Sunday, February 22, 2009

"I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandie, Yankee Doodle, do or die; Born on the 4th of July...!"

A lot has happened since my last post.

The “unthinkable” happened, Obama was elected, woe to the public school system in the last few decades who founded, for the most part, his constituency. Our founding fathers warned their descendents that two things were required in order to retain what, in effect, was a political miracle in world history, a free republic based on the human dignity of each individual; an educated populace and a consensus of morality based on the Natural Law, ordained by the Creator, God.

Both of these requirements have systematically been driven out of our public consciousness. There are, of course, many dedicated, well intentioned, teachers, but they have essentially been held hostage on the Titanic as it merrily heads toward disaster.

Americans, who are not euphoric eunuchs of Obama, have a seriously uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomachs. Are we on the edge of something dire? The new man added to the roster on Fox News, Glen Beck, even had a show this week on different catastrophic scenarios across America should one of several forms of tyranny converge on its citizens.

While running errands this weekend, I was listening to a weekly radio show called “Around the House.” The host answers any question from how to fix a broken toilet to how to discourage wasps in your attic. This week he did something a little out of the ordinary.

He, like many others, suffers from a sense of discomfort, anxiety, about the future of our great country. Making every attempt not to politicize a home improvement show, never the less, he had to make a comment about the attitude of the new administration toward its own citizens.

Most recently, our new Attorney General, Eric Holder, who has his own checkered past in regard to courageous stands against the unethical, ie., the Marc Rich pardon, commented that Americans are essentially “a nation of cowards.”

Beautiful! I’m sure our nation’s enemies were elated, what a propaganda tool! It’s a little reminiscent of Michelle Obama’s comments during the campaign about “finally being proud of her country.” The current administration reeks of this condescending attitude toward ordinary Americans.

Mr. “home improvement” put it very simply…”we are Yanks!” We can solve any problem. Where is the God given faith in the principles, the virtues, the courage, the “can do” attitude that has always characterized our view of ourselves?

It hit me. Obama, and his crew of self-congratulatory elitists, have absolutely no sense of being “Yankees” at all. They have no pride, no confidence in the bare bones; gut level, “exceptionalism” of the American experiment. They might as well be a bunch of Frenchmen at the rudder of State!

The term “Yankee” reminds me of a 1964 movie starring James Garner and Julie Andrews, “The Americanization of Emily,” a comedy, about an American Naval Officer who upsets the English sensibilities of a WWII widow, during the time frame of Normandy. It is a funny love story, Garner was at his best. During the movie Julie Andrews, initially repelled by Garner’s shocking “Yankee ways,” eventually falls in love with his true “manliness,” demonstrated through a deep seated and intractable courage and optimism. She soon realizes there is much more to this American than his love of Hershey Bars!

The term “Yankee” has evolved and no one is certain of its origin. The British used it derogatorily against Americans in 1775 after the Battle of Concord and during the Civil War, it took on a distinctly Union flavor, but by the time of WWII, Americans had positively internalized the term to embrace all that makes the United States of America a uniquely noble adventure, imbued with God’s grace, destined for His favor.

Political correctness has stripped us of this little symbol of our heritage, our vocation.

I’m with the weekly host of our local home improvement show. We are Yankees! No one, not even a misguided group of “Washingtonians” will take that away. We mere ordinary citizens, the ones who give our blood, sweat and tears, everyday to make this country work, will take back the dignity and patriotism, bequeathed to us by our founding fathers.

It shall not parish from the earth as long as one brave heart stands up for God and country!

America will come back to its senses, because truth is “getting its boots on,” lest the world underestimate the Spirit which animates this gentle Lion!

God Bless America, may each one of us work every day to revive the truth which underlies her patriotism!

Go rent "The Americanization of Emily!"