Karl Rove and Representative Jack Kingston (R-GA) both recently asserted that Obama’s refusal to show patriotism through flag pin adornment is unpatriotic, while not wearing the pin themselves. What they reveal about their ilk is a misunderstanding of patriotism. Flag pins share the same category as magnetic yellow ribbon troop support. This show of support is something nonpermanent, requiring no sacrifice. The flag pins many of our public officials wear allow them to ensconce themselves in the aura of patriotism, the only cost being the pin might disrupt a thread or two in the fabric of one’s suit coat.

I am not religious, but I do believe the Bible sometimes contains good common sense. The 2nd commandment forbids worship of graven images. I view this as a condemnation of worshiping some shiny surrogate for show rather than truly following The Lord. Obama’s pastor’s words generated much discussion about race, and I hope that one enduring legacy of this campaign is an honest dialog being initiated. All the aspersions against Obama/Wright’s patriotism should spur a dialog about the nature of true patriotism. What Jeremiah Wright said was wrong; and, as Obama explained, it comes from the bitterness and anger from his experiences as a black man of a certain age. However, Wright waived student deferment to enlist in the military, just after integration. He served six years, some as a cardiopulmonary technician, caring for President Johnson at one point. The same-aged Dick Cheney, who stated “I had priorities in the 60’s other than military service,” took five deferments. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush both avoided active military service during the Vietnam war using deferments and family connections. Is Wright less patriotic because of his exercise of free speech?

Patriotism is a word that should be indelibly linked with sacrifice. When we read about World War 2, there is always a description of how much civilians were willing to sacrifice. That was patriotism. Where is that today? We are locked in what is described as a supreme struggle for our way of life against the terrorists. Yet, we are rarely asked to sacrifice anything. This is a direct product of the understanding of the nature of patriotism. It has become the public worship of false idols. Such a profound misunderstanding is quite damaging and is easily manipulated, allowing baseless accusations to gain traction.