With 4th of July corning, the question comes to mind, “What is Patriotism”?

When Barack Obama was running for president, he was a member of Trinity UCC in Chicago.  The pastor was Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  Then it came out that Rev. Wright, during a sermon, had said, "God damn America!”  How could he say such a thing?

Think about it.  If your ancestors, like Rev. Wright's, had been kidnapped from their homes and forced to come here....  If your ancestors, when they got to America, had often been treated worse than farm animals....  And if your ancestors had risked their lives in every American war since the Civil war, yet been denied the right to vote, or ever the right to use the bathroom in many places, might you not be inclined to say something like, "God damned America”?

What is patriotism?  Is patriotism saying everything about your country is right?  Any honest person must admit there are many things about our country, past and present, that could be better.  And whatever Rev. Wright said, isn't it true, that actions speak louder than words?  Bill Clinton and George Bush (the younger) both used college to delay going to the service.  Jeremiah Wright, on the other hand, joined the Marines.  After two years in the Marines, he became a Navy corpsman.  Later, Jeremiah Wright became a part of a medical team that cared for President Johnson after he had surgery.  Jeremiah Wright earned three White House Letters of Commendation.

Jeremiah Wright served his country, even though his country had too often treated his people pretty badly.

Sounds like a patriot to me.

God Bless You.

Pastor David Quinn