A few highlights:

“No philosophy or political party has a monopoly on patriotism.”

“What makes America great has never been its perfection, but the belief that it can be made better…. [W]e can be governed by laws, not men, …we could be equal in the eyes of those laws; …we could be free to say what we want and assemble with whomever we want, and worship as we please; … we could have the right to pursue our individual dreams, with the obligation to help our fellow citizens pursue theirs.”

“Patriotism is always more than just loyalty to a place on a map, or a certain kind of people…. It’s also loyalty to America’s ideals…. It is the application of these ideals that separates us from… Zimbabwe… Burma…. or Iraq….”

“Patriotism can never be defined as loyalty to any particular leader, or government, or policy. As Mark Twain… once wrote, ‘patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.’ That’s what patriotism is. That’s what patriotism is.”

“When our laws, when our leaders, or our government are out of alignment with those ideals, then the dissent of ordinary Americans may prove to be one of the truest expressions of patriotism.”

“Recognizing a wrong being committed in this country’s name, insisting that we deliver on the promise of our Constitution, these are the acts of patriots, men and women who are defending what is best in America, and we should never forget that, especially when we disagree with them, especially when they make us uncomfortable with their words. That’s part of the American tradition. That’s part of why we are proud to be Americans.”

“It is our responsibility as Americans and as parents to instill that history in our children, both at home and at school. The loss of quality civic education from so many of our classrooms has left too many Americans without the most basic knowledge of who our forefathers are or what they did, or the significance of the founding documents that bear their names. Too many children are ignorant of the sheer effort, the risks and sacrifices made by previous generations to ensure that this country survived war and depression through the great struggles of civil and social, and workers’ rights. it is up to us then, too teach them. It is up to us to teach them that even though we have faced great challenges and made our share of mistakes, we have always been able to come together to make this country stronger, and more prosperous, and more united, and more just. And sometimes to teach them that America has been a force for good in the world, and that other nations and other peoples have looked to us as the last best hope on earth.”

That’s what patriotism is. That’s what patriotism is.

Happy Independence Day, everyone.

BB,

Vivienne

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Tags: Current Events, Politics, Religion, Vivienne D'Avalon by Vivienne D'Avalon
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Two days ago, on Tuesday, March 5, 2008, two towns in Vermont (Brattleboro and Marlboro) voted to indict President Bush and Vice President Cheney for their numerous violations of the United States Constitution, and to arrest Bush or Cheney if they come within city limits. Once arrested, they may be extradited for prosecution.

On January 25, 2008, Brattleboro’s Selectboard first voted to accept the petition and put it on the March ballot. They were unprepared for the vitriolic responses they got when the Drudge report disseminated the news to a wide audience. The text of the ballot question read:

Shall the Selectboard instruct the Town Attorney to draft indictments against President Bush and Vice President Cheney for crimes against our Constitution, and publish said indictments for consideration by other authorities and shall it be the law of the Town of Brattleboro that the Brattleboro Police, pursuant to the above-mentioned indictments, arrest and detain George Bush and Richard Cheney in Brattleboro if they are not duly impeached, and prosecute or extradite them to other authorities that may reasonably contend to prosecute them?The author of the petition says “It is largely [a] symbolic” gesture, as Brattleboro officials do not apparently have the power to arrest the President or Vice President of the United States. He hopes, however, that Bush and Cheney will be impeached before it ever comes to that. “Voters interviewed after casting ballots said they saw the article as an opportunity to express their frustration over the war in Iraq and Bush’s tenure in general,” says the USA Today article. The town issued the following statement at its website: On January 25 the Town Clerk’s office received a petition from Brattleboro resident Kurt Daims.  Per Town Charter, a petition containing signatures from 5% of Brattleboro voters can be placed on the ballot for a Town-wide vote.  Mr. Daims’ petition did contain the required number of signatures.  At a meeting on January 25, the Brattleboro Selectboard voted 3-2 to place the petition on the ballot.  Reasons given by Board members voting in the affirmative centered on the belief that if a petition contained the required signatures, the voters should have the opportunity to vote on the matter. Reasons given by Board members voting on the dissent centered on the belief that articles outside the scope and authority of the Town should not go before the voters of the Town.  The Brattleboro Town Attorney has stated that the petition has no legal standing, as the Town Attorney has no authority to write an indictment and the Town Police Department has no authority to attempt an arrest of the President of the United States.Other Vermont towns voted last year to impeach both Bush and Cheney. The Newfane, VT resident responsible for the impeachment push supported Tuesday’s vote, comparing the drafters to the founding fathers and saying their action was imbued with the same “moral authority.”The impeachment resolution read: Whereas George W. Bush has:1. Misled the nation about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction;2. Misled the nation about ties between Iraq and Al Quaeda;3. Used these falsehoods to lead our nation into war unsupported by international law;

4. Not told the truth about American policy with respect to the use of torture; and

5. Has directed the government to engage in domestic spying, in direct contravention of U.S. law.

Therefore, the voters of the town of Newfane ask that our representative to the U.S. House of Representatives file articles of impeachment to remove him from office.

Though local police officers may not have the authority to arrest a sitting President, state legislatures in America are empowered to send impeachment resolutions to Congress. Rep. Bernie Sanders(Ind) of Vermont said at the time it was “impractical to talk about impeachment” because of the Republican-controlled Congress. Of course, that is no longer the case, but nevertheless nothing has been accomplished on the impeachment issue. Tuesday’s vote is clearly an expression of Vermont’s, and the country’s, frustration.

Tags: Current Events, Government, Politics, Vivienne D'Avalon by Vivienne D'Avalon
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