From lapel pins to the Pledge of Allegiance

October 25, 2007

Sweet Jeebus, it’s amazing what the right will find to whine about. When it comes to Barack Obama, first it was his middle name. Then it was the “madrassa” nonsense. Soon after, it was the absence of a flag pin on his lapel. And now, the Fox News crowd is fascinated by whether the senator puts his hand over his heart when he says the Pledge of Allegiance.

Just when it seemed far-right discourse couldn’t get any more inane, these guys manage to kick things up a notch.

Time magazine ran a photo recently of Obama, Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, and Ruth Harkin (Sen. Tom Harkin’s wife) at an event in Iowa. Richardson, Clinton, and Harkin are seen with their hands over their hearts, while Obama’s hands are clasped together in front of him. The caption said the picture was taken “during the national anthem.”

And that, apparently, was all the right needed to know. Freepers pounced, denouncing Obama for being unpatriotic. Newsbusters, another far-right site, did the same, and challenged reporters to ask Obama about his “decision to spurn this American tradition.”

This is all very silly. For one thing, we don’t know if, a moment after the picture was taken, Obama put his hand over his heart like the others. For another, it doesn’t matter. Some people do, some don’t. It’s hardly the kind of thing that the patriotism police should obsess over.

But that didn’t stop Fox News from devoting plenty of airtime to what one personality called Obama’s “patriotism problems.” Seriously.

On October 23, two other programs — Fox News’ Fox & Friends and the CBS-syndicated newsmagazine Inside Edition — also featured segments on Obama not covering his heart during the national anthem. As Media Matters documented, on the October 23 edition of Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy stated: “First he kicked his American flag pin to the curb. Now Barack Obama has a new round of patriotism problems.” Doocy’s assertion echoed a statement made by the conservative blog NewsBusters, which noted in an October 20 post that Time magazine had photographed Obama without his hand over his heart during the national anthem: “Turns out that not wearing a flag lapel pin isn’t the only way Barack Obama chooses to show he’s a different kind of Democrat.” Inside Edition also featured a segment discussing Obama and the national anthem “controversy” on October 23. The segment included a statement from an Obama campaign spokesperson regarding Obama’s purported failure to place his hand over his heart: “Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t. In no way was he making any sort of statement, and any suggestion to the contrary is ridiculous.”

On Hannity & Colmes, Alan Colmes had the wherewithal to show an image of George W. Bush during the Pledge, and his right hand wasn’t over his heart. Does that mean his patriotism should be questioned? Hannity said no: “[T]he difference here is Barack Obama made a statement about the Iraq war with the flag pin. And to not do it here, people are raising questions about why. Is this another statement?”

It’s almost hard to believe how ridiculous these people are. There are pictures of Obama saying the Pledge with his hand over his heart; there are pictures without. The same is true for the president. This is meaningless.

I wonder if these far-right ideologues realize that getting worked up over such nonsense makes them look bad, not the target of their ire. Somehow, I doubt it.

Let’s see … you can’t attack the Dems on policy, so you go after them on nonexistent “character” issues. Where have we heard this before? Oh yeah–1992. And we know how well that worked for the Repubs.

  • I have to wonder if these people honestly have any shame – how can they distance themselves from being so ridiculous?

    I don’t care if Obama was doing the Macarena during the national anthem. I care about his policies, actions, and decisions. I care about results.

    Then again the right wing’s results have been only disasters. Their answer? “Let them eat lapel pins.”

  • that’s the problem with the right wing. they’re nothing but show. not substance, just show. you know, like all hat and no cattle?

  • This is what you do when you can’t/won’t focus because you have become so unhinged from planet Earth and this reality.

  • Darrell@1
    Character issues worked great in 2000 and 2004. It’s an arrow in their quiver. A favorite.

    As for Obama, note that he was in the front. If Richardson remembered to put hand over heart, both Harkin and Clinton had a chance to see him do it and follow suit.

    I only remembered when I saw others do it at a girl scout meeting for my daughters. It’s not like anybody, not even presidents or senators say it daily.

    To be fair, Hannity might. I could see that.
    It might be what comes out of his alarm clock each morning.
    It’s kinda spooky.

  • “It’s almost hard to believe how ridiculous these people are.” That’s the problem. Perhaps 30%, or even more, of the American people are this ridiculous.

  • Remember the picture of Bush with his hand over his stomach during the Pledge? It was really funny.

  • It’s ironic that the photographers are busy taking pictures during the pledge or the anthem. They must hate America, too.

  • I was looking at the MMA page on this issue. Not to complain, but from the video provided, it seems that a certain rightwing blowhard is missing a certain pin from his lapel.

  • Hark,

    I understand your concern.

    What concerns me is that, even in a realistically ideal situation where the Dems get the presidency and more in congress, where we avoid war with Iran, where we manage to find some way to extricate ourselves from Iraq, where we restore some semblance of the Constitution – those 30% or so will fight those efforts.

    We’ll literally have people ready, in many cases at the behest of various right-wing individuals, to ask for more war, death, economic misery, and less freedom. It is my hope that they will look stupid enough to leave themselves a dwindling minority.

    When it comes down to it I consider a lot of the 25-30%ers to be, essentially, slaves. They follow their masters, they do what they’re told – and worse, they do it when confronted with other options. But they’d rather be scared, coddled, and ordered around than join with other free people.

  • Honestly, are there any people on the face of the earth more stupid than Steve Doocy, the brown-haired guy who isn’t Steve Doocy, and Sean Hannity? I am hard pressed to give a sweet shit about what these air-heads spew out to their nit-witted fans. Dumb-asses that sweat the little things like lapel pins and and hand placement during the national anthem are beyond influence by the facts. They are cult loonies plain and simple and NEVER destined to vote for Barack Obama. Fuck them and the lapel pins they rode in on.

  • It’s hardly the kind of thing that the patriotism police should obsess over.

    Wrong. It’s exactly the kind of thing the patriotism police should obsess over — because, without that, what else would they have??

    Symbolism uber alles.

  • “Alan Coleman”, people might want to know, is the white brother of Gary Coleman.

    Gary used to beat him up and take his lunch money, so Alan moved away and used his considerable fist-stopping skills to land a job as a punching bag at Fox.

    At least they don’t take his lunch money.

    sorry, couldn’t resist. 🙂

  • I don’t watch FoxNews, but it sounds to me like they’re alot more concerned with killing Obama’s candidacy than doing the same to their bogeywoman Hillary. Shame his campaign is so poorly run or he might be our next President.

  • […] Obama’s hands are clasped together in front of him.The caption said the picture was taken “during the national anthem.”

    Oh, my paws and whiskers! They’re playing our song, and all he can think of is protecting his ‘nads?!?? Oh dear, oh, dear, bad, bad ‘bama…

    Personally, I find all those politicians who, when swearing an oath to protect the Constitution, cross their fingers behind their backs to make the oath invalid, *much* more offensive.

  • Look, Obama’s the only front-runner for whom the Repubs don’t have a complete off-the-shelf character-assassination package. Hillary, obviously is the Evil Psycho Bitch from Hell, Satan One married to Satan Two. Edwards is the Breck Girl, the Silky Pony, the guy with the big house and the expensive haircuts. For Obama, they’re still testing stuff out. They’re not going to take any chances that Hillary will pick a boring white centrist male as her running mate — they want a big pile of negativity to attach to him for ’08.

  • Steve M –

    Dude, Obama is the Scary Negro. They’ve already got him pegged. Hell, he’s the Scary Negro whose middle name is Hussein, whose last name sounds like “Osama”, and whose first name “certainly doesn’t sound like a good Christian name”. They can’t actually CALL him the Scary Negro on the air (the way they can hurl “bitch” at Clinton or “girl” at Edwards), so they just show his picture a lot and point out how much his name sounds like a suicide bomber’s name. Just wait – they’ll probably use the word “boy” in association with him at some point, or call him a gangsta, just to see how far they can push it.

    This useless empty patriotism stuff is just stuff that they throw mindlessly at everyone – it’s red meat for their hardcore base to keep them pumped up about how Democrats aren’t “real Americans”. Every data point helps the tribal identity, no matter how inane it looks to us outsiders.

  • Steve M. (and with all due respect to NonyNony),

    The Right is throwing as much as they can at Obama now because they WANT Hillary to be the candidate. They feel the greatest opportunity they have to rally their base is to have Hillary be the nominee. They have the same sort of general disdain for Obama that they do for all Dems and progressives. If he were to be the nominee, they’d be able to motivate the base a little bit by their innate hostility towards anyone darker than Andy Rooney. But they Effing HATE Hillary, with the fury of a thousand white hot suns. Their Hail Mary play is to get people to remember just HOW awful things were during Bill Clinton’s time in office, and let that residual, irrational hatred carry them into a frightened nation rejecting another Clinton in the White House. They’ll hammer her politically (her failures trying to get national healthcare, her pandering to porgressive issues like global warming), they’ll hammer her personally (what woman doesn’t divorce a husband who got BJs from an intern unless she’s a shameless opportunistic lesbo?), and they’ll go over every detail of her campiagn with SUCH a fine-toothed comb, it’ll make the Whitewater investigation look like a cursory overview of a critique of The Iliad by a hungover teacher’s aide who never read the original poem himself.

    But all of that won’t happen if she doesn’t get the nod. To that end, they’re just as passionate about her getting the nomination as many Dems seem to be

  • When I was a kid—and we’re talking about 40-45 years ago—we were taught to stand at attention for the ‘Anthem, and to place our hand over our heart for the Pledge. They weren’t interchangeable like the batsh*t brigade believes. The only connection between the flag and the ‘Anthem is that you’re supposed to face the flag when singing, and “uncover” if you had a hat on. That was before “the dumbing down” that gave rise to Sean Hannity and Steve Doocy, of course. As for O’Reilly—the “shrill little man-cub on Rupert’s leash”—we’re talking about a “Heinz-57 mongrel” with terminal distemper. Just put the fool down, and burn the carcass so the disease doesn’t spread any further—‘kay?

  • I was at the Iowa Harkin Steak Fry. I am an Democratic activist and county vice-chair. While I think the right is making a mountain out of a molehill, I can attest to the fact that at no time during the anthem did Senator Obama place his hand over his heart. I was a bit taken a back and commented to my wife, wondering why his handlers would let him do something that someone on the right would “make hay” out of.

  • While in the Army living on base I would frequently see people out of uniform not even paying attention to the National Anthem. Look around at others during differant sporting events etc. It is common in real life for people to just stand there. I actually only thought those who are or were in the military had to cross their hearts until these FOX people have now told me otherwise.

  • I just looked at several sites online and it says to stand there. NOTHING about placing your hand anywhere etc. And we know that the internet only has the truth on it!!

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  • Shame his campaign is so poorly run or he might be our next President.

    Amen to that! I had occasion to deal with a couple of his policy advisors on something that could really have boosted his campaign, and they acted like they couldn’t care less. Ultimately they came out with some totally bogus policy positions that got him absolutely nowhere. Obama, and most other candidates, end up with a stable full of political hacks who are expert at nothing but advising the candidate on what they think the public wants to hear. The people who advise him about science aren’t scientists, they’re political junkies. So don’t look for anything groundbreaking, because you’re just going to get warmed-over same old same old. Very frustrating! But in some ways I guess there’s a certain sense to it, that those who can’t manage to assemble decent advisors get weeded out. After all, look what happened with the current occupant and all his crappy advisors. That’s one the weed-whacker missed.

  • I find that fucking pledge offensive and un-American.

    Loyalty oaths– to a flag, no less– are for monarchies and fascist dictatorships.

    The only oath that makes any sense in this country is to preserve and defend the Constitution– I’d gladly make that one any day, or every day.

    Not to a fucking flag, or to an imaginary man in the sky, even more absurdly.

    No wonder 55% of Americans think that the Constitution establishes a christian nation. They’ve never read it, or pledged allegiance to it, but they sure have said “under god” a million times.

    Sorry, this really chafes my ass.

  • I can’t believe he didn’t have his hand over his heart. It’s apparently not his habit to respect the United States. Probalby only when it is politically convenient for him and of course he has to remember to do it. Duh. Some of the previous comments are pretty scary. You’re not paying respect to a flag. You’re pay respect to what it represents and to all those who have given their life to protect YOU. Most of you Dems have no idea of what the rest of the world is like and how lucky you are to go about you life so carefree.
    Obama shouldn’t have to be reminded about putting his hand over his heart for the pledge or the anthem, it should be habit.

    DF
    U.S Navy Ret.

  • Instead of throwing stones, ask Mr. Obama it it was true and why is mouth wasn’t moving!

  • Being neither democratic nor republican I vote for candidates based on policies and issues. This man however will NOT be getting my vote. It’s people like the author of this article that make AMERICAN PATRIOTISM seem so trife and meaningless that it can just be tossed aside with character issues such as weather or not the candidate picks his nose. Im sorry, but where is your sense of pride? Where is your sense of country? This flag is OUR flag. It is THE symbol of OUR country above all else. Im sure that if you saw an American flag fall to the ground you’d just keep walking right past it and not care. The flag, more than anything else in our country represents the ideals, beliefs and values that make our country the greatest country in the world. The flag itself is not the country, sure, but it is the tangible thing that we can hold to, relate to, and show respect for that binds us all together. Think about all the countless American soldiers who have laid down their lives in defense of that very same flag so that YOU have a right to speak your mind and sleep soundly in your bed at night. Honoring the flag is more than just honoring some piece of cloth. It’s paying homage to the ideals that built this country and the lives that all of the hundreds of thousands of American servicemen and women gave thier lives to keep America free and great. Not honoring the flag during the National Anthem is a slap in the face to those families who lost loved ones during the wars. Its a slap in the face to those that currently serve in our armed forces to protect your rights. It’s rude, it’s arrogant, and it’s very un-patriotic. How in the world can I expect a man like this to make the right decisions for the country when he won’t even do something as simple and patriotic as honor our flag? I cannot and I will not. And before you think that I’m just some crazed “righty” (which Im not), maybe you should take a look at the flag photo from Iwo Jima in World War II and put a little thought into what exactly that photo represents and the friends those men hoisting that flag lost to get it where it is. And if you still dont get it maybe you should move to Canada

  • During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. — United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171

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  • I can’t even believe that anyone would attempt to defend ANYBODY who does not salute the colors of the GREAT nation. They OBVIOUSLY have NO idea what the colors stand for!!!!! ANYONE who is not Red White and Blue to the core should NOT have the privelidge to live in the USA. The very fact that they have the right to defend someone who is not 100% Patriotic shows how great this nation is. We are a Free Nation, founded on Christian principles, and where men and women have fought and died for the Flag that you mock now by not saluteling it, and what it stands for. I think we need to load boats with these people and ship them somewhere besides here, Obama included. There should be something inside you that stirs you everytime you hear the National Anthem, and you should AUTOMATICALLY remove your hat, snap to attention, and your hand should immediately cover your heart, it should be as automatic as breathing!!!!!!!!

  • People already know the Democrats are kind of iffy as to whether they like America or not. This picture just reinforces that perception.

    I don’t think most people think it is optional to place you hand over your heart when in public reciting the pledge of allegiance. Like standing and not talking, you place your hand over your heart to show respect for the flag and the country(and the people around you with hands on their hearts).

    Hilary Clinton knows this. Unlike all of the other Dem candidates, she knows she will eventually win the nomination and have to appeal to regular Americans. And the far left doesn’t like her for this.

    But she will be the nominee. I doubt if she can rise above her 48% likability in the polls against the Rep. nominee, but it will be close.

  • Positions should be supported with 90% fact and 10% opinion while opinions tend to be 99% emotion and 1% drivel. However you spin the photo you should not take lightly ones patriotic position, be they candidate or “Joe” citizen. All should be an American, act like an American and push an American agenda. James Carver said good news for the Dems is they got the election unless they talk their way out of it. The good news for the Reps is they just might. Seems like they waste more time whining about what the Reps have done, supporting an illegal alien agenda and alienating voters with their “non-binding” legislation. They need to take a hard line on some things most Americans can relate to, like proper behavior while the American National Anthem is playing, before its too late….again.

  • You’al can whine all you want about misplaced importance, but symbolism is very, very important. My dad….a disabled veteran….still stands for the flag and renders respect to any aspect of the flag, the National Anthem, etc. Why? Because he realizes that there are things which are larger than the individual and that they are worth respecting….and fighting for.

    The attacks on Obama about not having his hand on his heart is not character assassination. It is simple, honest observation. He is the one who seems to be committing political suicide by his actions. As a candidate on the campaign trail, he is well aware of the protocols and probably faces them several times a month.

    This is, I am afraid, representative of the “new” democrat. Be careful for what you wish for, you may get it.

  • All of you who are saying that the lapel pin and the hand over the heart thing is no big deal must be very young. This can be the only reason that you don’t understand the necessity and decency of observing and respecting a country’s traditions. Of course the issues are important, that’s a big fat DUH. But, consider this example. Your family has a long tradition of doing things a certain way that all of you enjoy for a holiday or some other occasion. Then, one of the guys in the family marries a woman who decides that although she is part of the family, she will not observe the traditions and snubs everyone in the family by her refusal. The questions are, is it rude? Is it arrogant and is it smart? Is this action worth the offense it causes to all (or even just many or most), of the members of the family? Ok, even half of the family.

    Barack Obama has a lot to learn if he wants to be the leader of the free world. SHAME ON HIM for considering himself a worthy candidate for the President of The United States and not respecting it’s traditions. Maybe he thinks he should change the colors of the flag or maybe re-write the constitution. Hell, why not change the name of the country?

    You all just don’t understand the importance of the small things. Here’s a perfect example. Do you put the shopping cart back where it belongs after you have put your groceries into your vehicle? I can hear the sighs and snorts already but what you don’t get and you won’t get until you grow up is that the very small things you do count innumerably in your life and the lives of others. If you DON’T put the shopping cart back where it belongs, you likely are selfish and irresponsible in other ways. AND, it will get worse. JUST the small action of putting the shopping cart back will actually change you and bring your attention to what is your responsibility as a citizen in your community. As you age and mature, you will realize just how much responsibility you have, if you are decent. But then, there is a grave deficit of decency in much of younger folks.

    I can hear the laughter but until you understand how each one of your small contributions matter, you won’t get a whole lot of things, like this kidlet Obama thinking he’s going to be pwezidint. Trust me, he has already offended so many people that he doesn’t have a chance.

    Grow up Barack. Grow up everyone who’s defending this junior high school rebelliousness. It’s not smart decision making. I want someone who can at least figure out how to be smart on what you all think are the small things before they become elected to lead the free world, for crying out loud!

  • Crying over air. Be serious!

    Obama doesn’t put his hand on his heart, whoop dee doo. Is
    this a major issue worth quality air time?

    Do we not have more important issues to deal with than cry that
    someone objects to canned and all too often artificial patriotism?

    You have an idiot like George Bush who can’t even pronounce, let
    alone spell, half the words of the pledge and you’re whining because
    someone didn’t hold his arm just right while saying it?

    Please.

  • As someone else already stated not showing the proper respect for the Plege or National Anthem also shows disrespect to this country. After all why are men and wowen dieing in a foreign land but for this country and EVERYTHING it stands for. And the Pledge of Alligiance and National Anthem represent this country. It’s not nonsense but the very heart of what being a leader of this country is.

  • I too care about policies, actions, decisions and results but any person wanting to be President of the United States had better show some patriotism. It doesn’t matter if it is the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem Richardson, Clinton and Harkin put their hands over their hearts so should Obama. All candidates know that every little thing can help or hurt, they should be on their toes and quit crying when they are criticized.

  • Dear Karen, did you actually READ what I wrote? I doubt it or you wouldn’t have written “Do we not have more important issues to deal with than cry that someone objects to canned and all too often artificial patriotism”? Sigh. Are you over 21? Likely not. You should print my writings and your replies so that you can read them in 20 years. Very likely you’ll have a completely different opinion, by then. Unless of course, you buy into the liberal “everything is OK, don’t judge, be tolerant of everyone (except Christians or traditionalists or conservatives), no need for rules, men and women are the same, government should provide everything, not responsible for anything, complain but provide no solutions, living in the theoretical world” lifestyle. I hope you don’t. It’s empty and barren and worth nothing.

    By the way, when you get married, no need to wear a white dress or have the traditional song played, receive a beautiful ring nor say any kind of vows. No need for bridesmaids in pretty dresses or for your father to walk you down the isle. None of this silly, old fashioned, traditional stuff. In fact, why get married at all? It’s just an empty, antiquated, “canned” event, full of promises that nobody can keep, anyway. No need for monogamy or commitment. Silly old stuff. Besides, now you can just be inseminated if you want children. No need for a dad, right?

    STUDY WHY AMERICA was formed. How it was formed. What the people who came to the new world were running away from. Talk to a WWII veteran, before those wonderful, brave, dedicated, sacrificial, grateful, decent soldiers are all gone. Ask THEM about tradition and America. They are the ones that made sure that you could say what you want about your government and it’s candidates without being shot or imprisoned. Ask THEM if they think it’s important to put your hand over your heart and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

  • It seems to me that in these reports and in these comments, “The Right” is reffered to in a negative way and there is a lot of shit talking.
    However it seems that Republicans do not try to look down upon the left, unlike Democrats do to the Right.
    Is it because the Right has the White House? Maybe
    But it makes Democrats sound like little children.
    Just a thought

  • A man or woman who is running for the Presidency of the United States should remember to place his/her hand over their heart during the pledge of allegiance or the playing of the nation’s anthem. It is a simple act of patriotism and a show of respect. If you choose not to participate in the act or to render this respect, then you do not get my vote and I would imagine the votes of many of the people my age, the baby boomers of this country. Too much damage has already been done to the office of the President of the United States. I can’t support a party that thinks this kind of behavior is ok. From that idiot Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton’s pitiful liaisons with a White House intern and his lies before the American people, nay the people of the world, I’m done with any smidgeon of support for the Democratic Party. You can’t support idiots at all cost to rally around the party and not expect us to start jumping ship. I don’t care too much for Republicans either but, one has to take a stand somewhere and I feel more comfortable on the side that gave us Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Regan. So is Obama’s omission a big deal? You bet it is. Is having another Clinton in the Office of the President a palatable option? You bet it isn’t. I am for damned sure do not want to see four to eight years of the “First Bubba.” I’m changing my support to Huckabee.

  • A few points to some of the people who’ve commented

    – Yeah, um. It wasn’t the “Pledge of Allegiance”… it was the National Anthem.

    – Second – There are numerous occasions and videos showing him both reciting/leading the Pledge of Allegiance and singing along with the National Anthem.

    – 3rd –
    http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp

    and

    http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/barack-obama-refused-to-say-the-pledge-of-allegiance-youve-been-played-for-a-daggone-fool/

    It’s amazing how you can just tell people something, and they’ll just go about believing it without doing any research. I still don’t know who I’m voting for, but seriously, trying looking stuff up people.

  • There seems to be some inconsistency among the anti-Obama writers. If the US is really a Christian country then its citizens have no business pledging obedience to a piece of cloth and all that it reminds us of. A Christian’s ultimate allegience is to God alone, As St Peter puts it”We must obey God, rather than men.” The Stars and Stripes is insignificant when compared to the Cross. Unthinking patriotism can lead to horrors and actions that a more reflective approach would avoid. The US flag has flown over many ungodly events. The words “my country right or wrong” are not in the Bible.

  • You suck.. Obama is a Muslim trying to get inside and destroy us ..You Liberals can kiss my ass !

    Why don’t you go and suck on Rosie O …You stupid liberal Homo bastards !

  • It’s automatic for true Americans to put their hand on their heart. Osama/Obama/Saddam Hussein, are names that bring chills up my spine. Beware of those who have done little for our country. The proof is in the pudding.

    Thus it is that when you Pledge Allegiance to the United States Flag, You:
    *Promise your loyalty to the Flag itself.
    *Promise your loyalty to your own and the other 49 States.
    *Promise your loyalty to the Government that unites us all,
    Recognizing that we are ONE Nation under God,
    That we can not or should not be divided or alone,
    And understanding the right to Liberty and Justice belongs to ALL of us.

  • My God, Michael Savage is right, Liberalism is a mental disorder.
    Don’t we find it interesting that the most watched Cable News is FOX!!!
    That there are virtually NO LIBERAL Talk Radio Hosts!!!
    Could be that no one wants to listien to mindless liberals spew forth all their hate and vulgarity as witnessed in postings on this site.

    God Bless, and hopefully you will come out of the dark and see the light.

  • Obama Bin Laden won’t be patriotic because Jihadists are forbidden by the cult of Islam not to be.

  • I am really shocked at what I am reading. It is considered insignifigant that the man who is running for president…possibly doesn’t pledge his allegiance to our country.

    Internationally, Muslims are at war with Americans, and this man’s background and ties to the Muslim is at best undetermined. In fact his grandfather, father, and stepfather were all Muslims. It is learned that he attended a Muslim school as a child, and that’s not important.

  • I don’t care what anyone says, if you do not have enough sense to salute the U.S. Flag and the National Anthemn, you truely do not have enough sense to be my President! By the way, I’m neither right nor left, I’m firmly in the middle!
    DeLinda Gibbs

  • Dragon Scholar, the last thing the left wants is to “restore some semblance to the Constitution”. Policy after policy demonstrates their desire to destroy the Constitution.

    As for the current topic, I would normally agree that not wearing a lapel pin of the flag or not putting your hand over your heart from time to time says nothing about one’s patriotism. However, when you do it (not wearing the pin) as a statement, I think it says a lot about someone’s ideas about this country. Besides, I would hope that someone that wants to be president would be the most patriotic person around.

  • NOW what do you defenders think?? Obama spent 20 years in a close relationship with an overtly bigoted, America hating pastor who is so paranoid that he actually believes that white men started AIDS to kill off people of color? WHAT?????????? Barack Obama has no business running for president and quite frankly, no business being a senator. I am 50 years old and I’m from Virginia. I saw racism when I was a child. IT IS SO OVER NOW. I live in a neighborhood that’s about 1/3 white, 1/3 Hispanic and 1/3 black and we all get along just fine. In fact, I haven’t known anyone in 30 or 40 years who wishes ill of people of color. It’s OVER FOLKS! Everyone I know wishes for every one of every color to be happy, prosperous, at peace and successful. What reasonable people object to is bad behavior, no matter what color. What people respect is decency, hard work, personal responsibility, kindness and generosity, no matter what color skin the person has. No lapel pin? No hand over the heart? Part of an extremely separatist, bigoted church? No, go, Mr. Obama. Go to the Trinity church website, click on “about us”, and replace the word white for every time it says black. There would be riots in the streets.

  • From Rebecca: “All of you who are saying that the lapel pin and the hand over the heart thing is no big deal must be very young.”

    I’m 53 years old, and I think this panic over Barack’s hands during the anthem to be pure diversionary BS. The politicians I don’t trust (Reagan, GWB) are the ones who wear their patriotism on their sleeve by demanding public displays of loyalty. They’re ALWAYS the ones looting our pockets for their own gain while we have our hand up over our heart.

    Furthermore, racism is NOT over. I see it pretty often, living in a northern city.

  • OK, the “United States Flag Code” does indeed say that we should cover our heart during the playing of the National Anthem. Frankly, I’m surprised at that. I’m now 53 and when I was growing up we were just told to cover our heart during the Pledge of Allegiance. I remember doing that in the first grade (And I never could get “indivisible” right. It was always “invisible” to me. *shrug*). Anyway, nobody mentioned anything about covering our heart for the National Anthem. We always just stood and faced the flag. The only ones covering their hearts at your average baseball game were the ball players. It has now, with the rise of faux patriotism, become more fashionable (along with those yellow ribbons on the back of your SUV).

    Personally, I think it looks silly, but what the heck, if you want to do that knock yourself out. But, before you get all in a huff over others NOT covering their hearts, remember that the Code also includes these rules:

    “The flag should not be displayed on a float in a parade except from a staff, or as provided in subsection (i) of this section.” Oh really? This seems to be broken all the time.

    “The flag should not be draped over the hood, top, sides, or back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a boat. When the flag is displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender.” Hmm…see above.

    “The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery.” Dang, better get rid of that flag shirt.

    “No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform.” Yep, everyone ignores this rule too.

    “when the flag is passing in a parade or in review, all persons present except those in uniform should face the flag and stand at attention with the right hand over the heart.” NOBODY pays any attention to this one.

    “The Secretary of Defense is also authorized and directed to approve a design for a service lapel button, which button may be worn by members of the immediate family of a person serving in the armed forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities in which the Armed Forces of the United States may be engaged.” This one is very loosely followed, obviously. Funny that Obama is criticized for not wearing a flag pin, when he appears to be following the Code on this one.

    Actually, I was just looking back at old photos of past presidents. It looks like the whole flag lapel pin thing didn’t come along until our present President Bush. ‘Nuff said, as far as I’m concerned…

    Interesting too is that the Flag Code didn’t become public law until 1942, when we were in the midst of another horrible war — with fears heightened like they are now (we were sending all people of Japanese descent to live in internment camps, something that must have seemed perfectly sensible at the time). Funny how we managed to survive almost 200 years without these silly rules. Not so funny is how we keep allowing our freedoms to be taken away in the name of patriotism.

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