You Might Be a Patriot If . . .

I had this thought earlier this evening, while reading (here on DKos, of course) another of those exchanges between old Boomers who, like me, see Obama's candidacy as both indictment and redemption.  Indictment because, regardless of how understandable it may have been, we are the ones who, following the deaths of our trio of heroes, allowed the dream to die.  

Redemption because, against all reasonable hope, we lived long enough to experience one who has re-ignited our dreams and who has the ability to lead us in carrying the dream forward, maybe even to completion this time.

Redemption is made all the sweeter by the fact that this time my generation is not dreaming alone; this time we are part of a multi-generational mosaic that looks very much like the face of America.

Somehow that all morphed itself, in my overtired mind, into this latest take-off on Jeff Foxworthy's excellent Redneck routine.  Below the fold.

You might be a patriot if . . .

You might be a patriot if . . . you stir the passions of millions, and win their votes, not by making extravagant promises, but by reminding them of the landmark events of our shared history, and helping them understand what those events have meant on our journey to becoming the greatest nation the world has ever known

You might be a patriot if . . . listening to you speak makes OTHER people want to wave American flags

You might be a patriot if . . . the Constitution of the United States is woven into your philosophy on every important political issue we face -- and not just lip service to the Constitution, but a real recognition of how it came into being and what its impact should be in shaping our response to those issues

You might be a patriot if . . . instead of telling us what you will do for us, you tell us it is our job to roll up our sleeves and solve our country's problems

You might be a patriot if . . . while others talk about "running for President," you speak instead of "running for President of the United States of America" -- and the awe and respect in your voice when you say that makes us wonder why anyone ever thought it might be a good idea to just call it "the United States"

You might be a patriot if . . . you are able to convey America's promise in ways that mobilize long-marginalized groups to participate more actively in our national political process than ever before at any time in our history

You might be a patriot if . . . the most-watched video in the world for several days is not a popular song, not a Hollywood clip, but rather . . . a political speech.  A speech that doesn't spin, doesn't rely on soundbites, doesn't smear an opponent, but instead speaks to the American people as adults capable of understanding that on the most uniquely American and most uniquely divisive political issue of our lifetimes, the solution begins with recognizing that in America, all voices must be heard, because each voice contains its own unique truth.

You might be a patriot if . . . you fight tirelessly to eradicate the cancer of "government by lobbyists," and to restore the government of the people, by the people, and for the people

You might be a patriot if . . . unlike the people who sent them to war, you demand, through both speeches and legislation, that we give the members of our armed forces the honor, support and respect to which their sacrifice entitles them -- while they are on active duty, when they have returned home and are trying to rebuild their lives while often coping with physical and mental injuries, and even when they lose their lives serving their country.

And finally, you might be a patriot if . . . because of your impact on them, millions of people -- Boomers and Millennials, male and female, black and white and Latino and Asian, latte-sipping and thermos-toting, Republican and indie and Democrat, rich and poor, idealistic and pragmatic -- millions of people have started believing in America again,  in a way they had never expected to do again.