As the 2012 Presidential Election draws nearer, I would like to bring something to your attention, something that has bothered me greatly since Mr. Obama was elected in 2008. That "something" is the fact that President Barack Obama, "our" President, as I am reminded over and over by those who voted for him, has chosen time and time again to turn his back on the Star Spangled Banner when the colors are honored, and has also failed to place his hand on his heart as our flag is raised and our national anthem is played. The major news services rarely show this, but every now and then accidental shots of the non-patriot President are seen on the major networks. Other times, photographs are used on independent news sources and turn up on the Internet. These pictures depict "our" President repeatedly refusing to salute the flag or honor the national anthem. This conduct from the "commander-in-chief" of our military forces, as well as the "leader" of our nation is quite disturbing to me. No, I meant disgusting to me. The President should, as should we all, honor the flag and the national anthem, while holding the memory of those who served in this nation's military, and in particular those who gave their lives, sacred and dear to the heart.
Now, I acknowledge that Mr. Obama is doing nothing more than exercising his constitutional right of free speech. You see, no government official or policeman can "force" President Obama to salute the flag or honor the national anthem. Mr. Obama has every right to turn his back on the flag. I am not disputing this fact...no, I am actually very happy that we live in the nation where people still have the freedom to DISHONOR the flag and that sacred things for which it stands, if those people so desire. My concern is not Mr. Obama's exercise of his freedom, but instead is that the good and educated people of this nation seem ready to meekly walk to the polls and vote for this man again.
Everyone has the right to vote for the candidate of their choice. For me, unfortunately, the candidate of my choice rarely gains more than one or two electoral votes. But in any case, I hope that you will carefully consider the implications of having a President who is publicly disrespectful of the American Flag and who does not salute during the national anthem. Do you really love his policies so much that you want this man to continue in office? Do you really believe that a man who is openly unpatriotic can really have the best interest of this nation in his heart? Granted the choices are poor from almost any angle we choose to look. But, to me anyway, it seems the poorest choice of all to reward the most unpatriotic President in the history of this nation with a second term in office.
Let's assume we weren't sure during the first election, and we believed in this man and his promises; a man who was swept into office on the biggest wave of popularity since JFK ran for President in 1960. Since Mr. Obama's election, however, that wave of popularity has crested and ebbed away. Obama has essentially kept one promise - the end of the Iraq Occupation, which has cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. This is a great accomplishment, one for which I sincerely thank the President. Having said that, I believe Mr. Obama has done enough for this nation, both in the positive sense and in the negative, too. Will it be any better under some other candidate of this year's flock? I don't know, but I surely know it will not be any WORSE! I do not need to see Mr. Obama elected TWICE to know this. If Obama is re-elected with the citizenry knowing what we know now, that Mr. Obama cannot or will not salute the flag or honor the nation that has made him the most powerful man in the world, then we deserve whatever fate and the President have in store for us in 2012 and beyond.
No comments:
Post a Comment