July 3, 2008

There may be no better occasion than the Fourth of July, our most patriotic of holidays, to call for a moratorium on declaring one’s patriotism. It seems the only people who must habitually declare their love of country are those who want to suggest others are less patriotic than they, or those, like Barack Obama, who are forced to fend off accusations that they are not sufficiently patriotic. So, good for Obama, who told an audience in Independence, Mo., “I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign. And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine.”

In truth, the presidential race is a contest between two men who both embody the American success story and show their appreciation for its gifts through their service to country and its public institutions. Obama and John McCain took different paths to become their parties’ presumptive nominees, but neither would have succeeded without abiding faith in this country’s promise and a deep commitment to extending that promise to others.

American Jews understand that promise. Many defended the country in uniform; others contributed through their hard work, political activism, dedication to family and community, and commitment to both government institutions and private enterprise. We’ve expressed our gratitude for the freedoms we’ve enjoyed in this country — freedoms that extended to all of America’s citizens the right to demand that our country live up to its highest ideals.

On second thought, we should embrace this opportunity to declare our patriotism, not as fetishistic loyalty to a flag or symbol, but as a love of a spirit and an idea that stands for human dignity and diversity, and that, in the words of the late Rabbi Sherwin Wine, “defends all citizens against unjust coercion and irrational conformity.”

Have a happy and healthy Independence Day.

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