YOUR COMMENTS

When someone says they're not proud of their country, and have never been, until they are an adult over 40 years old, is not an issue - unless you're the wife of someone who could become president of that country. Then, it's a legitimate issue, and you must answer for it. This is an issue of politics, not an issue of personal conscience.
- Michael, Manchester

Chris, the country's imperfections, past misdeeds, etc. is NOT the point. Nobody is saying the country is perfect and has never done wrong or something we wish in hind-sight we could undo... BUT, what the lady said was that she has NEVER been proud of her country her ENTIRE life until now. Too bad for her, that she views this nation as such a miserable place, so bad and imperfect that she has NEVER been able to muster any pride for the place until now, when her hubby will be able to fix everything with magic words... hope (for what is the issue), change (How? Bad change is not desired, and my definition of good change and yours probably differ.) We are certainly free to question what goes on in this country, but to stand up and say that you have NEVER been proud of it until now is pathetic. I am tired of all of these politicians claiming they misspoke when they get called out for something they have said. Please.... these are all well educated lawyers (most of them) that are politically savvy and know they are living under a microscope, so when they say stuff, it is difficult to swallow the "I misspoke" explanation!
- Thom, Hummelstown, PA

We are approaching very scary times when it is taboo to criticize out country. The minute a person says anything negative about our country's plolicies, military, etc. people come out of the woodwork and start saying "get out", "unpatriotic", "undeserving to be here", etc. Well, I have to say it, but we definately have unproud moments in our history and will continue to do so: trail of tears, Slavery, Manifest Desitny, Japanese CITIZENS internment during WWII, Segregation, Enron, prisoner abuse at Gitmo, and on and on. Just becasue I don't like certian behaviors from my children does not mean I don't love them or want to leave them, the same is true for the US.

Patriotism is NOT Nationalism. Webster defines Nationalism as loyalty and devotion to a nation; especially: a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups - Leads to arrogance and war.

Patriotism is love for one's country. When you love someone/thing, you want what is best, and sometimes that is correcting bad behavior.

Being proud is nice, but let's not pretend that we have always acted in ways we should be proud about. Most importantly, let's not criticize people for reminding us of our past mistakes- if anythign they are the true patriots, trying to make us better by remembering what we don't want to become or what behaviors we don't want to repeat.
- Chris, Bedford

And to top it off she's not "full-blooded!" Yikes call the Stasi, lock her up! She's uppity!
- Janice Tremblay, Nashua