My Country, ’tis of thee
Sweet Land of Liberty,
Of Thee I sing…
and so begins a famous song that oft echoes through the halls and corridors of our homes, schools and businesses during our times of national holiday.
It’s a crock under the Bush Administration and the Republican Congressional majority, but it can be our song — the song of citizens, the sentiment of all those who value freedom — once again. Below the fold is a special reprint (with permission) of a document assembled by a band of anonymous US Citizens and published widely, simultaneously, on 4 July 2005. Please feel free to share it in the upcoming weeks, particularly on the anniversary of our Constitution.
It’s time we reminded people of this nation — particularly those who think they are leading it — just what “patriotism” really means in America. In spirit keeping with that sentiment, the only adjustment I’ve made to the original text is the link to searches on DailyKos regarding the highlighted topics.
We, the People of the United States of America, finding ourselves repeatedly misled by those charged with the care and governance of our nation, know that partisan politics have resulted in a serious breach of the public trust.
We have suffered attacks against our Constitutional rights and the founding tenets of this Democratic Republic.
We have suffered the infringement of our freedoms.
We have suffered insult to our honor and integrity as proud citizens.
We will no longer suffer in silence this continued assault that has now passed beyond intolerable.
We do hereby now and forever reject the bastardization of this nation’s core principles through this proclamation, and define this reminder to our wayward leaders just what it takes to be a True US Patriot:
1 A True US Patriot
realizes if the rights of one are violated, the rights of all are at risk, and objects to any attempt to alter the Constitution in order to specifically undermine the rights and freedoms of others, ensuring that the Constitution will never be amended to endorse discrimination of any kind.
2 A True US Patriot
holds the founding principles of the Declaration of Independence to be self-evident, and defends the Constitutional rights of others even when those rights conflict with personal and religious beliefs; believing that all men are created equal, even in times of war, the basic principles of humanity apply not only to one group of people or nation, but to all.
3 A True US Patriot
supports the checks and balances within the three branches of government and rejects any attempts to circumvent or undermine them.
4 A True US Patriot
exercises the right to openly challenge and hold accountable at all times, even and most particularly in times of war, those who do not honor their oaths of office, who purposely mislead the nation, who abdicate responsibility when those in their employ are caught engaging in criminal and unethical activities, and who fail to serve the nation with integrity.
5 A True US Patriot
recognizes the contributions of the older generation and values the potential of the next, and that in order to promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves, our elders, and our Posterity, we must ensure that the basic rights of those we hold dear to access quality healthcare and education is steadfastly supported, uncompromisingly and without discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender, or orientation.
6 A True US Patriot
believes that human rights are inherent to the human condition and should not be given to non-living entities; the rights of corporations should not equal or exceed the rights of any individual, and the right to fair and equal trade as well as fair and equal pay are a vital part of those expectations.
7 A True US Patriot
recalls that our citizens consist of the tired and the poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the `wretched refuse’, and homeless, tempest-tossed people, and welcomes fair and balanced immigration with managed borders to ensure an open policy while maintaining and increasing security for both those who would call this land their home as well as those who already dwell within.
8 A True US Patriot
respects the personal religious choices of others, refrains from imposing their own beliefs upon others, refuses to support war in the name of religion, and offers foreign humanitarian aid unconditionally without tying it to religious dogma.
9 A True US Patriot
knows that due process of law and the protections against illegal search and seizure are core principles upon which our nation is founded, and the respect of an individual’s right to privacy and security within their own home is critical to the preservation of our freedom.
10 A True US Patriot
respects the diversity and culture of all nations, recognizing that our continued success lay not in spite of other nations but in alliance with them in a uniform approach toward promoting the global general welfare.
These ten basic tenets characterizing A True US Patriot can perhaps best be summed up in the words of Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune, paraphrased below:
A True US Patriot loves what his country stands for, not necessarily what his country does, and will not shrink from holding America to her ideals[1].
[1] Eric Zorn, The Chicago Tribune, “Durbin should have stood up for his opinion”, June 23, 2005.
This document may be distributed freely and without reservation to anyone and everyone that may find the words within it encouraging.
Please feel free to read the other essays at the site. The team is planning to coordinate an action on September 17th to coordinate the anniversary of the Constitution. Stay tuned.
Crossposted at DailyKos ePluribus Media and StreetProphets.