What happens when I really AM America

Summary: After a smackdown by Larisa Alexandrovna (Rawstory journalist) of a Jonah Goldberg piece on Obama and patriotism, I did what I usually do to people I disagree with (Mr. Goldberg, in this case)...I analyzed the crap out of him.

What I intend to do in this diary is show you what happens when you do a few word replacements in discussions of "America".  I'll be looking at Mr. Goldberg and Sean Hannity today.

  I analyze people.  A lot.  Mostly out of a reflex developed from years of heavy introspection.  One of the techniques of analysis that I've found very informative in political discussions is to take collective self-references (we, our, etc.) and turn them into individual self-references (I, my, etc.).  My thinking runs along these lines:

1. X applies to all members of Collective Z.

2. Y is a member of Collective Z.

3. X applies to Y.

  So if Y talks about "America", and Y is an American, then whatever Y is applying to America as a collective also applies to Y as an individual.  So let's begin with Mr. Goldberg's piece on Mr. Obama.

ORIGINAL: This sense that America is in need of fixing in order to be a great country points to Obama's real patriotism problem.

NEW: This sense that I am in need of fixing in order to be a great individual points to Obama's real patriotism problem.

ORIGINAL: And Michelle Obama — who believes America is "downright mean" and is proud of America for the first time because of her husband's success — insists that Barack will make you "work" for change and that he will "demand that you, too, be different."

NEW: And Michelle Obama — who believes I am "downright mean" and is proud of me for the first time because of her husband's success — insists that Barack will make you "work" for change and that he will "demand that you, too, be different."

ORIGINAL: The notion that what America needs is a redeemer figure to "remake" America from scratch isn't necessarily unpatriotic. But for lots of Americans who like America the way it is, it's sometimes hard to tell when it isn't.

NEW: The notion that what I need is a redeemer figure to "remake" me from scratch isn't necessarily unpatriotic. But for I, who like myself the way I am, it's sometimes hard to tell when it isn't.

  We now turn to Sean Hannity, who just loves "America".  I'd like to note that some of the word replacements are a little tricky to keep the tense straight, but the basic idea is still held to, in my opinion.  Here we go...

ORIGINAL: We are calling it, "The greatest nation on Earth."

NEW: I am calling myself, "One of the greatest individuals on Earth."

ORIGINAL: The US is the greatest, best country God has ever given Man on the face of the Earth.

NEW: I am one of the greatest, best individuals God has ever given Man on the face of the Earth.

ORIGINAL: And we, as conservatives, believe this final thing. That this is the single greatest best country God has ever given man and that we have been, as a country, not perfect, but overall as a country, the single greatest force for good and liberty and freedom that the world has ever seen.

NEW: And I, as a conservative, believe this final thing. That I am one of the single greatest best individuals God has ever given man and that I have been, as an individual, not perfect, but overall as an individual, one of the single greatest forces for good and liberty and freedom that the world has ever seen.

  You see now why the whole "Obama no wear flag pin" thing is such a big deal to people like this?  If the American flag represents all of us, then it's not just a pin representing the country as a collective, but also the individuals who comprise it.  So when Mr. Obama doesn't wear a pin, and people on the Right freak out, it's not only because his lack of a pin shows he "doesn't love America", but also because his lack of a pin shows he doesn't love Jonah Goldberg specifically and Sean Hannity specifically.  Turns out Bill O'Reilly isn't the only one with a glass ego.
  Of course alleging that these types have incredibly fragile egos might seem like a stretch, but think of how much these types freak out at perceived attacks on the military (Wesley Clark), questioning of the President, and the whole "Leftists question America = Leftists hate America" exaggeration.
  Personally, I think one of the differences between the Leftwing and Rightwing mentality is that Leftwingers are better at self-attacking (meaning self-criticism, etc.), whereas Rightwingers are better at other-attacking (whether it's criticism or warfare).  Both mentalities have their times and places.  Sometimes, you're the one who's wrong, and you need to face this.  Other times, you're absolutely right, and it's the other person who's wrong.  If it's both of you (Bush is wrong, Bin Laden is wrong) then you've got to be able to multitask.
  But, as with so many other things, these perspectives can go to the extreme.  The Leftwing mentality, at its worst, is possessed by absolute self-loathing, excusing if not outright ignoring some other who might be quite worthy of criticism.  The Rightwing mentality, at its worst, is possessed by the absolute unwillingness to be exposed to self-criticism, preferring to focus massive aggression on external, demonized enemies.
  So next time you hear people talk about "America" or "patriotism", you might find it interesting to apply Stephen Colbert's "I Am America" equation to what they're saying.