Republicans Don't Own the Fourth of July

on July 1, 2011 at 11:09 PM

4th of july parade float Watch out Democrats, if you participate in any sort of celebratory activities this July 4^th, your kids are more likely to vote Republican in the future. According to a study by Harvard, parades, fireworks, and other acts of patriotism on Independence Day boost only Republican moral and increase the likelihood of a youth eventually identifying with the right side of aisle.

Dang. They’re onto us Republicans and the secret brainwashing sessions that we’ve successfully disguised as block parties for years. Now they know our real agenda: To teach impressionable young minds that America is the greatest country ever, and to take pride in that.

A couple of the professors involved in the study wrote:

The political right has been more successful in appropriating American patriotism and its symbols during the 20th century. Survey evidence also confirms that Republicans consider themselves more patriotic than Democrats. According to this interpretation, there is a political congruence between the patriotism promoted on Fourth of July and the values associated with the Republican Party.

The Republican Party hasn’t appropriated patriotism and its symbols; it has simply attracted people who love their country and the unique freedoms they enjoy as American citizens. The freedom to work hard and make something of ourselves, the freedom to worship how we see fit, the freedom to vote, the freedom to fail, and the freedom to pick ourselves back up and try again.

We are not ashamed of our country. We love our flag and what it represents. We love our heroes in the military and are grateful for their sacrifice overseas to keep us safe from evildoers back home. We love the pledge of allegiance and say it loudly and proudly. Some of us even get goose bumps at this part:

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Liberty and justice for all. What an incredible statement. Not liberty and justice for the ruling class, but for everyone. In our great nation, it doesn’t matter where you came from – you can go anywhere, do anything, and be anyone.

What’s interesting is that I believe these are things celebrated by the vast majority of both political parties. I believe that most Democrats are proud of their country and grateful of the freedoms and opportunities they have here. I think the shift we’re seeing by many Americans from the Democratic Party to Independent status is a result of some of the extreme liberals in Washington that would try to limit our freedom of choice with things like orders to purchase health insurance. I don’t like the idea that Democrats are not proud of their country, and I refuse to believe it.

So this Fourth of July, go to a picnic, a parade, or a fireworks display. Thank a soldier, hug your friends, and bond over beers and BBQ. Republican or Democrat – it’s good to be an American.

Image via Coolstock/Flickr

Filed Under: barack obama, in the news, media, politics, tea party

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Comments (16)

tntmom1027

on Jul 2, 2011 at 1:21 AM

Great article! Interested to see what kind of comments it brings though.

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Nonmember comment from Amy

on Jul 2, 2011 at 3:07 AM

With liberty and justice for all... Tell that to Leonard Peltier. NATIVE PRIDE

hoticedcoffee

on Jul 2, 2011 at 7:23 AM

I'll toast to that!

tinypossum

on Jul 2, 2011 at 7:56 AM

Everything you wrote in this article proves this study to be completely accurate.

LittleManMama

on Jul 2, 2011 at 9:44 AM

Do you realize that the original Pledge of Allegiance did NOT include the words "under God"? Those were not added until 1954? And Francis Bellamy who wrote the pledge was actually a well known socialist?

Anastazia975

on Jul 2, 2011 at 9:53 AM

Republicans like the freedom of choice?? Um, since when? And thank you LittleManMama for saying what I was going to. Lol.

JAFE

on Jul 2, 2011 at 10:43 AM

There's always a downer in every bunch isn't there??

Happy 4th of July to all. It really IS good to be American.

Nonmember comment from Anon

on Jul 2, 2011 at 11:01 AM

Yeah, I'm not sure the libs think patriotism is a good thing. Mostly if you start talking about America, American libs start listing off everything they've heard (true or not) about how Americans basically want to kill and eat everyone on earth who isn't white, male, and rich. We're the cause of every war, famine, flood, earthquake, and ill wind. Even obesity among the poor is our fault. And we do it on purpose because we don't care and it makes us richer. As Scrooge would say, "let them die then, and decrease the surplus population." That's the USA for ya! In short, this study does not surprise me at all.

RhondaVeggie

on Jul 2, 2011 at 12:44 PM

I absolutely agree with their conclusion. The right uses the flag at every opportunity to try and make themselves look more American. A lot of the time they just wind up making themselves look bad of course e.g. the people with the pick ups with the tattered flags on the windows and everywhere else they can stick one, usually with some gun nut sticker like those tasteless terrorist hunting permit ones. The rhetoric about people on the left hating America doesn't help matters either.

I also agree that the left should claim the flag back because it is an American symbol, not a republican one. American pride is not a republican virtue and it should not be portrayed as one.

Facebook comment from Elena Duran

on Jul 2, 2011 at 1:36 PM

Soapbox much rhonda? Hard to follow your line of thinking. The left 'taking back' the flag? It belongs to everyone not just the left or right. No one has 'stolen' our flag how can it be necessary to 'take it back'. Try not to make comments just to inflame people. Let the grown ups have a civilized conversation.