
For me, this "country" is not just a patch of land, or the set of people inhabiting that land, or the government that serves/controls those people, or the commerce transpiring there, or the ownership residing there. For me, this country is, first and foremost, a SET OF IDEALS, well expressed in the Declaration and Constitution and in the interpretations of true patriots, who believe in and live those ideals.
George Bush is no patriot.
I still find it funny that people confuse what is basically "jingoism" when talking about "patriotism."
The word patriotism has been hijacked to mean blind nationalism for many.
Just received this in my company e-mail, I really hate this fake patriotism:
PATRIOT DAY
Remembering September 11th, 2001
This year marks the sixth anniversary of the worst terrorist attack inflicted on our nation. Patriot Day reflects the compassion of people who stepped forward to help those they've never met and the generosity of millions of Americans who enriched our country with acts of service and kindness on that 11th day of September in 2001. It is a true demonstration of why our country stands against those who force evil upon us.
In observance of Patriot Day tomorrow, please feel free to wear red, white and blue business attire (no jeans please).
PATRIOT DAY
Remembering September 11th, 2001
This year marks the sixth anniversary of the worst terrorist attack inflicted on our nation. Patriot Day reflects the compassion of people who stepped forward to help those they've never met and the generosity of millions of Americans who enriched our country with acts of service and kindness on that 11th day of September in 2001. It is a true demonstration of why our country stands against those who force evil upon us.
In observance of Patriot Day tomorrow, please feel free to wear red, white and blue business attire (no jeans please).
Since we're talking about Patriotism, I hope you don't mind me posting a piece I've been working on about what Patriotism means to me.
It's not ready for prime time, but what the hell...
TRUE PATRIOTS
Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. ~ Benjamin Franklin
True Patriots are those who put country above self and religion and strive, at all times, to leave their beloved country in better shape on the day they die than on the day they were born. What Candidate McCain and his ilk do is demonstrate every day that their definition of “patriotism” means perpetuating FEAR, HATE and GREED with singular focus on boosting the personal profits and religious beliefs of the elitist few above those of the many.
True Patriots know that Candidate McCain is merely another in a long line of paid puppets for the Extremist Right Ideologues, who have clearly lost sight of “truth, justice and the American way”. In their tunnel-vision zeal to bend The Constitution to their will while legislating morality for all instead of justice for all, they have failed to realize that they are not up against Senator Obama – they are up against hundreds of millions of ordinary citizens who are enraged by what has become of our once-proud nation in due to forty years of the criminal, corrupt and religiously tainted policies of the “Grand” Old Party.
True Patriots are enraged by the fact that all the Republican Neo-Conservative Extremists care about is preserving their fortunes, keeping all the wealth in their families, while the rank and file citizens of the United States of America suffer. Throughout the course of history, these are the conditions that have brought about Revolution.
And make no mistake: Revolution is at hand.
True Patriots know that cheap, made-in-China flag lapel pins do not conceal the fact that Republicans do NOT believe in truth, justice or the American way for anyone but their private contractor war profiteer buddies, good old boy oilmen, and those who believe it is the destiny of the United States to bring about Armageddon so they can punch their personal tickets to heaven.
True Patriots are saddened by the fact that Reaganesque corruption and greed have driven Candidate McCain, who was indeed a patriot in his long-ago youth, to lose sight of the fact that taking down our buildings will never take down The United States of America, but the disastrous Cheney War-for-Profit Foreign Policy and Gramm Enron Loophole Economic Policy that he espouses most certainly will.
True Patriots are now pursuing the course of toppling the Anti-American Republican Regime before it is too late, before the hate-filled warmongers succeed in destroying all that they claim to love and wish to conserve. We will not allow America to be defeated by Al Queda or by its evil counterpart, the Neo-Conservative and Christian Extremist Sponsored Insane Republican War Machine.
Candidate McCain: We the People do not approve of The United States Army being used as a tool for completing business deals or bringing about the biblical end of days. No matter how much money you and your lobbyist cronies are paid by ExxonMobil, Rupert Murdoch, Rick Warren’s Lunatic Religious Cult, or International Governments, The United States of America is NOT FOR SALE to the highest bidder.
It's not ready for prime time, but what the hell...
TRUE PATRIOTS
Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. ~ Benjamin Franklin
True Patriots are those who put country above self and religion and strive, at all times, to leave their beloved country in better shape on the day they die than on the day they were born. What Candidate McCain and his ilk do is demonstrate every day that their definition of “patriotism” means perpetuating FEAR, HATE and GREED with singular focus on boosting the personal profits and religious beliefs of the elitist few above those of the many.
True Patriots know that Candidate McCain is merely another in a long line of paid puppets for the Extremist Right Ideologues, who have clearly lost sight of “truth, justice and the American way”. In their tunnel-vision zeal to bend The Constitution to their will while legislating morality for all instead of justice for all, they have failed to realize that they are not up against Senator Obama – they are up against hundreds of millions of ordinary citizens who are enraged by what has become of our once-proud nation in due to forty years of the criminal, corrupt and religiously tainted policies of the “Grand” Old Party.
True Patriots are enraged by the fact that all the Republican Neo-Conservative Extremists care about is preserving their fortunes, keeping all the wealth in their families, while the rank and file citizens of the United States of America suffer. Throughout the course of history, these are the conditions that have brought about Revolution.
And make no mistake: Revolution is at hand.
True Patriots know that cheap, made-in-China flag lapel pins do not conceal the fact that Republicans do NOT believe in truth, justice or the American way for anyone but their private contractor war profiteer buddies, good old boy oilmen, and those who believe it is the destiny of the United States to bring about Armageddon so they can punch their personal tickets to heaven.
True Patriots are saddened by the fact that Reaganesque corruption and greed have driven Candidate McCain, who was indeed a patriot in his long-ago youth, to lose sight of the fact that taking down our buildings will never take down The United States of America, but the disastrous Cheney War-for-Profit Foreign Policy and Gramm Enron Loophole Economic Policy that he espouses most certainly will.
True Patriots are now pursuing the course of toppling the Anti-American Republican Regime before it is too late, before the hate-filled warmongers succeed in destroying all that they claim to love and wish to conserve. We will not allow America to be defeated by Al Queda or by its evil counterpart, the Neo-Conservative and Christian Extremist Sponsored Insane Republican War Machine.
Candidate McCain: We the People do not approve of The United States Army being used as a tool for completing business deals or bringing about the biblical end of days. No matter how much money you and your lobbyist cronies are paid by ExxonMobil, Rupert Murdoch, Rick Warren’s Lunatic Religious Cult, or International Governments, The United States of America is NOT FOR SALE to the highest bidder.
Nameless--Well written, very good, and it is ready for prime time. They think the country is for sale, only they're the ones selling it.
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