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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTaking Back the Word "Patriot" From Those Who Shat on It
Back on June 4--a political lifetime ago--I wrote the following about Donald Trump and what's become of the Republican party:
We should think hard about co-opting a word that has been stolen and besmirched by Republicans. Anyone who stands up to Trump should be called a "Patriot." Hillary Clinton? Patriot. Bernie Sanders? Patriot. Barack Obama. Patriot. Marco Rubio? Traitor. Jake Tapper? Patriot.
This was in response to a thread started about Jake Tapper asking Trump 24 or so times if he was being racist with his pronouncements about the Judge in the Trump University case. Now, Tapper will have to continue to ask the hard questions of Trump and Republicans to keep "patriot" status, but anyone who attacks Trump and his brand of racism, misogyny and bigotry deserves some form of gold star.
For too long that word has been polluted by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.
When I see something like that I want to puke. Then, I think of trying to eat an omelet in the presence of Sean Hannity, and I want to puke again. Republicans have used that word to define bigotry, misogyny, greed, racism, xenophobia, anti-science beliefs, anti-intellectualism, warmongering and unconstitutional actions. Now that boil is coming to a head.
Leave it to President Obama to show us the way. In his just-released endorsement of Secretary Clinton and commendation of Senator Sanders, he used a special word to describe those two:
In the video, President Obama re-purposed the word "patriot" to mean "a person who vigorously supports their country." I think he knew what he was doing:
Great post, Tortmaster!
Democrats need to counterpunch with all we've got now that the Republicans are reeling. They've abuse the English Language for far too long and I'm confident that you're observation about President Obama's use of the word "patriot" is calculated and strategic.
And Sean Hannity's picture makes me want to puke.
Tortmaster
(382 posts)And, yes, it looks like the counterpunching and punching from our crew will be a sight to behold. Cheers, PJMcK!
Panich52
(5,829 posts)Tortmaster
(382 posts)Time to take back our word.
Panich52
(5,829 posts)linuxman
(2,337 posts)Are for or against patriotism this week?
What happened to the "last refuge if scoundrels" bit and all that?
Tortmaster
(382 posts)Are you for vigorously supporting your country or are you keen on bigotry, racism, misogyny, anti-science beliefs, xenophobia, anti-intellectualism and greed? That's part and parcel of taking back our word. I think it's a simple decision. Cheers!
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)Tortmaster
(382 posts)... can distinguish between wanting to put a fist on the face of Sean Hannity and recognizing that his face is a magnet for fists.