A most safe and happy Memorial Day to all my cyber-friends and fellow Democrats. More importantly, a happy Memorial Day and heartfelt thanks to our women and men, past and present, who have served all of us in the Armed Forces. As someone who comes from a family with a long tradition of military service (and almost all are military Democrats!), there is nothing that bothers me more than the Democratic Party being tagged as “less patriotic” than the Republicans are.
In part, I would argue, that this is our fault, as at times over the past twenty years or so we have let this happen. I think we have been too timid at times when it comes to this set of issues, and there is no reason to be. From the impressive set of Democratic veterans now serving in Congress and candidates this fall, to the long history of military service and advocacy that makes up our party’s history, we should take a back seat to no one. For example, the GOP loves to still talk about the “McGovern wing” of the Democratic Party. Every time they say that, we should remind them that at age 19, George McGovern volunteered for military service during World War II, and was a highly decorated figher pilot.
We know, as Democrats, what the important issues are, and that veterans health care and support for military families (issues that our current Administration should hang their head in shame about more than anything else they’ve done) are more important things than whether or not one chooses to wear a flag pin on their suit jacket. But these symbolic issues do matter as well. For example, I would like to see more liberals, when they uphold the Constitutional right to burn the flag, also more strongly criticize people who choose to do it.
We’re going to be hit with the “unpatriotic” charge A LOT over the next several months. Let’s not back down!