Monday, November 7, 2022
Partly cloudy. Record high temperatures. High 75 degrees.
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“Patriotism”
By Carol Tannenhauser
I became a Democrat in 1952 when Adlai Stevenson ran against Dwight Eisenhower, also known as Ike, in that year’s presidential election. I liked the slogan “All the way with Adlai” better than “I like Ike.” I was four. But the truth is, I became a Democrat because my parents and theirs before them were Democrats. It felt as foreordained and ingrained as our religion. I think of Liz Cheney, whose father is as Republican as it gets, out stumping for Democratic candidates. The daughter has transcended party; patriotism is paramount.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
American children have recited the pledge of allegiance since 1892, though it was originally written:
“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.”
Ike added God in 1954, at the height of the McCarthy era, and in the heyday of the culture of the fifties, when patriotism prevailed.
I came of age in the counterculture of the sixties. I lost my patriotism — which I define simply as pride in country — along the way. Was it when JFK was assassinated? Or Martin Luther King? Or Bobby Kennedy? Was it the Vietnam War, or the National Guardsmen who killed four students at Kent State? The Bill Clinton scandal? We each have our own disillusionments.
Now, when the country is at one of its lowest points in history, my patriotism has unexpectedly reemerged. I felt a tinge of it when I voted early last week — a tingle in my chest when I fed my ballot into the machine. It was enhanced by the lovely people who assisted me, so kind and dedicated to their jobs. “You want a sticker?” one asked, when I finished. “You bet I do!” I said, sounding four years old again.
I am terrified, but also hopeful. America has never achieved its potential, far from it, as many are quick to point out. It’s always been an ideal. I pledge allegiance to the Republic for which it stands.
* * *
Find your polling place here. And if you haven’t voted yet, here’s some useful information about some of the items on your ballot:
The New York Times had a piece on Saturday comparing the positions of Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Lee Zeldin on six issues: Public Safety; The Economy & Inflation; Abortion Rights; Transportation; Environment; and Education.
Here’s what THE CITY had to say about the four ballot proposals.
Well said! I hope people really understand the propositions. As well meaning as they are, a few mean the creation of new departments and committees staffed by many which will cost tax payers a great deal of money and times are about to get very lean.
Democrats have done quite a number on New York. Crime, industry fleeing upstate NY. Coumo was a disaster. How many people died in nursing homes due to his arrogance and incompetent? One party control is a disaster.
Who wants a state government overrun by fascists, insurrectionists, and evangelical hard-right nutjobs intent on subjugating women to a future of forced birth?
“One party control is a disaster. That’s why I support Republicans, who are openly campaigning to overrule elections and end democracy, ensuring one party control forever.”
Interesting.
Can you imagine if a republican had been at the helm when covid first hit in NYC? When hospitals were overwhelmed?
If anything like other states, I’d imagine they’d do very little.
We should get a De Santis.
He’s so good that Florida has now passed NY in its Covid death rate, Florida has a murder rate that’s 66% higher than New York, and Florida’s road safety record is over twice as bad as ours.
For some reason Rupert Murdoch doesn’t let his outlets disclose this.
Yes, maybe the worst political system is the one we have – except for all the others that have ever been tried, at least, since what, the age of agriculture?
Sadly, the Republicans are not what they were when I became a Republican decades ago.
I remember when “under God’ was added. I was 8. My parents (he was a Unitarian minister) objected strongly. I have never said those two words.
It used to be one nation indivisible, and then we literally divided it with God. It’s almost poetic in its absurdity.
So an article titled Patriotism, while heavily suggestive / leaning / implying of a pro-Democrat vote, is supposed to do what? Equate patriotism with the right kind of vote tomorrow (or else be “terrified” – of what exactly?)?
No, thanks. Along with election denial, a one-party system, especially one relying on / drawing its credibility these days from loud far-left radicals, is a terrible threat to American Democracy.
It’s today’s Republicans all over the country who are trying to make themselves in charge of what effectively will be a one-party system. Many of them even refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of an election won by any Democrat.
I can feel your pain about someone “trying” to “effectively” create a one-party system “all over the country” – something that, in fact, unequivocally, exists, today, in our very own State.
Largely, yes–because the state doesn’t have a lot of use for insurrectionists, bigots, and utter incompetents. It’s hardly the Democrats’ fault that the Republicans decided in the last few years that the only way to win was to be as cruel as possible to whoever they could reach. The electorate’s deciding your candidates suck is quite different from election denialism, violent assaults on the process, and voter suppression and intimidation. Or do you think we should have affirmative action to put some Republicans in, no matter how vile and bumbling their leaders get?
Negative.
WSR won’t let me post that I agree with you.
Um…we can see this comment, so your paranoia was unfounded
It’s sad that this was your takeaway.
Moderate Dem who voted for Hochul and despises Zeldin: that NYT article did her no favors. She has been trying really hard to show she is tough on crime yet it makes her sound very wishy-washy. Congestion pricing is not popular. Climate is critical but is not a litmus test issue for most of the voters who are currently undecided.
Also, why is Bragg referred to as the first Black DA? How is his race relevant?
Hochul has let Zeldin completely control the narrative. This race should not even by close. Her polling team and campaign leadership has not focused on what voters, especially swing voters, truly care about and what they respond to.
I always feel a little burst of civic pride when I vote, too. The homely, familiar setting of schools and libraries and community centers transformed into the place where we help choose our future. And all the volunteers, doing their part.
Election denialism is a bipartisan effort. Please watch this video :
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uoMfIkz7v6s
Ha ha ha so true!
Oh brother, this certainly looks authoritative and credible — a video from a random YouTuber.
Show me the video where Democrats are raiding and ransacking the Capitol, then we can talk about “bipartisan.”
Why it is not credible? Hillary Clinton never said “illegitimate president”?
It is credible. These are the snippets of the actual videos. Not everything needs to be approved by CNN to be credible.
Sadly, Manhattan public schools neither display the flags in school nor recite the pledge. In this new woke world they don’t want to offend the few.
I’m not surprised but also not sad the Pledge is not said in schools. The school days keep getting crammed with more non-academic requirements (like all those lockdown drills!). Also the Pledge is not relevant or applicable to a to a large part of the NYC population. 36% of NYC is foreign born and 13% of NYC public school students are English Language Learners. It is not appropriate to force (whether through reality or peer pressure) people especially non US citizens to pledge allegiance to America.
I don’t really care about the pledge, but seems strange to say kids shouldn’t say the pledge because their parents are not US-born.
For generations, large proportions of NY schoolkids have had parents who weren’t born in the US.
Terrific piece. Thank you.
I still have my Stevenson pin, the shoe with the hole in it. I was a little older than you, but not much. More terrified than hopeful.
Very well said and easy to relate to as my history and present is similar to yours. I am terrified for tomorrow as I think fascism is definitely on the rise here but here’s hoping 🤞🤞🤞
I loved reading this article…. Thanks Carol!
Thank you for this article, Carol.
Democrats losing their patriotism is why they’re so unpopular across the nation with people who haven’t. The latest bit, saying that the United States was founded in order to perpetuate slavery, cements that.
Democrats think people can handle being taught about mistakes we’ve made in our past and still love our country. Republicans tried to overthrow the government because they didn’t like the way an election went. Which party is more patriotic again?
Democracy is NOT on the ballot. Democracy IS the ballot.
Democracy is ON the ballot when fully 1/2 of the candidates are running with the implicit promise that a vote for them now will result in an undemocratic (small d) future.
I was glad to see someone handing out Danzilo campaign material at the required distance from my polling place.
Vote!
Yes, vote!
I was at the polling site this morning. No lines no people.