Anti-American?

 

Ramblings of a Retired Mind

Anti-American?

Not long ago, I shared a quote from Robert Reich on Facebook. He suggested that the rest of the world should join together in a trade deal that excluded the United States, in response to Trump’s tariffs on so many countries. The implication was clear: sometimes the only way to deal with a bully is to push back hard.

The reactions rolled in—some agreeing, some disagreeing—but one comment stood out. Someone called me “anti-American” for not supporting the president and his policies.

That struck me as deeply ironic. Disagreeing with the government is not anti-American—it’s one of the most American things you can do.

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The First Amendment: The Heart of America

Our Constitution covers many things—how the government is divided, how elections work, how new states can join the Union—but the very first amendment states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

You can’t be pro-American without embracing the First Amendment. It’s what sets us apart from so many governments throughout history.

So, if exercising my freedom of speech makes me anti-American, what does that say about our Constitution?

I may have been disgusted watching those in Charlottesville waving Confederate flags and chanting “Jews will not replace us!”—but I also recognize their right to say it. That’s the deal: you don’t have to agree with the words to defend the right to speak them.

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Hypocrisy on Display

What really gets under my skin is hypocrisy.

You can’t claim tariffs are vital for bringing jobs back to America while driving a Honda or BMW. When my wife and I built our new home, we made a point of buying appliances from an American company—GE—not LG, Samsung, or Bosch.

Sure, you can argue about where the products are physically made, but profits from an American company stay here. That’s why slapping an America First bumper sticker on a Volkswagen feels a little hollow.

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“Anti-American” Before It Was Cool

This isn’t the first time I’ve been accused of being anti-American.

When President Lyndon Johnson escalated the Vietnam War and lied about the Gulf of Tonkin incident, I protested. War hawks saw that as un-American. Yet, in hindsight, the war cost billions of dollars and over 58,000 American lives—for what?

When President George W. Bush launched a war in Iraq based on false assumptions about weapons of mass destruction, I spoke out again. Was questioning that judgment un-American? Or was it patriotic to demand better from our leaders?

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You Can’t Have It Both Ways

You can’t shout, “The government can’t touch my right to bear arms!” while also insisting the government must control someone’s healthcare choices.

I say this as both a gun owner and someone who believes abortion decisions belong solely to the person making them.

And when the Constitution says:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

—it means our government was not founded to favor any religion. Objecting to laws that promote one faith over others isn’t anti-American—it’s exactly what being American means.

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Disagreeing Is Patriotic

We may hold different beliefs. We may never see eye-to-eye on some issues. But the ability to disagree openly and still live under the same flag is the essence of America.

If you want to be pro-American, you must understand this: disagreeing with our elected officials is not anti-American—it’s a constitutional right, and one of our greatest strengths.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental.