Well, time for my weekly visit to View from Left of Center - seems there is disharmony there over the remarks of Obama's minister. Here's a few remarks from the Obama defenders:
Hey whats the big problem with "God damn America" anyway? Its free speech and we just have to learn to live with it. He doesn't get the issue is we don't have to elect a President who associates himself with a hater of America.
GD America?
What is it about this phrase that bothers you so?
Do you really believe God will evoke an actual curse against AMERICA just because some preacher said those words?
People say outrageous things all the time and they are within their rights to do so.
Until the day comes when we forcibly repress free speech, I guess we'll just have to learn to live with it.
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And besides "God damn America" isn't even hateful at all. But objecting to "God damn America" - now that is expressing hatred toward the left (interesting when leftists implicitly admit antipathy toward America is part of leftism):
Look, if you want to find reasons to hate the left, you can easily find them. As easily as people can find reasons to hate the right.
Hate is easy. Calling people names it easy.
But I've said GD to my kids, and I love nothing on this Earth so much as my children- not even my own life, so I know that we can be angry and curse that which we love. Maybe you don't know that, but it is so.
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Hey, all families scream GDY and GFY yourself to one another - just normal family values:
Absolutely
heck ya
I have a temper. And they've sworn back at me. I think we've all said a chorus or two of GFY's to each other.
I don't know anyone who hasn't sworn at their kids when they were really really mad. I don't hit my kids, but I've been known to swear. I swear when I drive too- but it's not because I am not patriotic about the other drivers.
Do you have kids?
Of course God damn doesn't mean much to me since I believe in neither God nor damnation- but it's still a very satisfying set of words when you're angry. I actually have a little dance I do with f**ketyf**ketyf**k- when I stub my foot on something. Of course my swearing is nothing like the swearing of the average high school student, but I try to keep current.
siliconinvestor.com
But the most slavish defense of Obama's association with a hater comes from Baker. "God damn America" is just excessive rhetoric, not a statement of hatred.
And I liked the "I got over the need to overreact to rhetorical excess..". Sure now he only overreacts to criticism of leftism.
And we need to respect people who hate our country, that's true patriotism, not "dictatorial patriotism" which apparently is the kind that is actually positive toward America.
how would you characterize "GD America"?
Excessive rhetoric, but I respect anyone's right to say the US has done something awful, because sometimes we do. I got over the need to overreact to rhetorical excesses in college. There are lots of immature voices in politics. I listen to the substance of the message and decide how much merit it may or may not have.
How would you characterize someone making hundreds of K$ per year saying only now have they been proud of their country?
As the absolute right of every American citizen to have their own opinions and have others respect their right to hold them. It's the exact opposite of the kind of dictatorial "patriotism" I was criticizing in our last post.
Where is it written that our citizenship duties include constant approval and pride in everything our governments do?
It isn't. Good thing too, because it's the refuge of demagogues to demand blind cheerleading.
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