VPR's Vermont Edition has a great interview with Stephen Kiernan, author of the book Authentic Patriotism: Restoring America's Founding Ideals Through Selfless Action.
On this Independence Day, it's a timely reminder that patriotism is more than superficial, shallow gestures like waving a flag or wearing a lapel pin or mouthing words. Patriotism means love of country. And true love doesn't mean just saying things, it means doing things.
We Americans have a tendency to think patriotism can only be expressed by joining the armed forces or revering those who do. In fact, any one who acts, in ways big or small, to make their country and community better is a patriot.
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
On the nature of service to others
NCPR's Brian Mann wrote an interesting essay on Why Memorial Day Matters.
I could go on about how activities like Memorial Day are exploited to chill dissent and stifle real debate on when soldiers should be forced to risk their lives. But that's for another time. Memorial Day is a holiday that has become important to me. I am not entirely sure why but I think it's related to the notion of service to something greater than oneself. I also think it's related to my horror at the actual effects of war.
Yet, I think one of paradoxical effects of the us constantly honoring our soldiers is that it (inadvertently, I hope but am not sure) leaves the impression that the only way you can render service to your country is to join an institution whose primary means of problem-solving is violence.
The use of force for true self-defense is legitimate. And I believe it is right to honor the sacrifices ordinary soldiers made, since the controversial stuff is nearly always done by the politicians.
One thing for which I am grateful to my father (an Air Force veteran) is the way in which he stressed to me the importance of service to others. He did not view service as something strictly limited to joining the military, something he never once encouraged or discouraged me from doing. He once expressed envy at my choice to serve in West Africa in the Peace Corps. He had a very broad view of service and I am thankful he shared that.
As such, I wished we lived in a society that place more value on serving your country and community in ways that build and help other Americans. We honor soldiers constantly. But do we honor teachers? Do we honor firefighters, who also risk their lives? Do we honor the truly heroic work of humanitarian aid workers? Do we honor volunteers who read to the sick or feed the homeless or visit the elderly, tasks perhaps more modest but an integral part of our greater humanity? Why don't we do more to honor that service which gives aid and comfort to human beings in our communities? Is it possible to wish we valued other forms of service without devaluing the very real service of soldiers? Is service to humanity really any less important than service to America? If not, why do we treat it as such?
I could go on about how activities like Memorial Day are exploited to chill dissent and stifle real debate on when soldiers should be forced to risk their lives. But that's for another time. Memorial Day is a holiday that has become important to me. I am not entirely sure why but I think it's related to the notion of service to something greater than oneself. I also think it's related to my horror at the actual effects of war.
Yet, I think one of paradoxical effects of the us constantly honoring our soldiers is that it (inadvertently, I hope but am not sure) leaves the impression that the only way you can render service to your country is to join an institution whose primary means of problem-solving is violence.
The use of force for true self-defense is legitimate. And I believe it is right to honor the sacrifices ordinary soldiers made, since the controversial stuff is nearly always done by the politicians.
One thing for which I am grateful to my father (an Air Force veteran) is the way in which he stressed to me the importance of service to others. He did not view service as something strictly limited to joining the military, something he never once encouraged or discouraged me from doing. He once expressed envy at my choice to serve in West Africa in the Peace Corps. He had a very broad view of service and I am thankful he shared that.
As such, I wished we lived in a society that place more value on serving your country and community in ways that build and help other Americans. We honor soldiers constantly. But do we honor teachers? Do we honor firefighters, who also risk their lives? Do we honor the truly heroic work of humanitarian aid workers? Do we honor volunteers who read to the sick or feed the homeless or visit the elderly, tasks perhaps more modest but an integral part of our greater humanity? Why don't we do more to honor that service which gives aid and comfort to human beings in our communities? Is it possible to wish we valued other forms of service without devaluing the very real service of soldiers? Is service to humanity really any less important than service to America? If not, why do we treat it as such?
Monday, September 08, 2008
Convention of whores
I listened to a little of St. John McCain's speech at the Republican National Convention until my blood started boiling. After watching his and other speeches from Minnesota, I came to a conclusion. My dad is a better man than St. John. So is my brother.
The convention ramped up the party's recent tradition of canonizing soldiers... provided that they are or support Republicans. Democratic candidates have always been exempt from this canonization, even if they were wounded in service. Just ask John Kerry or Max Cleland.
I heard Mike Huckabee do this. I heard 9/11 Giuliani do this. I heard former mayor Palin do this. It was non-stop.
I get sick and tired of this crap. I get sick and tired of watching a bunch of ambitious, self-interested political whores having the audacity to lecture Americans on selfless service.
IT'S NOT SELFLESS IF YOU REGULARLY EXPLOIT SOMETHING FOR PERSONAL POLITICAL GAIN!
And that's why I'd never in a million years vote for St. John, even if he weren't the most militaristic major party candidate for president in decades.
My brother and father both served in the military. So did my late grandfather. My father and grandfather both chose to enlist during wartime. My brother tried to re-enlist during wartime.
One of the big differences between my family members and St. John is that my family members aren't constantly about their military service, nor did they ever get others to brag on their behalf. They are bringing it up all the time to show how much better and more patriotic they are than everyone else. They have more decency and honor than that.
The reason for this is that, whatever their various reasons for joining, they believe the point of any kind of service is to serve. A good deed is its own reward. My dad has run for public office twice and I don't recall him ever mentioning his veteran status. Maybe it might've helped him gain a few votes. But he was better than that.
St. John isn't. It doesn't bother me that he spoke of his military service and prisoner of war time. I'm sure it was a very important in shaping the person he became. But the amount of time that he and his minions in Minnesota spent shoving his 'selfless' service down our throats was repulsive. According to one analysis, St. John invoked his being a former prisoner of war in 43 sentences of his convention speech. He spoke of his quarter century-long record as a Washington politician in only 8 sentences.
That's whoring out your service for votes.
That's electoral pandering first, not country first.
That's not honor.
My family members occasionally tell stories about their time in the armed forces but it's always been in a reminiscent way and not in a superiority complex way. They never acted like they were better than me because they served in the military and I didn't. I remember my dad saying he envied me because I had the opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps.
Probably the most important difference, and this is what I loathe about the mentality that St. John panders to, is that my family has always valued ALL kinds of public service. They respected my service in the Peace Corps or my sister's service as a teacher and crisis counselor just as they respected my brother's service in the Marines. They respected my service in Big Brothers/Big Sisters just as they respected my brother's service in the Boy Scouts. My mom was a social worker. My dad taught church school. We've given back to our communities and country in many ways, none of which were trivialized.
And ultimately, this is what I resent most about this mentality. There are many ways to serve this country. That includes military service, but St. John and the militarism he represents prop up the idea being a soldier, sailor, airman or marine is the ONLY way to serve your country.
I know this is politically incorrect but soldiers do not have a monopoly on service nor on honor. It's very dangerous when we present soldiering as the only way to contribute to this country. It devalues other, equally crucial, kinds of service.
There are many other ways to make important contributions to this nation. Be a teacher. Be a volunteer firefighter or EMT. These people are the backbones of small towns across this country, both in self-sainted Middle America and the apparent fake Americas on the coasts.
Be a Big Brother or Sister. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Join a literacy program. If you belong to a church, they probably offer social service programs that you could help out with.
Laud those who serve.
Laud ALL those who serve. But don't leave the improvement of this country to other people. If it's so important, so noble, so worthy, be a part of it yourself.
And if you do so, have the decency and honor to not whore out your service to advance your political career. To do otherwise dishonors that very service.
The convention ramped up the party's recent tradition of canonizing soldiers... provided that they are or support Republicans. Democratic candidates have always been exempt from this canonization, even if they were wounded in service. Just ask John Kerry or Max Cleland.
I heard Mike Huckabee do this. I heard 9/11 Giuliani do this. I heard former mayor Palin do this. It was non-stop.
I get sick and tired of this crap. I get sick and tired of watching a bunch of ambitious, self-interested political whores having the audacity to lecture Americans on selfless service.
IT'S NOT SELFLESS IF YOU REGULARLY EXPLOIT SOMETHING FOR PERSONAL POLITICAL GAIN!
And that's why I'd never in a million years vote for St. John, even if he weren't the most militaristic major party candidate for president in decades.
My brother and father both served in the military. So did my late grandfather. My father and grandfather both chose to enlist during wartime. My brother tried to re-enlist during wartime.
One of the big differences between my family members and St. John is that my family members aren't constantly about their military service, nor did they ever get others to brag on their behalf. They are bringing it up all the time to show how much better and more patriotic they are than everyone else. They have more decency and honor than that.
The reason for this is that, whatever their various reasons for joining, they believe the point of any kind of service is to serve. A good deed is its own reward. My dad has run for public office twice and I don't recall him ever mentioning his veteran status. Maybe it might've helped him gain a few votes. But he was better than that.
St. John isn't. It doesn't bother me that he spoke of his military service and prisoner of war time. I'm sure it was a very important in shaping the person he became. But the amount of time that he and his minions in Minnesota spent shoving his 'selfless' service down our throats was repulsive. According to one analysis, St. John invoked his being a former prisoner of war in 43 sentences of his convention speech. He spoke of his quarter century-long record as a Washington politician in only 8 sentences.
That's whoring out your service for votes.
That's electoral pandering first, not country first.
That's not honor.
My family members occasionally tell stories about their time in the armed forces but it's always been in a reminiscent way and not in a superiority complex way. They never acted like they were better than me because they served in the military and I didn't. I remember my dad saying he envied me because I had the opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps.
Probably the most important difference, and this is what I loathe about the mentality that St. John panders to, is that my family has always valued ALL kinds of public service. They respected my service in the Peace Corps or my sister's service as a teacher and crisis counselor just as they respected my brother's service in the Marines. They respected my service in Big Brothers/Big Sisters just as they respected my brother's service in the Boy Scouts. My mom was a social worker. My dad taught church school. We've given back to our communities and country in many ways, none of which were trivialized.
And ultimately, this is what I resent most about this mentality. There are many ways to serve this country. That includes military service, but St. John and the militarism he represents prop up the idea being a soldier, sailor, airman or marine is the ONLY way to serve your country.
I know this is politically incorrect but soldiers do not have a monopoly on service nor on honor. It's very dangerous when we present soldiering as the only way to contribute to this country. It devalues other, equally crucial, kinds of service.
There are many other ways to make important contributions to this nation. Be a teacher. Be a volunteer firefighter or EMT. These people are the backbones of small towns across this country, both in self-sainted Middle America and the apparent fake Americas on the coasts.
Be a Big Brother or Sister. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Join a literacy program. If you belong to a church, they probably offer social service programs that you could help out with.
Laud those who serve.
Laud ALL those who serve. But don't leave the improvement of this country to other people. If it's so important, so noble, so worthy, be a part of it yourself.
And if you do so, have the decency and honor to not whore out your service to advance your political career. To do otherwise dishonors that very service.
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