----- Original Message ----- From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2002 6:43 PM Subject: Re: "the greatest country in the world" Re: Chomsky News Network
> Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
>
> >Besides, constant boastings that "America is the greatest country in
> >the world" tend to begin to look like a obsessive-compulsive
> >behavior. Far from demonstrating "faith in the country," it rather
> >suggests its opposite: lack of confidence and self confidence, which
> >must be covered up the fetish of patriotism.
>
> Yup. Kinda like family values. If traditional families were so
> unambiguously wonderful, why the round-the-clock advertising program?
>
> Doug
Trying as I sometimes do, to introduce some alien idea into the minds of Rubes, Limbaugh listeners all, I've started drifting to some idea that it's a citizen's responsibility, having had the benefit of growing up in the most powerful and privilaged country in the history of the world, to closely examine and take a stand on issues of importance. That questioning the acts of our leaders is a patriotic duty. That sort of thing. This is partly due to trying to head off the, well, why don't you leave question which makes me wanna slap somebody.