ACCORDING TO MARK TWAIN

Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.

Another image from the No Kings demonstration in downtown St. Louis. It was scheduled to go from 2 to 5. I got there at 1:30 as a brief shower broke out. By 2:45 Kiener Plaza was very crowded, my old creaky spine was wearing out and I was soaked in perspiration. I left but people continued to stream in. Only the next day did I learn that thousands more arrived and began a march many blocks long along the adjacent main avenue. I missed it but it’s a consequence of getting old.

And by the way, Mr. Twain, it doesn’t.                      

 

 

STARS AND STRIPES

From certain angles the flags we saw yesterday seem go on and on. It is fitting to honor those who gave their lives for all of us, although we may disagree with their commanders' intentions. What saddens and frightens me is how many of our countrymen are willing to violate what I thought the flag stood for and create a de facto dictatorship of the minority.            

Patriots

People and objects at the Veterans Day parade, with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

Some readers will recall that Samuel Johnson, author of the first comprehensive dictionary of the English language, said that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. I suppose there are different kinds of it.

     

Patriot Games

Breathes there the man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land!

Sir Walter Scott

Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

Samuel Johnson

 

This van was parked across the road from our motel in Marysville, Kansas, for the length of our stay. Never saw anyone in or around it. It reflects a common theme in some parts of American society. There are those who believe that our Declaration of Independence and Constitution were given to us by God and that military veterans of all kinds (ours, anyway) should be venerated. I'm not much into tear-shedding eagles but I'll let you judge for yourself.