What does it mean to love America?
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani professes that he loves America while he proclaims that President Barack Obama does not. But what is it about America that Giuliani loves? He doesn't seem to love our president or other American politicians who disagree with him.
Can you love America without loving the American people? Loving and caring for the American people is more meaningful, and certainly more measurable, than just saying that you love America. After all, we the people are America.
There are many ways that we can show our love for our fellow Americans, and thus, America. For example, we care about the people we love, we look out for them and we make decisions that benefit the people we love.
America, as we know it today, was founded by immigrants who were seeking freedom, equal rights and opportunity. Immigration continues today, but not with the open arms that once greeted everyone. It is difficult to understand the history of America without understanding and appreciating how immigrants contributed to what America is, and stands for, today.
Obama has demonstrated his love of the American people by trying to provide all Americans with health care coverage, by trying to help our children attend and graduate from college and by trying to ensure that all mothers are able to secure good prenatal care for their unborn children, as well as affordable daycare for their young children. His commitment to serving the community in which he lived, his piece of America, started in Chicago, where he advocated for the needs of his neighbors. This service expanded in the Senate, where he served the people of Illinois, and continued as President of the United States, where he continues to advocate for all Americans, not just those who are rich and powerful.
Obama has tried his best to keep Americans safe and out of unnecessary wars that have recently killed thousands of Americans and wounded, physically and psychologically, tens of thousands more. Some call his hesitation to engage our nation in more wars as a sign of weakness. I call it strength and refreshing. Also, considering the long list of unintended consequences of our most recent wars, his reluctance is also smart.
To love America one must love all Americans. This includes males and females equally, straight and gay equally and those of all religions equally. Obama demonstrates his love for all Americans by advocating for equal rights and equal pay for all, by standing up for Americans who are different from the majority Americans and for refusing to put his own Christian faith above the faith of other Americans. These are American values outlined and protected by our American Constitution.
Loving America is sometimes challenging when considering our history of segregation and racism, of hanging and burning alive African Americans and Hispanics, of secret wars abroad, of using torture and detaining people without due process and other international crimes committed by our government throughout our history. Loving America without acknowledging our past mistakes and sins is a blind love that does not make our nation stronger, but guarantees that we will repeat the same mistakes in the future.
Loving America includes taking care of our land, our water and our forests, even when that means standing up to big oil and gas companies that pour millions of dollars into your next campaign, but may not have the health and well-being of Americans in mind. It means investing in America's infrastructure, our courts and our democracy.
Loving America means protecting the weak as well as the strong. It means investing in America's future by investing in America's children with quality schools, preschool and after-school programs, and health care.
Some people talk a good story about their values and their patriotism. But I judge people by their behavior, not by what they say. By this measure, Obama stands tall for his love of his nation as clearly demonstrated by his concern for all Americans.
Tom Zirpoli writes from Westminster. His column appears Wednesdays. Email him at tzirpoli@mcdaniel.edu.
