Humble Patriotism

Ya know, as we live in the shadow of the biggest campaign since JFK was elected ... maybe ever ... I have been reflecting on the nature of patriotism and what it means to love one's country.

Try this on. Could we love our country and what it stands for (the good of many, the dignity of the individual, the rule of the little guy, the repudiation of tyranny, justice, equality, freedom, concern for the less fortunate, etc) and yet be humble enough to recognize that we don't have it all together? Can we be patriotic and yet recognize that not EVERYBODY has to run their nation like we do? Can we love the USA and still believe that the people of another nation can love their country and yet not agree with us?

I'm not talking about protectionism or isolationism. I really don't believe in those things. Tyrants cannot be tolerated. If we CAN help, we probably should. That's the American way, as far as I can tell.

But, we don't need to be toppling regimes just because they say mean things about us. We don't need to be lashing out at nations because they don't agree with us. We don't need to be putting countries or regimes on "Evil" lists of any sort just because we don't like their politics. That's the humble part.

Here's the Harbarger Theory rule about dealing with bullies. If I see a bully taking advantage of someone else, I tell them to stop it. If they don't, then I step between the bully and the target. If they want to try to bully, then try to bully me. Go ahead. Just try. I protect the bullied. That's the rule.

If a regime is bullying it's own people, then America tells them to stop it. If they don't, then we step in between the bully and the target. And we ratchet up the pressure to make them stop.

If a nation is bullying another nation, then, we tell them to stop it. If they don't we step between the bully and their target. And we ratchet up the pressure to make them stop.

If a 16 year old is bullying a 12 year old, I don't just shoot the 16 year old. I try other, non-violent and decelerating strategies to stop the behavior.

If a regime or a nation is bullying, then we don't just go to war on their butts. We try everything (and I mean everything!) else before that last option is put into place. And then we do it right and only as much as we have to.

We are America and I'm proud to be an American (especially after electing a man with African ancestry with a name like Barack Hussein Obama!!). But ... I am embarassed by the ways that we "protect" other nations by becoming bullies instead of by rescuing the perishing.

Harbarger Theory: Stop bullies, but don't become one in the process.