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Posted by on Sep 21, 2014 in Blog, Politics | 14 comments

Nearly Half of All Americans are Traitors

 

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Much like religion, nationalism has caused far more harm than good.

 

Nationalism is a scourge.  Should you doubt this, look at its grisly record.

In its very worst forms, nationalism has triggered countless international conflicts senselessly costing tens of millions of lives.  Nationalism has pillaged immeasurable natural resources from our lands and plundered federal treasuries.  Nationalism has fortified our most sinister and self-destructive racial and ethnic divisions.  Nationalism has provoked bombings, justified invasions, and been used to rationalize longstanding occupations which enslaved and exploited those who were conquered.  In short, throughout human history — much like religion — nationalism has caused far more harm than good.

Yet, much like the sword, nationalism cuts sharply both ways.  When harnessed constructively, nationalism has been used for much greater common purposes.  Nationalism has rallied ordinary people to do extraordinary things.  Nationalism has aided significantly in defeating terrible foes, both at home and abroad.  It’s instilled a widespread devotion to collective interests as opposed to self-centered individualism.  On occasion, nationalism in its various forms — community pride, allegiance to country, flag-waving patriotism — has served societies well, especially in tough times.

Oddly enough, many of the kinds of people we peg most strongly with possessing nationalistic tendencies now brazenly insist they want to break away from the United States of America.  That’s right.  A sizable number of people in this country, including many self-described patriots, would be in favor of giving our nation a long wave goodbye, followed by the middle finger.  And who says breaking up is hard to do?

What other way is there to explain a stunning recent poll, where nearly 25 percent of all Americans either “strongly support” or “tend to support” their state breaking away from the USA?  Take a moment.  Let that sink in.  One out of every four American adults living right now in the year 2014 supports the aftershock of what would be a modern Civil War.  Even more alarming — the same poll conducted by Reuters this past month, which included more than 8,000 Americans from all over the country, didn’t necessarily conclude that the remaining three-quarters of the population opposes the notion.  In fact, the actual percentage which would categorically reject their state’s secession from the union was only 53 percent, which leaves about 28 percent of Americans positioned somewhere in the middle on this question.  The bottom line is — 47 percent of this nation would at least consider the notion of secession.

There are a number of explanations for this.  Political scientists and social commentators might correctly point out that we remain a melting pot of immigrants.  Modern technologies have rendered boundaries far less important than they once were.  Then, there’s the rage factor.

Many people are simply frustrated with the direction of the country and have few outlets to express their outrage.  This all contributes to the stratification of allegiances.  But it’s one thing to burn flags or start riots when you’re unhappy with the current system.  It’s quite another to openly profess to abandon one’s country and no longer wanting to be a part of what’s been called “The American Experience.”

Actually, this is a staggering indictment that exposes the myth that America is comprised of the “United States.”  Fact is, we aren’t united at all as a people.  Not in any way — not by race, not by class, not by geography, or not by belief.  Not when nearly half the adult population fails to instantly repudiate the notion of going off starting another country somewhere else.

Never mind that if this measure ever went to an actual popular vote, as so happened earlier this week in Scotland in its referendum on the remaining part of England, most of these floundering secession initiatives would fail miserably.  However, most who say one thing and then do another — in other words, voting the other way — wouldn’t do so out of a rediscovered allegiance to Old Glory.  Rather, they’d be tempted to stay and work within the system wanting to avoid the fear of the unknown.  Like the insubordinate teen complaining about the parents’ house rules, once they contemplate what it’s really like to leave and live on their own, that musty rent-free downstairs basement starts looking pretty good once again.

Here’s another interpretation of what those shocking poll numbers really mean.  Try this on for size:  Nearly half of the American people are traitors.  Plain and simple.  That 47 percent of more than 8,000 adults randomly polled would flirt with the idea of abandoning their own nation, its laws, its traditions, and way of life smacks of a domestic insurrection that’s not only reckless but subversive.

So, who exactly are these people who want to leave America and start their own countries?  Anarchists?  Leftist revolutionaries?  The Black Panthers?  Who are these unpatriotic traitors?  Take a wild guess.

Surprise!

They’re mostly right-wing conservatives.  Tea Party types, or what’s left of that movement.  Take a look at the places where actual secession talk is loudest and strongest.  It’s in three states — Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.  An astonishing 34 percent of those polled in those three states want to leave the USA outright and start another nation.  That’s more than one in three people!  Support for this bizarre idea was second highest in the Rocky Mountain states.  The South also supported secession in greater numbers than the national average.  Regions, where support for secession was lowest, included New England and the upper American Midwest.  Translation:  Residents of states which are conservative are far more likely to favor secession from the United States than residents of states which are more liberal.

Aside from how bat shit crazy some of these people are, what troubles me most is the hypocrisy.  It’s mind-boggling to hear all the dribble coming from the political right, who so often in the past have ripped those on the political left who for decades protested America’s policies — whether the issue was the Vietnam War during the 1960s and 1970s or the inherent corruption of Wall Street today.  Yet for all the radical ways of the left for so many years, I don’t ever recall seeing any substantive movement to start another country and abandon the U.S. Constitution.  At least for now, that dangerous territory seems to be the exclusive domain of conservatives.

READ MORE ON THE POLL HERE

If the notion of secession tempts you, consider the dangerous philosophical territory onto which you are now treading.  You can’t have it both ways.  You can’t be a proud American and then say you want to break away and start another country.  You can’t pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and revere for what it stands, and then eye another cloth mistress of different colors with an unknown political principle.

If an American citizen openly insists they favor secession, that’s fine so long as there’s some ideological consistency.  If that’s the case, then from that point forward don’t call yourself an American any longer.  Because you aren’t.  The fact is, you’re a traitor.

14 Comments

  1. Traitor … such a strong word. Patrick Henry … traitor. So many others. And who is the Patriot? Who is true to the dream part of the American Experiment?

    Sovereign States “united” to make sure no “national” government would ever become so powerful that their “independence” would be compromised.

    Nolan, you seem somewhat blinded by one “side” of any discussion of whether this wonderful country has been so “progressive” that there is no room for dissent.

    You seem delighted with the notion that anyone who is not in agreement with your idea of “progressive” government is a traitor. The United States of America is not moving in a direction that almost a majority feel is reasonable or to their liking.

    Maybe the threat of “revolution” by Patriots of the American Dream might turn the tide. Those of us that want less “one size fits all” might be on to something quintessentially “American”. We want you to be more free to do what you want to do but we want “you” to stop telling us what to do.

    It is as simple as that.

    • Nolan Replies: Thanks for responding. Either I communicated poorly, or I’m being misunderstood here. I don’t see any inference in my essay that what you suggest above is true, particularly the line that *anyone who is not in agreement with your idea of ‘progressive’ government is a traitor.”

      I can’t find anything in my text that makes that point, so let me reiterate.

      What’s puzzling is how so many self-described patriots and flag-wavers (mostly conservatives) actually FAVOR secession. Unless you think the data is bogus, then you have to scratch your head and ask some questions of a movement that claims to love America and yet at the same time seeks to abandon it and start another nation. You can’t be both a loyalist and a secessionist. The two are contradictory.

      — Nolan

      • I thought you were very clear, Nolan. You are unhappy that those traitors (clearly identified) are indeed a scourge. I know what happens to traitors (like Patrick Henry) when brought to justice.

        It is clear, to me, that you are happy with your stereotyping. I do not favor secession for any state of the United States of America, but I understand the frustration of those Tea Party Types that are unhappy.

        I am a classical liberal and am quite sorry that the term “liberal” has come to mean something quite different.

        States that speak of secession want more freedom from a federal government that they feel has too much power.

        Less federal government does not mean no federal government until there is “too much” federal government. Straw men do not carry their weight in such discussions.

        I think you were perfectly clear when you characterize those Tea Party Types as traitors, especially if they live in the South or the Southwest. Areas where freedom is NOT just another word.

        Your concern for corruption on Wall Street is commendable. That corruption is real but it built the country. The corruption of the federal government is also real. However, if we pass the tipping point, it is the type of corruption that takes a revolution to start over again.

        When in the course of human events …

        • Conservatives are traitors. Their ultimate goal is to turn our democratic government in to an aristocracy. And, not to repeat myself too much, they twist facts and people actually believe them. The general population believes that Republicans are better for business and our economy. This is not true by any stretch of the imagination. It is about time for democrats to start fighting back against the falasies and myths that the GOP have fabricated. For example:

          Personal disposable income has grown nearly 6 times more under Democratic presidents

          Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown 7 times more under Democratic presidents

          Corporate profits have grown over 16% more per year under Democratic presidents (they actually declined under Republicans by an average of 4.53%/year)

          Average annual compound return on the stock market has been 18 times greater under Democratic presidents (If you invested $100k for 40 years of Republican administrations you had $126k at the end, if you invested $100k for 40 years of Democrat administrations you had $3.9M at the end)

          Republican presidents added 2.5 times more to the national debt than Democratic presidents

          The two times the economy steered into the ditch (Great Depression and Great Recession) were during Republican, laissez faire administrations

          As for Obama ruining our country… Here are some more facts:

          “Obama at this time would rank on par with Reagan

          Corporate profits have risen under Obama more than any other president

          The stock market has soared 14.72%/year under Obama, second only to Clinton — which should be a big deal since 2/3 of people (not just the upper class) have a 401K or similar investment vehicle dependent upon corporate profits and stock market performance”

          As to the challenging Republican party’s platform, Mr. Goldfarb commented:

          “The platform is the inverse of what has actually worked to stimulate economic growth

          The recommended platform tax policy is bad for velocity, and will stagnate the economy

          Repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) will have a negative economic impact because it will force non-wealthy individuals to spend a higher percentage of income on health care rather than expansionary products and services

          Economic disaster happens in America when wealth is concentrated at the top, and we are at an all time high for wealth concentration.

          There is nothing in the platform which addresses this issue.”

          The point here is that these conservatives who are not in the narrow elite do not have the correct and informed information to hold the opinions they do which is direct deceit by the party they stand behind.

          Everyone has the right to their own opinions, but no one has the right to their own facts.

    • Patrick Henry was talking about being free from aristocracy.

      He said “The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone.It is to the Vigilant, the active, the brave.”

      He said, “There is no retreat but in submission and slavery. Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston.”

      He said, “Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentleman wish? What will they have? Is life so dear and peace so sweet to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it oh mighty God. I know not what course others may take. but as for me! Give me liberty or give me death!

      Our battle to keep our democratic government that we hold so dear is being lost by the masses that refuse to get off of Facebook and pay attention. By the masses that believe everything they hear just because it is easier than researching to find their own voice.

      We are at war! With the narrow elite who’s goal is to keep us as mere peasants with no opinions of our own while they live on the mountain tops and rule as kings.

      It is sad that the majority is so blinded by technology and devices and TV that tell them what to believe that they can’t see that our freedom is being lost. Our democracy is faltering. It takes a nation to make democracy work but there are only a handful that choose to think… Think rationally… Think logically… Think consciously. We can not do this on our own! We need everyone to wake up and realize what is happening… See the truth… And stand up for our liberty! As a united front against the elites that are successfully dumbimg us down and easily stealing our freedom right from underneath us. Its time to get off of our asses, realize who we are truly fighting against, and fight for our way of life.

    • “Patriots Of The American Dream”. I like that.

      I wonder if We could ever arrive at a broad spectrum consensus of what the “American Dream” should be?

  2. Here’s my take on this. It all boils down to traitors via ignorance.

    The bottom feeder conservatives do not know what it actually means to be a conservative or its history, and liberals are so lost in the rhetoric of the conservatives who have literally changed the English language, that they have nothing to say that can jump ahead of the brainwashing of the conservative party.

    Early public relations texts were quite openly conservative, and public relations practitioners openly affirmed that their profession existed to manipulate the common people psychologically in order to ensure the domination of society by a narrow elite. Conservatism is aristocracy.

    The whole goal is to maintain social order and keep us little people from rational, logical, and conscious thought. They do this by attempting to keep us uneducated and by keeping us confused with their rhetoric by using think tanks to reinvent the English language and convince us we agree with them while discrediting the democratic party by manipulating people in to believing that the democrats are the elitists and aristocrats.

    Liberals have no defense against this because democracy is in its infancy and as such, we are naive and believe that if we tell the truth and move on, it’s over, while aristocracy has had thousands of years to perfect their deception to maintain their hierarchy with relentless attack after attack, slowly convincing us all that liberals are bad and conservatives are good.

    People do not educate themselves… Hell, most Americans believe that our founding fathers were actually trying to create a democratic society, when in reality, they, themselves were trying to become aristocrats.

    Thankfully, and to the utter disappointment of our foumding fathers, the constitution was written in a way that made a democratic society possible.

    Liberal used to mean free of aristocracy. But, the conservatives have brilliantly changed the definition of a glorious word to a negative one meaning free of government, which induces cringes at the very sound of this once beautiful word.

    They have also changed the definition of another very important word… Entitled. This word used to refer to the elite that felt that they deserved privileges because of their title. Through their rhetoric, they have changed this definition for the majority of Americans to refer to the people on welfare and social security. It’s kind of brilliant that through simple mind games and word play, they can convince a nation to be subject to a hierarchy and controlled by the elite without them even realizing it. I have to give them that.

    I think it is a little humorous that the nature of conservatism is, by definition, the exact oposite of democracy, yet no republican has caught on to that tiny, little fact… At least not the ones beneath the elite anyway.

    So through this deception people are convinced that liberals are ruining their democratic society upon which their country was founded and they must rebel against the controling arm of the liberals and follow the conservatives to freedom by creating their own little conservative countries.

    Education and a genuine care for your freedom is all that is needed to fix this little issue… But good luck with that one.

    • Nolan Replies: Thanks for contributing, Stephy. If you keep on posting thoughtful prose like this, I shall owe you two bottles of expensive vodka.

      — Nolan

      • I only post once a year or so to give everyone an opportunity to feel special and intelligent. 🙂

      • But… For more vodka and positive comments from my friend and a man that I happen to hold in the highest regard… Maybe two this year. 🙂 Hahaha

  3. None of this disatisfaction by the Right makes any sense. President Obama has been a uniter not a divider.

    He has bridged the racial divide with his careful responses to racial incidents. He has delivered on his unique position to address racial issues. Think Trayvon Martin embraced as a son..

    He has embraced the middle class by providing a solid jobs program. Savers already have money so near 0% interest rates don’t hurt them. Think the shovel ready programs and money printing at reasonable levels.

    He has been entirely truthful with the American people. Being granted the “Lie of the year” award was not justified about the ACA because it was for our own good.

    Confusion reigns on the Right and this well written blog post by ND provides a good explanation. I would dispute the conclusion that the Right are traitors. I think ND has that fine point backwards.

  4. I especially enjoyed the sentence: “You can’t pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and revere for what it stands, and then eye another cloth mistress of different colors with an unknown political principium.”

    I have never thought of The American Flag as a “cloth mistress” and “what it stands for” does not inspire “reverence”…not entirely…unless the “standing” is the holding up of Our Best Potential as a nation and People…above the muck of present reality.

    And I now have a new word in my humble vocabulary. “Principium” rolls off the tongue nicely and succinctly.

    Actually the phrase “…unknown political principium.” stirs my mind with a sense of adventure into the realm of Possibility and Potential, for Better and More. There are political “ways” We haven’t tried yet. Maybe in time, We The People will bring them forth.

    Individuals will build the most splendid Unity For Good. All We have to do is Our Part.

    I have entertained the notion of “secession”. But then I remember that the so called Unity of Our Sovereign Nation, needing improvement, in quality, that it does, is what has kept enemies from Our Lands…starting with the English Empire. (But I duly note the exception to this strength of unity in the historical event of the British reaching Washington D.C. in 1812…other than that Our “Unity” has served Us pretty well.)

    While Our Nation is guilty of many wrongs, it is also the achiever of many rights. I would dislike “throwing out the baby with the bath”. Better to pour off the soiled waters from the New Nation and rinse it in Our Best Clean Spirit. The Good Spirit For Many, hinted at by some of Our Founding Fathers.

    If We don’t fragment, We stand a better chance of achieving Our Great Potentials as a Wonderful Nation Of Earth…the setter of the best national example. A Good kind of leadership, that.

  5. You lost all credibility the moment you claimed Scotland was holding a referendum on seceding from England. Scotland isn’t part of England, it’s a country. It has its own legal, health and education systems. Scotland is part of the United Kingdom (as is England).

    In fact, there are two additional countries in the UK which aren’t part of England (both of which have their own devolved governance, eg, Northern Ireland and Wales) – collectively, these countries amount to a population of 8 million people, or the size of New York.

    For further clarification, ‘Great Britain’ isn’t the same as ‘the United Kingdom’ either; ‘Great Britain’ refers to an Island comprising England, Wales and Scotland. Ireland is a separate island, consisting of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

    • NOLAN REPLIES:

      Thanks for the comment and clarification. My writing was a bit sloppy. Your setting the record straight on Wales-Scotland is appreciated.

      Credibility shattered, I remain,

      — Nolan Dalla

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