So a week or two ago, Rush Limbaugh announced that "For the first time, I'm ashamed of my country."
I couldn't help thinking, "Really? For the first time? Not for Know Nothing assaults on Catholics? Or slavery? Or the KKK? Not for Hiroshima? Or Dresden? Or Jim Crow? Or Roe? Or torture? Or bailouts for bankers who used the money to give themselves huge bonuses? Or the popularity of disco, Jersey Shore, Jerry Springer and Sex and the City? You're only now finding something in our country to feel ashamed of?"
In a curious way, it was a statement that placed him in company with one of the last people on earth he or anyone else would associate him with: Michelle Obama. Why? Because in sort of mirror universe way, she once remarked "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country, and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change." Similarly, I thought, "Really? For the first time, you are proud of your country? Because they are voting for your husband? That's what it takes to make you proud? Somebody giving you virtually limitless power? Not the Declaration of Independence? The Constitution? Thomas Edison? George Washington Carver? Making it through the Depression without sliding into fascist or communist totalitarianism? Liberating the Hitler's Europe? Huge material prosperity? Putting a man on the Moon? The March on Washington? Helping to bring down communism without massive bloodshed? Giving you a college education, a shot at becoming a multimillionaire, and a media darling? All of that is chopped liver and only your being handed the White House is the criterion for love of country?"
I can't help thinking of Chesterton talking about real patriotism vs. the sort of self-centered nationalist pride exhibited, in their own unique ways, by both Mrs. Obama and Rush Limbaugh. Chesterton, who famously observed that saying "My country, right or wrong" is like saying, "My mother, drunk or sober" would have laughed heartily at Rush Limbaugh only now discovering that America has flaws to be ashamed of. He would have laughed even harder that, for Limbaugh, those flaws are primarily centered around questions of the budget and not matters of the heart. And he would have laughed hardest of all at the spectacle of a presidential candidate's wife making "whether or not the American people crown my husband with the Presidency" the sole criterion of love of country. That's because pride is always something to be laughed at and nationalism is nothing but pride.
Chesterton had deep contempt for nationalism because Chesterton was a Christian and knew that nationalism is to a people what the sin of pride is to a person. Like pride, it is a demonic parody of love. Chesterton loved England with patriotic fervor, but despised nationalism because he knew it was the enemy of healthy love of country. Nationalism tends to love country for various reasons having to do with power, greatness, might, the ability to dominate others, etc. As long as those reasons remain, the love of country remains. But God help the country that disappoints the nationalist, because he will then turn on it, and often viciously, because in the end, the country was the vehicle of the nationalist's own ego and when the choice comes between loving the country and loving oneself, the egoist will choose the latter.
Chesterton, in contrast, commends patriotism, which loves one's country (that is, one's neighbor) for no reason--and most certainly not because one's neighbor deserves it. He writes:
All optimistic thoughts about England and all pessimistic thoughts about her are alike reasons for the English patriot. Similarly, optimism and pessimism are alike arguments for the cosmic patriot.
Let us suppose we are confronted with a desperate thing--say Pimlico. If we think what is really best for Pimlico we shall find the thread of thought leads to the throne or the mystic and the arbitrary. It is not enough for a man to disapprove of Pimlico: in that case he will merely cut his throat or move to Chelsea. Nor, certainly, is it enough for a man to approve of Pimlico: for then it will remain Pimlico, which would be awful. The only way out of it seems to be for somebody to love Pimlico: to love it with a transcendental tie and without any earthly reason. If there arose a man who loved Pimlico, then Pimlico would rise into ivory towers and golden pinnacles; Pimlico would attire herself as a woman does when she is loved. For decoration is not given to hide horrible things: but to decorate things already adorable. A mother does not give her child a blue bow because he is so ugly without it. A lover does not give a girl a necklace to hide her neck. If men loved Pimlico as mothers love children, arbitrarily, because it is theirs, Pimlico in a year or two might be fairer than Florence. Some readers will say that this is a mere fantasy. I answer that this is the actual history of mankind. This, as a fact, is how cities did grow great. Go back to the darkest roots of civilization and you will find them knotted round some sacred stone or encircling some sacred well. People first paid honour to a spot and afterwards gained glory for it. Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.
I do not despise my country (that is, my neighbor) because it has much to be ashamed of, because God does not despise me though I have much to be be ashamed of. I do not love my country because it is great or powerful or just or wise, for it is often none of these things and not infrequently the opposite of these things. I love my country because it is mine, as God has loved me because I am his. If we stop loving America for reasons and start loving her for no reason, we will be freed to embrace the love of neighbor that is patriotism and abandon the selfishness that is nationalism.
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I’m astonished that a Catholic who lists “things in our country to feel ashamed of”, forgets legalized abortion. It has murdered 55 million children, with the support of our elite.
If we should be ashamed of “bailouts for bankers who used the money to give themselves huge bonuses” and “the popularity of disco”, doesnt mass murder get a footnote?
Is this oversight deliberate soft pedaling?
My deep and embarrrased, appologies to Mark Shea!
He did mention abortion.
As I should have known he would.
Based on this episode, I offer this advice to other readers.
Dont do as I do
Insteada, read what is written, before you criticize it.
When you dont, you’ll make yourself look like a goof.
I appreciate your expounding on the difference between nationalism and patriotism. I knew there was a difference but wasn’t clear on it. And, I admit I’ve probably leaned more toward nationalism. You and G.K. have me thinking I need to lean the other way.
Chesterton, who famously observed that saying “My country, right or wrong” is like saying, “My mother, drunk or sober”
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That’s pretty good. Thanks!
:)
FWIW, while I don’t listen to Rush and didn’t hear the comment in question, I know his schtick well enough to know that the direct echo of Michelle Obama’s earlier comment wasn’t accidental—that he was deliberately, satirically riffing on Michelle O’s belated “pride” in her country, and expected his listeners to recognize it.
Of course, where Rush meant to emphasize how diametrically opposed he and Michelle O are, there is a deeper underlying commonality to the two claims, as you note, Mark.
I remember reading somewhere a quote from Josemaria Escrivá (founder of Opus Dei) in which he likewise praised patriotism but opposed nationalism.
To quote the transcript:
“The way all this stuff plays is, I think this whole episode is a big joke on the country. I think this is an insulting joke to everybody. This is an embarrassing spectacle. After 1995, 1993, whatever, I’m getting tired of it. I’m worn out. It’s history repeating itself over and over and over, almost verbatim, from “taking food out of the mouths of children,” to “they’re coming for our children” to “No meat inspectors!” They’re even saying have to close down the sleigh rides in Jellystone Park! That has come up again, like it did in the 1995 budget battle.
Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time in my life, I am ashamed of my country. To be watching all of this, to be treated like this, to have our common sense and intelligence insulted the way it’s being insulted? It just makes me ashamed. Seriously, man. Here we get worked up over $44 billion. That’s the total amount of money that will not be spent that was scheduled to be spent this year. In truth, we’re gonna spend more this year than we spent last year.”
Unless he’s being a stunningly subtle satirist, that doesn’t really read as satire.
“Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong”
And my mother drunk or sober, too.
My love for neither is contingent on perfection; nor does it blind me to their imperfections.
I thank you for making this clearer for me. I’m trying to decide which way I lean. I think that when it comes to America that I lean towards patriotism but when it comes to the land of my blood I tend to lean towards nationalism. Reading your article also makes me wonder if patriotism has become a dinosaur of sorts here in the states.
I can’t resist lobbing in my own Chesterton quotes from his essay “The Modern Martyr”:
“All our ordinary intellectual opinions are worth a bit of a row: I remember during the Boer War fighting an Imperialist clerk outside the Queen’s Hall, and giving and receiving a bloody nose; but I did not think it one of the incidents that produce the psychological effect of the Roman amphitheatre or the stake at Smithfield.”
“I might, perhaps, be shot for England, but certainly not for the British Empire. I might conceivably die for political freedom, but I certainly wouldn’t die for Free Trade.”
Hey, thanks for this. I’ve recently been reading up on the history of my own country - Wales - and have been noodling whether patriotism is meant to be a positive virtue or something the Church allows on sufferance.
Chesterton is an excellent antidote for nationalism - the great thing about being Welsh is that you are forced to be humble to appreciate it; no great Empires here (and thankfully for that reason little to apologize for)or conquering warlords.
Brandon_NC:
To clarify, I don’t mean that Rush didn’t mean he wasn’t genuinely disgusted about, what, the sequester? I just mean that I’m quite sure that for Rush, who has doubtless spent plenty of air time blasting the First Lady for her infamous remark, the inversion of her words here was deliberate, not accidental, by way of expressing his disgust with both Obamas at once. That kind of allusive reference is very much in keeping with his schtick. That is how he operates.
Mike Petrik is right that Chesterton picked the wrong quotation to illustrate nationalism.
I’ve also seen it expanded as “If right, to be kept right; if wrong, to be made right; but right or wrong, my country.”
That sounds more like your and Chesterton’s recommendation that we love country because it is ours, as God loves us sinners, than like the opposite.
I always loved my country because I believed the vast number of Americans stood for honor, decency and morality, that they cared about other people. I’m not sure I believe that any more, and a country is its people.
Now I wake up each day and wonder what country I live in. It’s unrecognizable. I feel as if someone has transported me to a foreign land.
I know the U.S. has history that isn’t perfect—and Mark has mentioned some of its past flaws—but it always tried to correct those flaws in time. Now it doesn’t even want to do the right thing.
I now see my country as heaven. I’m proud to be a Catholic—and Lord knows people within the Catholic Church have brought shame upon the Body of Christ at times—but it will keep getting back up to right the ship. Unlike the lady who wrote a letter to the editor in which she said she was “An Anmerican first and a Catholic second” in response to an editorial against the church, I am a Catholic first in everything. I pray that God will bless and convert America, but I am deeply hurt and disappointed that it has turned its back on everything that made her great.
Mark… You are right, there have been many reasons in the past for being ashamed of the US. But, I think you are missing the point, namely, there is a straw that will break the camel’s back. Being primarily a political person, for Rush L to find the current administration’s posture for America - a posture democratically voted for by its people - the last straw was added. Perhaps you were burdened with yours long ago but that is your personal story.
Great article Mark.
Unlike some of those posting here, I never pretended the United States was perfect and I still don’t. Neither do I pretend that the Catholic Church is perfect. Now, I am certain all the catechists here will want to attack me, they often do.
But ask me, am I glad to be an American? Yes I am. So much so I saw it as my civic duty to enlist and serve in the defense of this country. Yet, I am dismayed at what we’ve become.
We are a nation who believe our way is the only. Not only in our world vision but national, state and local governments. The very foundation of this country- the Constitution- was based on compromise and now we see stagnant, stalled dialogue from ideologues rather actual debate on the real issues. You cite Limbaugh and the man is a self admitted entertainer; if you are looking to him for news or information you are guaranteed to only get one side of the story and fragmented facts if any at all. Same with anyone on the left. Michael Savage routinely laments that this isn’t his country anymore.. That is precisely the problem!!
This isn’t my country. This isn’t Mark Shea’s country. This country does not belong to any single one of us. It belongs to all of us, and you know what, we need to work together. It cannot be all or nothing, because that is the very attitude that has got us here.
I am glad to be considered an American. And a Catholic even if in name only. I would not trade either.
My people have been in this country since 1652 when my ancestor, a Scottish teenager, was sold into indentured servitude in New Hampshire. Having roots that deep helps me parse the difference between my love of country, which is what patriotism is, and idolatry of the state, which is at the heart of nationalism. For me, the Constitution was a late-stage innovation on which the jury is still out! My people were here, in America, before the United States, and we’ll be here long after.
I am scandalized by the apostate “Catholics” that turned our nation over to a socialist tyrant who declared we are no longer a Christian nation. Look at whose name is written on our national monuments and read the Declaration of Independence again. Someone recently pointed out that if you connect the lines between those national monuments a perfect cross is revealed. Obama said we were a Muslim nation. There is no common ground between antithetical entities and there can be no productive dialogue.
I am ashamed of the immoral values that have invaded our federal government. Was my military career against the different forms of nationalist enemies that are now trying to control our nation in vain? Did our patriots that gave their lives to defend us die in vain? America is at a crossroad between heaven and hell. God help us if we don’t again trust the God our forefathers promised we would serve.
Mark Gordon,
My daddy’s people were here even earlier-1623 onwards.Looks like we had at least one Scottish ancestor who was sent by Cromwell as slave labor.But, they were British colonies at that point.The Constitution makes a huge difference as to what sort of govt we are living under.
If your ancestors stayed, perhaps they were patriots.Most of my grandma’s side took off to Canada after the Revolution.It was kind of “love it or leave it”-or else.
As an American-born, Hong Kong-native, I must confess a slightly different use of the words “nationalism” and “patriotism”. You see, China has a history of modern nationalism-versus-patriotism over a century old now. As such, I thought it interesting to share this other perspective on nationalism/patriotism.
When the Chinese nationalist movement came about around 1911, it would align more closely to what you define as “patriotism” in this article. It was a movement that called for genuine reform to Chinese government, for justice, for human rights, for rule of law. It was a movement sprung out of a deep love for the nation, believing that the Chinese people deserved a nation that ruled itself justly, one that we could be proud of and rejoice in, as one rejoices in righteousness and virtue. It is a movement that still exists, especially in Hong Kong.
Patriotism, on the other hand, in the study of modern Chinese history, is what you have termed “nationalism” in your article. Chinese “patriotism” now exhibits the unreasoned pride in the economic, military, political prowess of the Chinese Communist Party, a belief that China should be stronger and more powerful than other countries. It is exemplified in the violent riots and protests that have sprung up in China against foreign (especially Japanese) companies at the time of various diplomatic incidents.
Rush should be ahamed of himself for the comments he made to Sandra Fluke during the birth control debate.Republicans should be asamed of themselves for wanting to burden the middle-class taxpayer and protecting the rich,like Speaker Boehner and Ryan for not closing loopholes that will generate revenue and reduce our debt.These people probably are calling themselves patriots.They are not for they have the wealthy,not all of this country’s citizens, in mind.People who dislike the Republicans and some catholics, are exercising their patriotism by writing freely and expressing themselves without fear of persecution;as it would have happened according to the ideals of other country’s nationalism(like China or in the Middle East).
@ Joanne S: I am in agreement with your comment. I would like to add; when I was in Catholic Grade School a Nun said that “the Church, when it has done wrong, hangs its dirty linens on the clothes line for all to see, then they take it in and washes it”. This is what it is doing today, though it did take someone to find and report the ‘dirty linen’ before something was done. The same with the U.S. and it’s sins of slavery, etc. We finally did something about it [when forced to]. I call it the weakness of humanity or the sin of Adam and Eve. I lived through the Great Depression, when things were difficult and I lived through WWII when my husband fought for the freedom of others in Europe. I was proud of him and all those who fought and proud of my country. Today, it has gone down hill and I am praying the U.S. will find itself again to be a country to help and defend others, along with the Constitution. One day maybe our President will realize he is suppose to “lead” and not “dictate” [from sugary drinks to healthcare] We, the people are independent and free, free to govern ourselves religiously and in other aspects of our lives.
Clearly, it was an intentional dig at FLOTUS. Touche.
I have never been to the USA but the superficial, aggressive pop culture combined with the two-faced treatment of political allies is what impressed me most about the States. Not one ally who was not later scandelously sold out. Oppertunistic is the word that describes the USA best in my view. To now hear these concerned and seemingly honest catholics sentiments voiced from the heart of freemasonry country is really surprising and I cannot help but wonder: how deep do these sentiments go?
There have been many shameful episodes in the history of the United States. There have always been and always will be evil people and evil intentions. Unfortunately, at this time in history the scales have finally tipped such that the shameful has become mainstream. Sloth, irresponsibility and licentiousness have become the expected baseline and those that have bought into this are not only the majority but are also a protected class. Alternatively, the dwindling number of reponsible citizens who object to being expected to go along to get along are labeled bigots, racists, homophobes etc etc etc.
Ann: You sound one-dimensional. Leave the Democrat vs Republican drivel at the door.
Posted by Ann on Monday, Mar 11, 2013 5:47 PM (EDT):
Rush should be ahamed of himself for the comments he made to Sandra Fluke during the birth control debate.”
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I agree. His comments were vulgar & ungentlemanly.But I think Miss Fluke should also be ashamed of herself.
@Albert: I am wondering what country you come from. Having immigrant parents myself, & knowing many immigrants from other countries, I assure you, your country and others also have the “superficial, aggressive pop culture combined with the two-faced treatment of political allies”. I am guessing you are very patriotic and so am I. I am going on 86 yrs. old and have seen quite a few wars. The U.S. has always been on the side of helping others, in other countries, to have the freedom they deserve. The freedom that the people of my country [the United States of America]have, thus the freedom to discuss on this blog, our thoughts, without recourse from anyone. [freedom of speech] My husband went through 5 rough battles in WWII in Europe for the freedom of the people there and others in the wars that followed WWII. What I like most about my country (as with my Catholic religion) is that we acknowledge our mistakes and try to rectify them.
“Oppertunistic is the word that describes the USA best in my view.” What do you mean by “Opportunistic”? Just what country has the U.S. tried to take over. [other than trying to give those peoples the freedoms they want] Yes, immigrants who come to my country, the U.S., do have the opportunity to make something of themselves if they really try, just as my immigrant parents did.
Robert A. Rowland:
“Obama said we were a Muslim nation.”
Really? Gonna need some evidence to back that one up. In truth, we are a nation that is explicitly not allowed to establish any one religion as especially privileged or as “the national faith,” though I grant that some manifestations of “separation of church and state” go rather further than that,
Have to agree with Stacy on this one Robert. Further, for you to cite the Declaration of Independence as legal binding document shows a great misunderstanding of the document. The US Constitution is the legal document for this nation and only as amended in the 4th Amendment does it even have a hint of deference to the DoI.
Sue, I congratulate you on your years but I have a question: in what countries has the US given the people the freedoms they want? The only country we have ever “liberated” is Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm. The Iraqi and Afghani people did not ask us to give them freedoms contrary to popular belief (we are there to protect oil and mineral rights of multi-national conglomerates). We had no business in Vietnam except that there we were there to protect French imperialism and there was a dictator who was selling us cheap oil whose regime was toppled so we had to protect our interest. Korea is not liberated, in fact we made it worse by dividing the country. I suppose you could consider WW2 as a liberation effort but it really it an attempt to balance the power in Europe. All you need do is look how the countries were divided the whole Iron Curtain concept (about as arbitrary as it gets). In fact, every time we wanted to give people freedoms, it really hasn’t turned out that way. Shaw of Iran, Pinochet, Diem, Saddam Hussein, etc. All put in power to give the people freedoms.
Make no mistake, the US Military is not for “helping others”.
“Unless he’s being a stunningly subtle satirist, that doesn’t really read as satire.”
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Remember, in print, a lot of things don’t read as. The clues are in that tone of voice he gets. I’m not really interested in searching out the audio transcript, but you certainly can if you want.
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Ann: that’s why he apologized. Old news. Can we move on, please?
Doesn’t Shea understand sarcasm when he sees it?Rush is famous for his sarcastic comments,has been for years,and this is an example of one of his extended excursions into sarcasm.But we might as well leave Shea to his obtuseness,Limbaugh’s sense of humor often escapes the most solemn.More’s the pity.SARCASM!!!Get it guys?
I heard snippets of Rush’s comments wherein he spent an awful lot of time DIRECTLY drawing parallels between his comments and Mrs. Obama’s. He even explained that he made these mocking comments on purpose - not later - but while he was in the process of making them in the first place. So this article misses the entire point.
His point was also very specifically NOT to list the failings of the United States (that would be nearly endless - like listing my own), rather, he was mocking the 1st Lady. He was saying, in his genuine frustration over these obscene and grotesque lies from the White House over budget issues, that this is so bad, it ought to rank up there with something he should be ashamed of his country about. How does one, then conclude that he means there are no other faults? The “first time in my life” was OBVIOUSLY a poke at M.O.
His show is, what, three hours a day? You think you got the context from a paragraph? Then, no, you really don’t know his “schtick”.
I also disagree with the whole tone of this article. One can love one’s country, as a parent loves a child - right or wrong. (Yes, Chesterton was wrong about his drinking mother. It is okay to hate her drinking, but one should still love one’s mother.) This does not EVER imply, that we aren’t saddened by her faults. On the contrary, we may even fight to protect her, and work to make her better. Some see it the other way around. They really hate their own country. They spend their time pointing out every flaw - even exaggerating them - almost as a sport, because it make them feel more holy themselves perhaps?
What is intolerable, though, is when these American-America-haters lie about her faults in order to prove how awful she really is; to make their holy bashing pulpit even larger. (The torture lie, for example) The truth is bad enough. The American people have allowed an awful lot of evil to take root here. Abortion alone is enough to condemn us. Why be evil to point out that there is evil? Not good.
I love my country - right or wrong. And she IS often wrong. Her PEOPLE are often wrong, and that is profoundly sad, because America does have a unique place in the world and God has given her unique responsibilities which she often fails to fulfill. But I guess you can call me a nationalist too, because I love her beauty, her nature, (which she did nothing to earn and is not unique). I love her amazing founding documents, her incredible history and ultimately, her people, flawed as we are. (BTW, I love the entire world as well, but have no problem seeing that some countries are more evil than others.) May God bless the United States of America! (SOON, please, Lord! SOON!)
@starzec: check out this website, one of many on the web about WWII. www.ww2airborne.net/463pfa. My husband fought in Bastogne.
The Belgians, on the whole, are very grateful to the U.S. for saving them from the Hitler regime. The webmaster of the above website is a Belgian, still living there.
“I suppose you could consider WW2 as a liberation effort but it really it an attempt to balance the power in Europe.”
“In balancing the power”,as you say, didn’t we save the Germans from a savage dictator? To name a couple, [Hitler and Mussalini] [yes, we ended up with E & W Germany] As my husband said, “nobody wins a war, everyone loses”. Yet we did stop Hitler/Mussalini. My English son-in-law’s father was in WWII and he said “they’d have gone under if it were not for the American intervention”. Do you realize how many American Soldier cemeteries are in Europe? Italy, France, Belgium, etc. Remember history is always changed in writing books. You definitely are anti-military and that is sad. I will agree that MISTAKES are made during a war, as in Vietnam, etc. but on the whole we did help these countries. Remember that in no country and in no religion is everything perfect. Humans are running this world of ours. Every President we have ever had, has made mistakes, every Pope we have ever had, has made mistakes. I shall always go back to what my business law teacher said in ninth grade “Don’t believe ‘everything’ you read and ‘half’ of what you see.”
I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT IT IS OUR MILITARY WHO KEEP US SAFE - REMEMBER IT IS THEY WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, NOT THE LEADERS OF THE COUNTRIES.
P.S. Why are there so many Muslims in our country now….weren’t here when I was young…..must be a reason.
P.S.S. In our country we supposedly have freedom, but not freedom of everything.. Humans are weak and if you gave them total freedom we’d have chaos. Just tell Obama to stay out of my kitchen. ;o)
Jack,
I don’t think Chesterton’s quip meant one should stop caring for a parent if they drink to excess, only that their caring should not blind them to the drunkeness.Just as we should love our country, but not blindly, ignoring its faults.
But you’re correct that pointing out faults exclusively, usually indicates an agenda separate from love.
@Kathleen,
You are exactly correct, and I didn’t really mean it that way. I mean that the interpretation of the quote is off based on the context. But it’s not at all unusual for me to communicate poorly, especially while doing other things and just “passing by”.
God bless Francis I!
@Starzac: I wrote you an answer but evidently the CR considered it spam. Never could understand them…
“Make no mistake, the US Military is not for “helping others”.
I do understand what the military is for. ‘It teaches young men to kill’. This remark was from my husband in WWII and from a young man who just left the Army. They know what it is all about and since you were also in the Service you do to. But the fact remains that the soldiers who fought so hard for our country did help get rid of Hitler/Mussalini and also helped Europe on the whole. Go on the internet and check WWW.463rd PFAB,101st Airborne, WWII. My husband fought in Bastogne and the webmaster, a young Belgian said that Belgium is still grateful to US for liberating them. My English son-in-law’s Dad was in WWII and he also stated to me that England would have been overtaken by the Nazi’s if it were not for the American soldiers. War is hell, nothing done during war is perfect and as my husband said again, “no one wins a war”. Now tell me why there are so many Mexicans and Muslims in the U.S. OUR FREEDOM. Not perfect but it is there and we fight for it. My immigrant Dad found out in the late 1800’s that our streets were not lined with gold, as they were told. That did not stop him or my mother from teaching us Patriotism and the love of this country. They, the immigrants of Ellis Island made this country, what is was. Countries make mistakes as in the Viet Nam war. That is life. So whatever the reasons were for WWII, we did liberate some of the people and I give our country and soldiers credit for that.
Wisdom is a most beautiful attribute and lovingly evinced in a lover of truth,whose words are like pearls around the neck of his beloved,the bride of Christ.
I’m surprised Mark Shea didn’t find a way to bash his favorite whipping boy, Fr. Corapi in this one. Read him elsewhere on the net. You’ll see. So little apparent regard for the weaknesses of others or even the supposed weaknesses of others. Just cheap shots and occasional clever comments to apparently loft his own ego to great heights above everyone else. And yet…. he retains a prominent position at National Catholic Register. I can understand the NC Reporter….but the Register? God have mercy. I pray that Mark returns to earth and learns to love his fellow brother and sister in Christ. If this post lasts longer than a minute, I can’t wait to see his “brilliance” in full condescension mode.
TJ: God bless you. Sorry I have offended you.
“his ‘brilliance’ in full condescension mode”.
Well stated and spot on.
Mark: God bless you. I’m sorry I’ve offended you as well.
Mr. Shea:
For what it may be worth, you haven’t offended me. I have reason to believe that those who say Mr. Limbaugh was being ironic (in a deliberate parody of Mrs. Obama) were telling the truth. Nevertheless, your remarks on nationalism and patriotism are valuable and ring true, even if your choice of examples was unfortunate. If you were inspired or incited by Mr. Limbaugh’s remark to write this piece, thinking that he meant it in earnest, I can only say, ‘Culpa felix.’
As for offending against Mr. Limbaugh by ‘cheap shots’ or ‘condescension’, what can I say? Rush is a big boy; he can take it as well as dish it out. The language you directed at him is certainly no worse than the Church Fathers used towards heretics, and sometimes towards one another, back in the heady days of the fourth and fifth centuries. I have sometimes known you to be really intemperate and insulting, Sir — I will not deny that — but this is not one of those times. It is not easy to remonstrate with those in error and yet not attack or antagonize them. On this occasion I believe you have walked that line well. May God continue to bless you with the discretion to do so.
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