Who's Patriotic?

It will be forgotten, on the one hand, that jealousy is the usual concomitant of love, and that the noble enthusiasm of liberty is apt to be infected with a spirit of narrow and illiberal distrust. On the other hand, it will be equally forgotten that the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty; that, in the contemplation of a sound and well-informed judgment, their interest can never be separated; and that a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government. History will teach us that the former has been found a much more certain road to the introduction of despotism than the latter, and that of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants.
Alexander Hamilton - The Federalist Papers


You've got to hand it to our 18th Century forefathers - they could sure turn a phrase. The language of the three sentences quoted is English - really - but what does it all mean?

The following is an Adirondack Redneck's interpretation:

Jealousy, while usually affiliated with love, has always been an underlying current in politics. The "noble enthusiasm of liberty" is what we pay our elected officials for - on both sides of the aisle. The "spirit of narrow and illiberal mistrust" is as innate to a politician as jealousy is to a teenage lover. That's why we have a preponderance of politicians and a dearth of statesmen.

When the pressing questions of our time begged to be answered, we have to remember that jealousy and the pursuit of each individual's definition of government's role in our lives will affect all decisions. "The vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty." The "vigor" of a liberal is no less than that of a conservative, and is just as important in securing our liberty. Peaks & valleys, yin & yang - you get the idea.

Now to the essence of the quote. "...a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government..."

Therein lies the real danger of the left. From Fidel Castro to Hugo Chavez, to Putin in Russia, they have become leaders because they appealed to the "people". The trust we place in those who say they speak for "the people", as opposed to those who proffer a "firmness and efficiency of government", is the "much more certain road to the introduction of despotism."

"...of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants." Historically, the greatest number of tyrants come from the ranks of those who say they speak for the people, and more often than not, they arrive after taking a left turn. Once in power, they proceed from demagoguery to dictatorship, and the people pay the price for their need to believe. If you need a definition of a demagogue, just think: "Al Sharpton". Jesse Jackson works too.

In our current situation, we must continually bear in mind that liberals are no less dedicated to their beliefs than those of us from the conservative spectrum, and they consider their actions to be patriotic. There are many on the left who simply hate this country, hate capitalism, and are dedicated to it's elimination and replacement with socialism. So although it is incumbent upon us to grant an assumption of patriotism, it is also necessary to identify those who would seek the destruction of our current form of government. They do not deserve the same sort of respect granted to an honorable opponent - they deserve a one way ticket to worker's paradise of their choice.

As we enter Memorial Day Weekend 2007, it should be a time when the brash rattle of partisanship is subdued, and a deep sigh of gratitude offered across the generations for all who have served their country to the fullest.

A simple idea that John Edwards will not see fit to embrace.