(ThyBlackMan.com) Former U.S. Senator John McCain once said, “I’ve tried to say that I admire and respect Sen. Obama. He has accomplished great things, and he has motivated people, and so on – and he loves his country, just as I do.” In a showcase of American civility, Sen. McCain asked the man who defeated him for the U.S. presidency to deliver one of the eulogies at his funeral. Despite the brutal and bitter rivalry between the two candidates during the 2008 presidential race, Obama agreed to do the eulogy. The two men, one Democrat and one Republican, were true patriots. A patriot loves his country.
A true patriot loves his country when his country doesn’t love them back. When Black soldiers returned home from World War II, they faced widespread discrimination, despite having fought overseas against fascism. Some white communities reacted with hostility towards returning Black soldiers by resorting to violence and intimidation. These soldiers who fought at home and abroad were examples of true patriots. Patriotism is not limited by race, political affiliation, gender or class. American patriotism is diverse. John McCain and Barack Obama showed that American patriotism is a shared purpose among people of diverse backgrounds. People who know when to put aside their personal differences in a time of national unity. As it pertains to our nation, why do people love their country? Having love for your country can result from a variety of reasons for people of different backgrounds.
For many of us, we love our country simply because it’s our home. We love our country because of the individual freedoms and opportunities we have compared to other nations. We love our country because of its diversity even when it is tested. We love our country because of the opportunities for institutions such as families, churches, and businesses to thrive and prosper. We love our country even when our loyalty to it is questioned. Many people still have love for their country despite its government being filled with centuries of imperfections.
This brings us to a critical question. How can a person claim to have love for their country while maintaining hate for their country’s government? In their thoughts and opinions, love of country is not tied to the government. The two are separate. Therefore, they feel justified in claiming to love their country while violently attacking its capitol building. They can love their country while cheering while the government they hate is recklessly being dismembered. Some would call them patriots; Jesus would call them hypocrites to their face. Thank you Rep. Al Green for confronting the biggest hypocrite and false teacher on behalf of those who may be impacted by Medicaid cuts.
The question, “What would Jesus do?” became a central theme during the early 19th century social gospel movement. Largely rooted in Protestant churches, the social gospel emphasized how Jesus’ ethical teachings could address the social problems of poverty and inequality. Jesus criticized religious leaders of his time, Scribes and Pharisees, for their hypocrisy which he described as a mask that hid their true nature. He taught his disciples to be on guard against them. He corrected their misinterpretations, and would often speak with his disciples and the crowds around Him about the dangers of false teachers’ doctrine. Jesus was not afraid to tell people – in the most confrontational way, “You’re wrong.” Jesus compared the Pharisees to whitewashed tombs that appear righteous on the outside, but are full of uncleanness.
“God, family, country” has become a popular phrase used to signify a strong commitment to the three core values of religion, family and patriotism. They are often viewed as the pillars of traditional society, with “God” symbolizing spiritual faith, “family representing the importance of one’s immediate loved ones, and “country” representing loyalty to one’s nation. By binding the three together, it has become a means of self-identity held by many culturally conservatives. Many of them are sincere in holding true to their Christian faith along with the commitment and meaning behind “God, family and country”. But what would Jesus do in regards to those who use the phrase as simply a show to gain approval from others? Many of these modern-day Pharisees and hypocrites occupy seats in Congress, statehouses, and pulpits on Sunday mornings.
During town halls with their constituents, Republican lawmakers are now being publicly confronted by an angry backlash resulting from loss of federal jobs and other cuts undertaken by the Trump administration. The hypocrisy is being exposed and Republican lawmakers are uncomfortable by the anger from their own constituents. The chair of the House GOP’s campaign arm told Republican members to stop holding in-person town halls. Just as they silenced Rep. Al Green, they are now silencing their own supporters. The hypocrisy goes both ways. The hypocritical lawmaker and the hypocritical constituent. Unfortunately, many of the angry constituents would not be angry if they believed people of color were the only ones being hurt.
Written by David W. Marshall
Official website; https://davidwmarshallauthor.com/
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