Do we live in an America that one must "Love or Leave?" Do we live in an America where one can express thoughts, though not agreed with? And does not agreeing indicate that one does not love America?

I roam about on the blogs and invariably I read (mostly from the right) something like this, "If you feel that way then you are supporting the terrorists and you should pack up and leave this country!" Some may even be sarcastically nice about it with something like, "Would you kindly leave my country?"

What they are really saying is that if you don’t agree with them, you are wrong and don’t deserve to live or, at least, live in this country. Okay, they have the right to feel and say what they like. Why can’t they accept that I have a right to say something they don’t like and I am still an American and I still love my country?

They explain (and I realize I’m speaking for a group I can’t agree with) that there are qualifications for living in this country AND for loving this country. Those qualifications go something like this.

1) You must embrace the President and support his efforts.
2) If the President is a Democrat, you must ridicule him his party and everything they do, hound him the entire time he is in office, impeach him for lying about sex and defend a Republican for lying about everything.
3) You must Chant the Rant. There are several of these ranging from "Clinton is a murderer and an adulterer," "Flip Flopper" to "Carter caused inflation". Other rants will appear from time to time, especially during elections, and must be repeated with all your heart. A rant is never longer than a bumper sticker and always easy to learn.
4) Never try to verify history as told by us. Believe in what we say is true. Repeat it as often and as loud as necessary to drown out those who oppose you.
5) A "Values" voter is one who believes in God, believes in the power of Democracy to civilize the world, is pro-life, owns a gun and worships on Sundays.
6) We defend the Freedom of Speech, unless someone uses that freedom to express ideas we don’t like.
7) We defend the Freedom of the Press explicitly called for in the Constitution; unless we find it insulting, pornographic or unpleasant.
8) We defend the Freedom of Religion; unless that religion argues that there is more than one god, allows gays and or the teaching of evolution or science.
9) Anyone who does not agree with all of the above does not love this country.
10) Anyone who does not love this country is a leftist extremist and must leave.

I take some writer’s liberty to make the point, but the thought is essentially expressed. It gives one pause. Basically they are saying that an American is only an American if they are defined as only they define them. No one else should be allowed.

Tolerance is not high on their list of what is right. Of course they claim tolerance by saying they put up with "Liberals," (all the time using the word liberal as an expletive). Apparently, not killing people is also an example of tolerance. And this is all the while claiming to be Christians, a faith expressed by love of their fellow man. I don’t want this to be a discussion about religion. I just use that as an example of hypocrisy.

If "They" (the far right) are that hypocritical, imagine how their political views may be strongly radical. This swing towards radicalism has been going on for so long, that what is called "Moderate" today is still right of center politically. I give you Senator John McCain as an example. Another example is Senator Gordon Smith. Both claim to be moderates but have voted with Bush in perfect lock step loyalty.

There is one other thing the far right has been successful in doing. Making the press pull to the right. Apparently, their strategy of ridiculing and calling the main stream media the "Liberal Media" has had the effect they want. Most news stories are right leaning. Most talk programs are right leaning. Most of both barely offer any time to liberal ideas or reasons. When some news program does offer a truly fair and balanced view, like The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, the right feels the need to "correct" that leaning and pull them back to where they want the center to be. That center is right shifted.

This is a difficult time to be an American. With the pressure to be the type of American the right wants one to be, those who don’t follow suffer the verbal abuse I have outlined above. Liberal, progressive ideas are ridiculed and condemned. But here is the strange reality! When the public is presented with an idea and not told where the idea comes from, they will mostly choose the liberal, progressive ideas. That is how Social Security got protected. That is why most people feel the health care should be a right and not a privilege of the well off. Those are just two simple examples.

I am an American. I love my country. I have served my country. Look at the people today espousing radical right ideas and see how many have served. You may be surprised to find the loudest have not served at all.

The People see. The People understand and will only put up with so much. Then we will see who are the REAL Americans.

That’s, As I see it . . .