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Registered User
Currently Offline
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Posts: 264
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Well, I thought the whole planting oneself thing was a bit much, but other than that- I totally agree.
I've always liked Cap because he isn't a blind nationalist like John Walker. He tends to resist current politcal opinion once every decade or so, usually to the extent that the powers that be chase him down for a fight.
Maybe he can reject Nationalism's flavor of the moment because he is quite litteraly, wrapped in the flag, but I'm glad he does it. It can be very disheartening to go against the grain, see people with your opinion be called unpatriotic all while you're trying to promote the best interests of your country because you love it. To read a Cap story where he's going through the same thing is always refreshing no matter how many times reheated.
Our country is wonderful, but we are clearly not immune to going off the deep end ocasionally. That does however go for both sides. People who dare to point out a flaw with the way America is conducting itself have got to remember why they are doing so: because they want their country to live up to its potential, because they love it.
I am reminded of a situation I saw in 2003 during a protest against the march to war in Iraq. Pretty soon into the protest, I had already felt that the entire thing had gone wrong. It was clear that people were there to promote their own trivial issues and the war nearly took a back seat to a laundry list of implausable policy goals all communicated in oversimplified slogan form.
The worst and best moment took place when some nutcase began burning an American flag. Now bad as that sounds, there is a silver lining. Before he really had a chance to do much damage and before the cops could react, about 5 people chased the guy off, put out the flag and began carrying it as they marched. I remember noticing that a couple of them were older and somewhat conservatively dressed. They stuck out like sore thumbs, but they came to lend their voice for their country. It was impossible not be proud of them.
This of course, didn't make it on the news reel that night. All that made the cut was a contrast montage between the anti-war protest and a pro-america rally held across the city the same day.
That's just the way it goes though- the war still happened and many people still thought those oposing the war were unpatriotic, despite what really happened that day. Those people have still not received any vindication. I have heard plenty of people casually change their minds about the war, but I have yet to hear anyone apologize to those they once called the "blame America first crowd".
(This is not to say they crave it. I can't speak for everyone, but as someone who opposed the war from the get go, I get no satisfaction from hearing that I was right about what would happen. I want my country on the right track again- that is all.)
Some of the people Cap was talking about in that speech were at that protest that day, just like there were certainly some at the pro America rally accross town. The ones I saw were extremely fired up and some of them actually had a legitimate beef with America at the moment. But they didn't give into hate and they didn't turn their backs on their country for a second, they even braved insults as they fought to save it from what they felt was a big mistake.
So in short, I thought Cap was right- no matter what the pressure from outside forces, to be an American is to stand by what one knows is right. It isn't easy, but it is a small price to pay for an America living up to its potential.
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