Dear All:

         Sorry to be contentious, BUT I think that despite the sorrow and
disbelief that arise from the Sept 11 tragedy these kind of statements are
completely counter-productive.  1st everybody who is even partially
educated should know that "America Love it or leave it" is a classic
example of a false dichotomy a very common logical fallacy.  Imagine your
history if, like the United Empire Loyalists during and after the
Revolutionary War, every resident only had the two choices of loving what
this country was or leaving it.  Hell the Vietnam war could have gone on
forever.  Civilized dissent and the resulting government policies are what
make this country great--nothing else.  We must always have the right to
express our opinions.  However, this right is a personal one -- it does not
mean that our personal opinions will become public policy.  Renee and Barry
forgot to point out that the Constitution mandates the separation of Church
and State.  Furthermore I would argue that the freedom to do things (a
personal right) must be balanced by the freedom from certain things being
societally imposed (public responsibility).  I'm not really up on American
history, but it seems to me that I remember reading that the phrase "In God
we trust" is really an aberration decided on during the dominance of the
Eisenhower years.  What I am saying is that the freedom to pursue one's own
version of religion must be balanced by the freedom from the imposition of
the majority culture's religion in public places.  People have to go to
schools, unemployment offices, courthouses.  We should respect their rights
by not pushing their faces in our religion.  If you don't think this is
pushy think about living in a country where you are Christian and every
public place contains the phrase "There is no god but Allah".  So the piece
by Loudermilk is both illogical and contradicts basic tenets of the
Constitution.  The Constitution really exists to prevent a "tryanny of the
majority" as de Toqueville pointed out sometime in the 1700's I think.  The
majority should rule but not be tryannical.  Furthermore there is nothing
so offensive and dangerous as an unthinking, blind patriotism.  "My country
right or wrong" is a certain prescription for disaster.  Don't let your
sorrow and anger lead you into writing a blank check for people like Bill
Bennett and George W.  Finally the tone or voice I hear is offensive,
confrontational.  It is deliberately, I think offensive, stating that if
you don't love what America is doing or "its Christian God" get the hell
out.  The civilized dissenters who peaceably and politely try to bring some
logic and pragmatic issues to the table, especially in times of crisis, are
the ones who will keep this country great.  If all those people leave then
they will simply make other countries great.  Power, righteous anger, and
money don't make a country great.  As we have seen it is always the people
who make a country great.

Dr. David Lambkin
Theatre & Speech

P.S.  I'm the speech part.  It is my business to examine political
discourse and its effects.  Believe it or not I would define Loudermilk's
piece as a really crude and at least potentially effective piece of
political rhetoric.




At 11:49 AM 10/17/01 -0400, Renee Sims wrote:
>This was sent to me by someone, and I thought many of you would like to
>read it too.  If it offends anyone, then . . . SORRY! (NOT)
>
> Subject: America Love it or Leave it
>>
>>
>> > >Broken Arrow, Oklahoma School officials remove "God Bless America"
>> > >signs
>> > >from
>> > >schools in fear that someone might be offended.
>> > >
>> > >Channel 12 News in Long Island, New York, orders flags removed from the
>> >
>> > >newsroom and red, white, and blue ribbons removed from the lapels of
>> > >reporters. Why? Management did not want to appear biased and felt that
>> > >our nations flag might give the appearance that "they lean one way or
>> > >another".
>> > >
>> > >Berkeley, California bans U. S. Flags from being displayed on city fire
>> >
>> > >trucks because they didn't want to offend anyone in the community.
>> > >
>> > >In an "act of tolerance" the head of the public library at Florida Gulf
>> >
>> > >Coast
>> > >University ordered all "Proud to be an American" signs removed so as to
>> > not
>> > >offend international students.
>> > >
>> > >I, for one, am quite disturbed by these actions of so-called American
>> > >citizens; and I am tired of this nation worrying about whether or not
>> > >we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist
>> > >attacks on September 11, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by
>> > >the majority of Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had
>> > >barely settled in New York
>> > >and Washington D. C. when the "politically correct" crowd began
>> > complaining
>> > >about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am
>> > not
>> > >against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is
>> > seeking a
>> > >better life by coming to America. In fact, our country's population is
>> > >almost
>> > >entirely comprised of descendants of immigrants; however, there are a
>> > few
>> > >things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently
>> >
>> > >some
>> > >native Americans, need to understand. First of all, it is not our
>> > >responsibility to continually try not to offend you in any way. This
>> > idea
>> > >of
>> > >America being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our
>> > >sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own
>> > >culture,
>> > >our own society, our own language, and our own lifestyle. This culture,
>> >
>> > >called the "American Way" has been developed over centuries of
>> > struggles,
>> > >trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought
>> > freedom.
>> > >Our forefathers fought, bled, and died at places such as Bunker Hill,
>> > >Antietam, San Juan, Iwo Jima, Normandy, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian
>> >
>> > >Gulf,
>> > >for our way of life. We speak English, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese,
>> > >Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to
>> > become
>> > >part of our society - learn our language! "In God We Trust" is our
>> > national
>> > >motto. This is not some off-the-wall, Christian, Right Wing, political
>> > >slogan
>> > >- it is our national motto. It is engraved in stone in the House of
>> > >Representatives in our Capitol and it is printed on our currency.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian
>> > >principles, founded this nation; and this is clearly documented
>> > >throughout our history. If it is appropriate for our motto to be
>> > >inscribed in the halls of our highest level of Government, then it is
>> > >certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. God is
>> >
>> > >in our pledge, our National Anthem, nearly every patriotic song, and in
>> >
>> > >our founding documents. We honor
>> > >His birth, death, and resurrection as holidays, and we turn to Him in
>> > >prayer
>> > >in times of crisis. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider
>> > another
>> > >part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture
>> > and
>> > >we
>> > >are proud to have Him. We are proud of our heritage and those who have
>> > so
>> > >honorably defended our freedoms. We celebrate Independence Day,
>> > Memorial
>> > >Day,
>> > >Veterans Day, and Flag Day.
>> > >
>> > >We have parades, picnics, and barbecues where we proudly wave our flag.
>> >
>> > >As
>> > >an
>> > >American, I have the right to wave my flag, sing my national anthem,
>> > quote
>> > >my
>> > >national motto, and cite my pledge whenever and wherever I choose. If
>> > the
>> > >Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you
>> > should
>> > >seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. The American
>> > >culture is our way of life, our heritage, and we are proud of it. We
>> > are
>> > >happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really
>> > don't
>> > >care
>> > >how you did things where you came from. We are Americans, like it or
>> > not,
>> > >this is our country, our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment
>> > gives
>> > >every citizen the right to express his opinion about our government,
>> > >culture,
>> > >or society, and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once
>> > you
>> > >are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge,
>> > our
>> > >national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you take
>> > advantage
>> > >of
>> > >one other great American freedom, the right to leave. Barry Loudermilk
>> >
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>
>Renee Sims
>Administrative Assistant
>Student Health Service
>University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
>615 McCallie Avenue
>Chattanooga, TN 37403
>(423)755-4453
>(423)785-2266 fax
>[log in to unmask]
>