Campaign Financing, part 3- Love and Pride

Michelle Obama is painted as unpatriotic. Her offense is saying that for the first time in her adult life, she is really proud of her country. By leaving out the word really, the Right is seeking to smear Michelle and Barack simultaneously. Barack Obama should not be president because Michelle Obama hates America!

I have wanted to blog on this topic for some time. The fact that the Right continues to bring this smear up- free of any historic context. One Sunday morning I was listening to a public affairs program out of a Chicago radio station. On the program, a guest referred to the situation with Mrs Obama and said that African Americans have loved America long before they were proud of it. This refers to African American service to America (love) while still being mistreated. The guest referred to the treatment of German POWs during WWII as an example.

African Americans have served in every major conflict in this country's history. In some cases, African Americans had fight for the right to fight for America (let that marinade in your brain for a minute). Whether it was the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI or WWII, the result was the same- segregated units fighting to keep this country free. These soldiers loved this country, they fought and died for this country, and after the war was over, they had to come home to a country that refused to see them as equals.

During WWII, thousands of German and Italian POWs were brought to the United States, because Europe was devastated. These POWs were housed in over 500 camps around the US. Because of the labor shortage, many of them worked on local farms, businesses and industries. These POWs were eventually treated as members of the communities they worked in. In fact, it was not uncommon that these German POWs were afforded better treatment than African American Soldiers. Now think about it- a German Prisoner of War could walk into the front door of a Southern store- that same store an African American soldier would have to enter from a back door!

The radio guest talked about the love African Americans have had for America- even when America didn't show them love.

I too have been very proud of America this campaign season. To its credit, 36M Americans looked past gender and race to vote for Clinton and Obama. There is a reason to be proud of a country that just 50 years ago allowed people to be denied the right to vote because of their race.

Whoopi Goldberg mentioned the whole flap over Michelle Obama's lack of pride by mentioning that people understand what Obama meant. She went further to call out pundits for taking that quote of out of context. Hell, even Laura Bush defended Michelle Obama.

African Americans have to love this country- our parents, grandparents and numerous generations before us, endured slavery, Jim Crow, lynching and government-sanctioned discrimination. We voted for an African American as a presidential nominee, and will have the chance to vote for him to be the next president! That is a huge source of pride in a country we love.

Did I mention that Dan Abrams found video of John McCain saying he didn't love America until he was denied her company. At another campaign stop, he said to an attendee that he understood how the gentleman could find it hard to be proud of America. These statements by McCain will not stop the Right from attacking Michelle, while ignoring McCain's comments.