Love the sinner

Love the Sinner

Every day we are bombarded with displays of the leftist version of love for this country.  It usually starts with some sort of ritual and hollow display of fealty such as “I love my country, but…”  This is often followed by a laundry list of generalized imprecations that become harder to bear with each spittle-flecked word.  This is then followed by a suggestion that we should be more like (insert the European or repressive government of choice here).

If the conversation continues past this point, you will be treated to a fact-free recounting of every failing of the Bush administration.  If at any point you have the temerity to question any of this you will not be met with facts.  No, you will receive the patented ‘Pitying Smile’™ reserved for us poor saps on the right who just don’t know any better.  

I wonder, though, if this is consistent with the Party of Peace’s stated object and goal of tolerance and understanding.

My wife and I recently released an album of patriotic music.  If you’re wondering why we released an album of patriotic music, well, I’m glad I’m pecking away on the old laptop here.

The response has been…illuminating, to say the least.  I will detail the right’s response in another post.  As for the left:  vitriol, scathing, and blasting hatred would maybe begin to suggest the response.  We were accused of being flag-wavers (clearly this is a mighty slam in the liberal lexicon).

The funny part (not actually funny) is that we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this would be the case.  Not a doubt in the world.  Why is that?  Why could we confidently, and correctly I might add, assume that the left’s response to an album of patriotic music would be negative?  We could confidently predict that we would be accused of being jingoists, intolerant and ignorant all because we had the audacity to suggest that…(tympani roll, if you please)…we love America!

Yep, that’s right.  We went on record as loving our country.  What the hell were we thinking?  Clearly this is dangerous talk, not to be bandied about without the greatest care.  I mean, what’s next?  We like Bush?  Oh damn, I did it again.

I might take the left a little more seriously -- I said a little -- if they didn’t seem to default to a position of hating this country and anyone who disagrees with them.

If you are a citizen of a country that is under assault by a primitive religious group that seeks your destruction, that has shown not a whit of concern at beheadings, rape, genocide, religious intolerance, the killing of innocents, honor killings, hiding behind children, fighting from inside holy places, barbaric treatment of women in general, clitorectomies, teaching children to be suicide bombers, killing their own, racism…oh, hell, my hands are getting tired.  And all you have to offer is what? Guantanamo?  Abu Ghraib?  Halliburton?  And I care because why?  If you can’t see a proportional difference between these things I’m gonna’ let you in on a little secret.

You’re NUTS!!!

Okay, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest let’s move along.

See, there’s an old chestnut that goes something like this:  ”love the sinner, hate the sin.”

Here’s the thing -- you assume because I’m a Christian and a conservative that I would hate or be afraid of gay folk.  Not true.  Being a denizen of the big city has allowed me to know just about every flavor of human being there is, even liberals.  Working as a chef I can assure you that there is a rule in this universe that demands all pastry chefs be gay.  I don’t hate them.  I don’t judge them.  I also don’t care for their lifestyle, as is my right.  I also really enjoyed working with most of them.  No, not all.  Who ever really likes everybody?  Come on!

Do you wonder why I reference that old chestnut?  Are you capable of seeing that you have thrown out the baby with the bath water?  Is there a substantive difference between the left hoping we’ll lose the war on terror and Muslims across the world cheering in the streets after 9-11?

If so I cannot see it.

This notion that dissent is more patriotic than support is the lunatic attempting to justify raping and killing by saying he ate too many Twinkies.  You have gone over to the darkside, my friends, and must somehow find your way back.

This may be a difficult process, but I submit it’s do-able.  Let’s start slowly.  Repeat after me.  America has been a force for good in the world.

Were you able to contain your sarcastic snort? Well, that is progress.

Okay, here’s another one.  America is not a fascist country.  The fact that we do not have a drive-through lane at abortion clinics is not a dark night for freedom.

How’d you do?  I know it’s hard, but your doing great.

Okay, now for something a little bit different.  Define the word fascism for me please.  Do you even know what it means?  Let me help.  Extra credit if you can make a sentence that doesn’t include President Bush’s name.

Main Entry: fas·cism
Pronunciation: 'fa-"shi-z&m also 'fa-"si-
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian fascismo, from fascio bundle, fasces, group, from Latin fascis bundle & fasces fasces
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control <early instances of army fascism and brutality -- J. W. Aldridge>
Mirriam-Webster online dictionary

You’re welcome!  Now, please let me know how we are fascists.  Oh, let me guess -- we’re fascists because you didn’t get your way.  Against your sublime will we went to war with a country that did everything in its power to kill you (Afghanistan).  Also ignoring your sage advice, we took out a homicidal maniac and took a chance on something good happening as a result (Iraq).  We didn’t sign the Kyoto treaty, a lame dog of a treaty that has America-bashing written into every nook and cranny.  We have roundly ignored the treacherous U.N. who has become an enemy welcomed onto our soil.  And our European neighbors hate us (here’s a hot tip -- they didn’t like us all that much before).

Guys, please, the tin foil hat’s got to go, and frankly it gives you the ultimate hathead.  Please remember that this country is not all bad.  The very fact that you can dissent means that you don’t live in a fascist country.  The fact that we don’t go willy-nilly into the world knocking over governments we don’t like means things are working.

Yes, on occasion we will have to put on the cockroach killers and plug up some tin horn dictator’s poop shoot with some pointy, leather-toed cowboy boots.  This doesn’t mean democracy doesn’t work.  The object of democracy is not to phase itself out when things get tough.  Sometimes the tree of liberty must be renewed with the blood of patriots.  This is never a fun or desirable thing, but it is a necessary thing.

I’ll say it one more time.  Please, please, please try to regain that love you had for your country that you felt as a child.  That love was a pure and good thing.  You don’t have to hate your country to wish to better her.  You don’t have to hate your country to hope for change.  But I guarantee this much, if you want to fundamentally change this country into a poor man’s Europe or a workers’ paradise, I’ll fight you all the way.