The Great Divide

One of the fundamental differences between liberals and conservatives, perhaps the most important one politically, is what they think (or how they feel) about the United States. Conservatives think the U.S. is a great country. Liberals think it is a deeply flawed, but redeemable, country. Radicals think it is hopelessly bad and should be destroyed or remade.

This difference is brought into sharp focus by the debate that has erupted in recent days over patriotism. Barack Obama gave a speech on the subject in which, as we noted here, he suggested that the height of patriotism lies in criticizing one's country. This is a common liberal conceit. To Obama's left lie his wife's claim that America is "downright mean," and, still farther to the left, Jeremiah Wright's "God damn America" rants.