''My friends, Lady Liberty deserves much better. Please, stand up for America. Teach your children. I've penned a Haiti relief song titled "Haiti Relief is Who We Are." Sadly, it is unique because it praises America rather than bashes her. My song celebrates the generosity and greatness of America. It is unfortunate that for these reasons, the song will be considered controversial. Nevertheless, I join with Ronald Reagan in seeing America as it truly is: "a shining city on a hill." I pray you will do the same.''
I struggled with whether or not to discuss this topic. Our Haitian neighbors are suffering tremendously. I am extremely proud and thank God that we, America, were first on the scene, doing what we always do: come to the rescue of people in need. I questioned, "Lloyd, are you making much ado about nothing?" Well, you be the judge.
I am confident that Indianapolis Colts football player Pierre Gar'on meant no disrespect to the USA when he waved the Haitian flag after the Colts' victory over the Jets in the AFC championship game. However, I must confess that it rubbed me the wrong way. Please, this is not a rebuke of the young, excited athlete. He simply wanted to give hope and a shout-out to his homeland. I only wish Gar'on had waved both flags: the Haitian flag and Old Glory.
Frankly, I feel that taking pride in being an American simply is not what it used to be. In his 1989 farewell speech, President Ronald Reagan expressed his concern that the kind of patriotism we grew up with was fading away. I call it "patriotism cooling." Reagan said that parents were questioning the necessity to teach their children about the greatness of America and the sacrifices which were made for the freedom and liberty we enjoy. Gar'on not even thinking to wave the U.S. flag is testimony of the "patriotism cooling" Reagan saw coming.
Unlike "global warming," "patriotism cooling" is real and extremely dangerous. In our schools, national pride is considered biased, ignorant, and rude. How dare we think of America as exceptional?! Our kids are no longer taught the incredible sacrifice our boys at Normandy made for freedom. I recently read that educators are pushing a new curriculum which would eliminate much of America's early history. The more ignorant our kids are of the value, the struggle, the uniqueness, and the price of freedom, the more passive they are when freedoms are systematically taken away. And yet, our schools are teaching songs about Barack Hussein Obama, mmm...mmm...mmm. http://www.newswithviews.com/Marcus/lloyd115.htm