Being patriotic in the United States
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Liz Alcauskas
Published: June 23, 2008
In a recent letter to the editor, it was implied that Barack Obama was unpatriotic because he was not wearing an American flag pin on his lapel (Letters to the Editor, June 12).
Does wearing a lapel pin affect the future of our local government? Our commonwealth’s government? Our beloved United States? Not much, if at all. However, does our VOTE affect our future? Our
Prince William County’s future? Our commonwealth of Virginia’s future? Our beloved United States’ future?
We live in a democracy. It is a privilege to vote. It is an obligation to vote. If we believe in our democratic system, we need to vote. It is our patriotic duty to vote.
To express your patriotism, try voting! How many of you voted in November 2007? Probably many of you.) But, how many of you voted in the December special election? (Not many); in the February
primaries? (More than predicted!), in the recent June Democratic primaries? At the poll where I worked as an election official, 14 (f-o-u-r-t-e-e-n) people voted.
Why isn’t voting record held up as an act of patriotism? I hardly ever wear pins — they tend to puncture my clothes and cause runs. Does this make me not a patriot? I AM a patriot. I vote in every
election and every Democratic primary if I am physically and legally able.
Please join me in being a Patriot and VOTE. By the way, our next election, in case you haven’t heard, will be in November. If you can’t vote in person, you can vote using an absentee ballot. What ever
you do, show your patriotism and vote.
LIZ ALCAUSKAS
Dale City
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( raywilliams ) on June 28, 2008 at 7:10 pm
If you can’t win in 13 hours you’re not going to win with 14 or 15 hours of voting.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 27, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Va. has the longest hours for voting at the polls, and everybody knows how bad the traffic is, of course taking the weather into consideration. It is no better than what happened in 2004 and probably 2000 as well when polls were held open longer than was legally allowed. LOL Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( pollypat ) on June 27, 2008 at 1:23 pm
This is a little late, but in the past session of the General Assembly, a bill was introduced by Del. Paul Nichols that would allow the polls to stay open late on election day, in cases such as the ice storm we had last November (A number of my friends were unable to vote because they were stuck in traffic for hours at the Mixing Bowl.).
Sounds like a reasonable piece of legislation, doesn’t it?
Guess which bill never saw the light of day because our Republican Speaker of the House pocketed the bill? That’s right, the Speaker never allowed it to be discussed.
Don’t get me going. I have many more examples.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 27, 2008 at 3:20 am
Still waiting for that answer Ron. LOL Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 27, 2008 at 3:19 am
Consider this, whenever Cobra is not around, Ray Williams always wins the argument with himself. LOL Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on June 24, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Anyone else notice with cobra on vacation, there are about 9 Resolutionist names also not posting? Hummmmmm.
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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on June 24, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Ron how has the Republican Party prevented you from voting? We will be waiting a while for that answer. LOL Chris Cummings
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Posted by ( RonCharest ) on June 24, 2008 at 11:02 am
Godsaveus,
An individual’s right to vote is the bedrock principle of a Democratic Society - We chose the government we want! Voting is the essence of patriotism.
But, considering the effort the Republican Party has put into limiting American (democratic) citizen’s right to vote over these past few years; I can see why Republican’s could be easily confused into thinking that wearing a made-in-china flag pin shows more patriotism than electing a (democratic-majority) government.
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Posted by ( Col Stryker ) on June 24, 2008 at 10:59 am
It is your civic duty to vote. I wouldn’t define it as being patriotic. The point about Obama not wearing a pin has more to do with what kind of president he would be based upon what type of patriotism he displays. I’m not basing my vote on what someone wears on his lapel, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.
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Posted by ( Godsaveus ) on June 24, 2008 at 8:14 am
According to the dictionary PATRIOT Is a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.
To exercise the right to vote is personal and it has noting to do with patriotism, I support the candidate that shares my values and none of the candidates does. However, if I want to be a “patriot “ going to the polling place , I will say not to Obama because I want to defend my country.
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