Friday, February 19, 2010

Appreciating America
  The Republic piece by Ari Kaufman

Yesterday, two husky South African men “on holiday” here in the snowy Midwest, visited my place of work. Like many international observers, they marveled at the monuments and military tributes “we in America” have. They indicated the 19 hour flight from Johannesburg is “always well worth it” because they “love America” and are “here as often as possible.“ The gentlemen, donning matching Eddie Bauer jackets, also mentioned they visited New York City’s Ground Zero last year and described the experience as “unlike anything” they’ve ever done.

Now, I am certainly not writing this essay to rave about how “unappreciative” or “uncultured” we Americans are. Leave that to others, who do it daily. The facts actually are that thanks to our immense wealth, no group is more cultured, appreciative, or well-traveled than Americans, despite what the media infers about “sophisticated” Europeans. Try leaving the main Euro cities and see if any of those in the hinterlands have left their village, much less their nation or continent, in their lifetimes. I have. They have not.

Now, what is it that these educated South Africans loved? After all, we’re told every night by MSNBC that the “world hates us”—or at least they did before The Messiah became president. (Newsflash: the same folks who do, still do, and who didn’t, still don’t—95% would move here if they could)

I think these foreigners, though some may be reticent to admit, like the patriotism and optimism of the American spirit. But most elites in our country won’t say that.

In the Olympics we cannot ‘support our troops’, and the ‘rest of the world’ mocks us (see the ungrateful, hate-filled comments) as they don’t understand history or America. These nations shun patriotism of any kind, and they only show love for their own nations while waving flags at soccer matches or, occasionally, the Olympics. Never for important reasons like strength, victory, humility or benevolence.

And these wrong-headed and often dangerous views are enforced by our own duplicitous NBC broadcasters—Al Michaels is the exception—especially during the Opening Ceremonies of Feb. 12.

The dripping condescension on display during those infamous and annoying ceremonies from Bob Costas and naive moral relativism from Matt Lauer (multi-millionaires who never finished college, yet have benefited from America more than any), do not help people realize the greatness of America. Nor does the same ignorant attitude from most other media commenting on these games (Letterman, Stewart, Maher, Colbert, et al), along with Google, newspapers, and of course, academia.

In a recent telecast, Tom Brokaw, who, like the deplorable Dan Rather, finally retired a few years back, yet keeps reappearing (recall his hideous monitoring of the 2008 presidential debate) took 15 minutes to share his monologue that accompanied a video basically showing Canada to be the greatest nation on earth; one which apparently the USA would not exist without. I assume it’ll be available on Canada’s tourism site soon, but it did mention their once-proud military in the first two World Wars, so it may be too offensive for sensible Canadians. After all, as I am told, “Canadians are peaceful people.“ Yeah, and so are hippies in Vancouver, radical Muslims in Toronto and atheists in Montreal.

So these charlatans—and yes, the vast preponderance of those are on the left—act a fool with their rhetoric, yet they all somehow live and thrive here. They talk of moving to Canada when elections don’t go their way, but never do. Never. They spend infinitely more time and money exploring Europe (where anti-Semitism, socialism and Islamo-appeasing are daily efforts) than the USA (I have friends with 20 plus “Euro runs” but have not been to even ten American states yet), but live here and prosper—while castigating those here keeping them safe.

And no, they’ve never explored Ground Zero, much less the dozens of Civil War battlefields—which, for any American who values “social history” as so many on the left claim they do (in lieu of military history), are must-sees. These sheltered bigots—and yes, that is actually what most secular folks in major metro areas are— do not enjoy driving through America,“ as they might meet The Other: tea party types, Christians, rural blacks, etc.

Therefore, it is indeed ironic that the people who take or earn the most, often appreciate this fine nation the least; while those who take the least, regularly appreciate these United States the most, be it via military support, displays of pride, charity and so much more.

Ari Kaufman

References:

http://blogs.reuters.com/olympics/2010/02/16/support-our-troops-slogan-falls-foul-of-olympic-rules/
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/02/18/ntsb-plane-crash-into-austin-office-building-may-have-been-intentional/
http://townhall.com/columnists/JohnStossel/2006/12/06/who_gives_to_charity

Posted by Ari Kaufman on 2/19/10

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