This patriotic ad, in which Obama says he was raised with "values straight from the Kansas heartland," is a reminder of the resources Obama will be able to put behind telling his own story his way, centered on the "deep and abiding faith in the country I love."

Responsibility is a central theme of the biographical ad: His own bootstrap story and his support of policies including welfare-to-work. At the center of it is the Americanness of his life, and a tacit combat against this notion — perhaps the central challenge to his campaign — that he's "other." His foreign father isn't mentioned.

The release of this first general election ad — airing in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia — will also change the subject from campaign finance.

Ben Smith's Blog: Obama: 'Country I Love' - Politico.com

This is Obama's first "general" election advertisement

Don't forget this, Senator:

As if that is anything more than a piece of metal. True patriotism is lived, not worn. If you have to wear a cross to prove you are a Christian, you are a pretty weak Christian. If you have to wear a flag pin to prove you are an American, you are a pretty weak American.

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A true American will honor the American flag that many have given their lives to protect. They will also respect the fact that the majority of Americans feel the same as I do. Of course, we have the right to choose what we want to show respect for, regardles of other's opinions. That is the beauty of this country. I would just think that if someone was running for POTUS they would feel the same way.

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Barack Obama and his Associations - A Question of Judgement & Character

Wearing it is not a requirement, and not holding your hand over your heart during the anthem ONE TIME does not make you unpatriotic. I have full pride in the military, but I'm not going to wear a flag. I believe in this country and the core values, but I'm not going to wear a flag. I am an American because I value, exercise, and defend the American system, not because of some pin some company in China is MASS PRODUCING to export to the US to make more money off of us.

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You obviously are missing the point. It's about honoring your country's flag, not disrespecting it. What you are giving are excuses for NOT honoring it.

Listen to Obama's excuse and it is very similiar to what you have commented:


His rationale is that he won't wear a symbol of this great country because he doesn't need to in order to show his patriotism. And then again, him wearing the flag pin depends who he is pandering to in order to get some votes:



How far will Obama's supporters blind loyalty take them? The writing is on the wall, yet they refuse to read it. Seems like they suffer from PBSD.

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Barack Obama and his Associations - A Question of Judgement & Character

NO, you would be missing the point. How someone chooses to honor the flag and/or their commitment to it is a private matter, much like one's religion.
There is no law or expectation to wearing a flag pin or placing your hand over your heart.....as usual, your team blows everything out of proportion....but when it comes down to your own accountability, you have excuses upon excuses, why you should be excused. Such hypocrites.

American Flag: The Right to Burn - Associated Content
"Burning the American flag is positively constitutional. Not only is it a right guaranteed by the First Amendment, it is one of the very rights that the founders intended to preserve when creating the laws for this nation. America could not have been formed without the banning, burning and dumping of many symbols of the British Empire, such as the British flag. Had we not discarded the image of the British flag, the American flag would have never been created in the first place.

The United States government is designed to evolve with the changing times, be they timely and evolutionary or rapid and revolutionary. The rapid times often test the validity of a governmental structure. If citizens of a democracy lose their voice during a radical time in the nation or world, the democracy will fail. Often, the government, in desperation, will overlook the general opinion of the public. Flag burning is one way to reclaim their attention, to bring forth a serious realization that the people think that whatever the government is doing is wrong and/or unjustifiable.

Flag burning also offers a form of attention to the minority, as exemplified in the Johnson (Texas v. Johnson) case. Although Johnson was a Communist in the United States and therefore a minority, he still had every right guaranteed to him by the Constitution, regardless of his lack of confidence in the document. "


Flag Burning: Desecrate, Burn the American Flag Online
Being a true American...
...is about the ideals you live, not the team you root for. One of the most American values is the right of the people to criticize their government--to challenge it, and to replace it if we wish. Our nation was founded by people acting on those rights. Burning the flag can symbolize that right of the people to own their government.

The goal of this page is not to promote any one interpretation of the flag (or its burning). The only promotion is of free speech and sharp debate. Defending the right to burn a flag does not imply disrespect for those who see the flag as a symbol of the people rather than the government. To the contrary, the point is that all people have a right to their own interpretations, and to act on those beliefs. The point is individual liberty."

If I had a flag to burn, I would have burned it the day Bush took office in 2001, and 2005. I would have burned it the day we invaded Iraq. I would have burned it when we reached 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Americans dead by the Iraq War. I would have burned it, when Atty. Gen Gonzales testified before Congress, and repeated the words, "I don't know".
I would burn it every time someone makes an issue of Obama's race, in his presidential run. It's protest...a right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, and says nothing about one's patriotism or the lack of it.
You are hardly in a position to question anyone....is there anyone who will vouch for you and your patriotism, other than your mother?

The Presidency of this country is not a private matter, unlike how many wish it would be. People who represent this country should be respectful to it's flag and afford it the respect it deserves. There are many troops that have served and died in its honor...let's not forget what it stands for.

In my previous post I linked two you tube clips. In one video clip Obama says he won't wear the flag pin...in the other video clip Obama puts one on a flag pin. You don't need much intelligence to figure that one out. Obama is the hypocrite with every excuse in the book. He will not be getting my vote.

It's all part of the Obama Madness that has been spreading in this country under the umbrella of change. Yes, Obama offers change...the ability to change his mind when he chooses. \

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Barack Obama and his Associations - A Question of Judgement & Character

Being a citizen and an American eligible to vote, I CAN question Obama or any of the candidates that I chose to question. That is what this forum is for. Poitical and social debate and discussion. I will not comment on the rest of your post, since it is the same rhetoric I have heard from you and others regarding the "right" to burn the American flag. But I will comment on this one part in the hopes that you will chill.

Why are you bringing my mother into this discussion? Is this a way that you feel you can provoke another into flaming?? It is immature and inappropriate. Stop with the trollish behavior and follow the rules. You need to stop with this personal bullshit that you have been spewing towards me this past week. Whatever issues you may have in your personal life you need to deal before you start posting here. I generally ignore your insults and your baiting and address the issue at hand, but you make that very difficult with your tangents and off topic posts.

Maybe what you need is a moderator to step in occasionally in order to remind you of what civility means in this forum. This way I won't have to respond to you again in this manner. I'd hate to be lumped into an "all inclusive" warning.

By the way, I served my country honorably so there is NO need to question about my patriotism or my loyalty.

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Barack Obama and his Associations - A Question of Judgement & Character