Just What Does Patriotism Mean in America? Issue Enters Into Campaign

Just What Does Patriotism Mean in America? Issue Enters Into Campaign
Obama, pushed to defend himself, says ''the question of who is, or is not, a patriot all too often poisons our political debates.'' Transcript of radio broadcast:
05 July 2008
This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Dictionaries define patriotism as love and loyalty to one's country. For Americans, patriotism can mean many things -- for example, celebrating the Fourth of July, Independence Day.

Yet Americans often debate the idea of patriotism. Political scientist Neil Diamant at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania says this is because there is no clear agreement on what it means.

Some, he says, believe patriotism involves service or sacrifice. But there is no required national service. And the last military draft ended thirty-five years ago this month.

Tom Smith of the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago has led two studies of national identity and pride. Both involved between twenty and thirty countries. Both studies rated Americans first or tied for first place in different measures of national pride.

Tom Smith says patriotism, however, is often discussed more during American presidential campaigns, especially in wartime.

In the current campaign, Barack Obama has had his patriotism questioned by some people. The expected Democratic Party nominee says that at times this has been a result of his own "carelessness." But more often, he says, it has resulted from what he called "the desire by some to score political points" and raise fears about him.

Senator Obama discussed patriotism in a speech Monday in Independence, Missouri. He said dissent does not make one unpatriotic and that "the question of who is, or is not, a patriot all too often poisons our political debates."

At the same time, he rejected a comment from one of his supporters about John McCain. Retired Army general Wesley Clark said he did not think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.

Senator Obama said he will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign, and will not stand by when others question his.

Some, for example, have criticized his position on wearing an American flag pin. Like many public officials he wore one after the terrorist attacks of two thousand one. But he said he stopped wearing one because it became a "substitute" for "true patriotism." Lately, the Illinois senator has been seen wearing a flag pin more often.
The Republican Party's expected nominee does not always wear one either. But ninety percent of registered voters in a study (CNN poll) released this week described John McCain as patriotic. The Arizona senator was a Navy pilot and Vietnam War prisoner.

By comparison, one-fourth said Barack Obama lacks patriotism. But that same study showed him five points ahead of John McCain among registered voters nationwide. It was too narrow, though, to represent a clear lead for the election in November.

American history has other examples of a presidential candidate's patriotism being questioned. In the election of eighteen hundred, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams accused each other of being unpatriotic.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.


----------------------------Google Translate

只是什么爱国主义是指在美国？问题进入运动
奥巴马，被推到了为自己辩护说，指的问题是谁，或者是没有，爱国者也常常毒药我们的政治辩论。誊电台广播：
2008年7月5日
这是在新闻中在美国之音特别英语。

字典界定爱国主义为热爱和忠诚一个人的国家。对美国人来说，爱国主义可以意味着很多东西-例如，在庆祝7月4日，独立纪念日。

然而，美国人往往是辩论的思想，爱国主义。政治学家尼尔钻石在迪金森学院在宾夕法尼亚州说，这是因为没有明确的协议，这意味着什么。

一些，他说，相信爱国主义涉及的服务或牺牲。但是没有必要的国家服务。和去年兵役结束三十五年前的这个月。

汤姆史密斯的全国民意研究中心在芝加哥大学已导致两项研究的民族认同和自豪感。双方之间所涉及的20和30个国家。这两项研究评价美国人的第一或并列第一的地方，在不同的措施，民族自豪感。

汤姆史密斯说，爱国主义，但是，往往是更多的讨论期间，美国总统运动，尤其是在战时。

在这次教育活动，巴拉克奥巴马了他的爱国主义的质疑，有些人。预计民主党候选人说，在这个时代已因自己的“粗心大意” 。但更经常地，他说，它已导致从他所谓的“愿望，有些人评分的政治要点” ，提高担心他。

参议员奥巴马讨论爱国主义在一次讲话中周一在独立，密苏里州。他说，异议不作一个不爱国的，并且“问题是谁，或者是没有，爱国者也常常毒药我们的政治辩论” 。

在同一时间内，他拒绝评论从一个他的支持者约麦凯恩。已退休的陆军将军韦斯利克拉克说，他不认为乘坐在战斗机和越来越击落，是一个有资格当总统。

参议员奥巴马说，他绝不会质询的爱国主义他人在这场运动中，并不会袖手旁观时，另一些人则质疑他。

一些，例如，有批评他的立场，身穿美国国旗的PIN 。像许多公职人员，他穿着一恐怖袭击后的2000 1 。但是他说，他戴着一停止，因为它成了“而代以”为“真正的爱国主义” 。最近，伊利诺伊州参议员一直身穿国旗引脚更经常地。
共和党党的提名预期并不总是穿一。但90 ％的已登记的选民在一项研究（有线电视新闻网的调查）本周公布的描述约翰麦凯恩爱国。亚利桑那州参议员是一个海军飞行员和越南战争囚犯。

相比之下，四份之一说，巴拉克奥巴马缺乏爱国主义。但同样的研究结果显示，他的五点提前麦凯恩之间已登记的选民在全国范围内。这是过于狭窄，虽然，代表一个明确的领导为在十一月份再次当选。

美国历史上有其他的例子，总统候选人的爱国主义受到质疑。在这次选举中的1800 ，托马斯杰弗逊和约翰亚当斯并相互指责对方正在爱国。

这是在新闻中在美国之音特别英语，写的brianna布雷克。我史蒂夫ember 。