Are you a patriot?
Take this simple test on July 4th
Jeffrey Denny
Some Americans declare they’re more patriotic than other Americans they hate.
If you wonder about your patriotism, ask yourself these questions:
Do you love minority rule?
Even as you declare you love democracy?
Do you love how your Trump high court — on the same day! — overturned Roe v. Wade to let government you hate dictate reproduction and let any numbskull carry a gun in public to kill as they dictate? Both trumping the vast majority of Americans and winning the landmark case of Unborn v. Born?
Do you still love Donald Trump?
Would you reelect him again?
In spite of Trump’s high crimes and misdemeanors, inciting insurrection, inspiring hate and bigotry, dividing the country for his personal power and glory, killing his loyal followers with his Covid denial, and altogether disastrous presidency, disgrace to the office, and damage to our democracy?
Do you still swallow Trump’s Big Lie?
Even though it’s complete “bullshit,” as Trump’s attorney general, his daughter, Republican states and courts, independently verified numbers, and every patriot and sentient mammal around Trump told him?
And Trump certainly knew but still denies due to his narcissism and/or grifting opportunities?
Do you share the rationale of the New Mexico county commissioner and head of “Cowboys for Trump” when he refused to certify a recent primary vote count?
He said, “My vote to remain a no isn’t based on any evidence, it’s not based on any facts, it’s only based on my gut feeling and my own intuition, and that’s all I need.”
You good with that?
Do you sense that going mostly on “gut feeling” would be disastrous in every other aspect of your life?
Like your job, business or household budget?
Wouldn’t you hate if a doctor’s gut sense trumped the factual medical evidence and caused a loved one to painfully suffer a needless early death? Like Covid-denying internet medical “experts” did?
Do you believe the brutal J6 riot attack on the U.S. Capitol and Blue Lives slipping in blood was “legitimate public discourse”?
Like the Republican National Committee platform says?
Would you also defend the peaceful BLM protests? Or regurgitate your “news” feed spinning and cherry-picking how BLM was worse?
Do you not care about Mike Pence — Trump’s own vice president and also a human being?
And how the violent J6 mob, incited by Trump, erected a scaffold and chanted “Hang Mike Pence!”, tried to hunt him down, and got within 40 feet of Pence before he and his family narrowly escaped?
All while Trump sat safely and smugly in the White House watching his MAGA riot on TV and said maybe Pence deserved hanging for being more loyal to the Constitution than him?
Do you have any reasonable way to ignore or defend this? Other than what your shameless media says to say?
Are you really Christian?
Pence is. He and his staff traded Bible passages while Trump sent his goons to chase down his vice president and family.
If you call yourself a Christian, declare you love God and Jesus, and send thoughts and prayers on your social media, then can you explain how you support the godless Trump after he put Pence and his family in grave danger? Feel free to use your own words.
Do you agree with House Judiciary Committee Republicans that tweeted how the J6 hearings are “All. Old. News.”?
Do you ignore or defend the J6 real and present danger of domestic terrorism and conspiracy to overthrow our government? While demanding that government authorities who you hate get to the bottom of Hunter Biden’s laptop, Hillary’s emails, Benghazi, 2020 election fraud, Democrat pedophilia and other fake conspiracies you believe and spread?
Do you agree with Tucker Carlson that the J6 hearings are “Unedited campaign propaganda supported by the Democratic Party,” and a “show trial”?
Do you not realize or care that Carlson and ilk are feeding your ignorance and hates for ratings and riches? And it’s not real, just entertainment, as Fox testified?
This assumes you’re smarter than the libs you declare are stupid.
Do you not give an damn if Trump committed crimes?
Do you think Trump is above the law because the law is “liberal”?
Whatever Trump is accused of, do you think it’s just the Deep State, elite Socialist Democrats, the mainstream media, Hollywood, George Soros, and other enemies of the state that are out to get him?
Do you side even a little with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin?
Do you not care about Putin’s dead and devastated in Ukraine? Or his hacking of the 2016 election for Trump? Do you defend Putin because Trump and his media did?
Do you ever repeat what Trump and his media say?
Do you base your views on your own knowledge, experience and objective evidence and facts? Or are you just re-bleating your media feed and gut feeling, and it’s all you need, and defend that by saying the libs do it?
If you “think for yourself” how are your beliefs different from your media feed? Do you ever question your beliefs?
Are you grasping for any ways to defend Trump?
Are you willing to discard your decent American values to follow a proven fraud who notoriously uses and screws anyone who believes in him?
You’re smart. Do you ever feel even a little bit played?
Have you ever spread hate, harassment, death threats or misinformation about innocent 2020 poll workers and election officials?
Even if not, do you not care about the Trump trolls who did? And the lives they ruined?
Bonus question
When your defense of whatever Trump does is challenged by reasonable Americans, do you default to deflection, diversion, re-bleating Trump media talking points or memes, or whatabouting how the Democrats are worse as if you should emulate them?
As red-baiting Republican Joe McCarthy was asked, have you no sense of decency, at long last?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you might wish to think about your patriotism.
You may not be a bigger patriot than your fellow Americans you hate.
And you might not have the privilege to salute our flag on the Fourth of July. Traitors don’t.
Jeffrey Denny is a Washington writer.
