A True Patriot

The values of honesty and integrity have defined Barack Obama's campaign for President of the United States.

Today, Obama spoke in Independence, Missouri about his deep patriotism and love for this great country. You can watch the speech, read the speech, or check out The CNN story.

"I have always taken my deep and abiding love for this country as a given.

It was how I was raised: It was what propelled me into public service.

It is why I am running for President!"

"And yet, at certain times over the last 16 months, I have found for the first time my own patriotism challenged-- at times as a result of my own carelessness, more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears and doubts about who I am and what I stand for."Obama vowed to never question the patriotism of others in the campaign, adding "I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine."

Obama said that "patriotism starts as a gut instinct, a loyalty and love for country that's rooted in some of my earliest memories." As he grew up, Obama's patriotism matured to something that "would survive my growing awareness of our nation's imperfections: its ongoing racial strife; the perversion of our political system that were laid bare during the Watergate hearings; the wrenching poverty of the Mississippi Delta and the hills of Appalachia."

Barack Obama commented:

"Given the enormous challenges that lie before us, we can no longer afford these sorts of divisions," he said. "None of us expect that arguments about patriotism will, or should, vanish entirely; after all, when we argue about patriotism, we are arguing about who we are as a country, and more importantly, who we should be....

"But surely, we can agree that no party or political philosophy has a monopoly on patriotism. And surely, we can arrive at a definition of patriotism that, however rough and imperfect, captures the best of America's common spirit."

Obama said he learned that "what makes America great has never been its perfection, but the belief that it can be made better."

Obama exemplifies the best kind of patriotism: love for one's country based on a realistic appraisal of its strengths and challenges. The kind of love that Obama has for America is the kind of love a father has for a child who has behaved badly: he loves the child so he helps the child learn to be better. Obama's vision for America is like the dreams that a father has for his infant as he holds the baby in his arms: he sees the potential in the new life while at the same time seeing the baby who exists today. He nurtures the baby to manifest its true potential, which is what Barack Obama promises for America. Let's not focus on petty and superficial displays of patriotism like flag pins and hand positions: Let's look deeper and embrace the powerful love of country that Barack Obama espouses.