Posting news items about Natalie Maines' idiocy is literally beating a horse, but since she isn't quite dead news yet, what the heck? It's a slow day.
"The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism," Maines resumes, through gritted teeth. "Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country... I don't see why people care about patriotism."
And hm, why do you suppose Maines can "like [her] life" so much? Why can she live like a queen and prance around on a stage and have money thrown at her for singing songs other people wrote? Because she lives in America, that's why, and apparently she's a social free rider.
Free-riding is an economic term that's used when one takes more than their fair share of a resource and/or doesn't contribute fairly to its production. For instance, tax evaders enjoy the benefits of a stable government without paying for them. Similarly, Natalie Maines and her ilk enjoy the benefits of living in a free and prosperous country without even noticing the sacrifices made by others that were and are necessary to maintain our country. People like Paul Varner gave their lives to protect Natalie Maines' ignorance, so that she doesn't have to lay awake at night wondering when the front line is going to reach her and the people she cares about.
Natalie Maines doesn't have to struggle to put food on the table despite the fact that her only ability is singing, which is essentially worthless. Shakespeare himself was a pauper, and I doubt she's got anywhere near his talent. Historically, singers, bards, and other performers were barely better than homeless drifters... and why does she live in a mansion? Because better people than her have loved our country and our people enough to die for them.
Natalie Maines is worthless scum, and just about everyone knows it but her. She isn't "brave" for standing up to... what? Criticism? She isn't profound or insightful or even a particularly interesting performer. She's nothing, and the world won't long remember her. Her net impact on society will be zero. If someone Googles "Natalie Maines" a hundred years from now all they'll find is this post and others like it decrying her cowardice, ignorance, and self-absorption. So, I hope she does enjoy her life, because that fleeting pleasure is all the substance she'll ever have.
(HT: DeoDuce.)
I'm startled by how angry Maines is about our country. It seems that anything to do with our nation and protecting it triggers a deep-seeded hatred. Yet Maines still lives here. Go figure.
Maines is on the lowest tier of society--dance, monkey, dance. Her statement makes her no better than the people trying to attack us.
Thank you for mentioning Paul.
I do wonder why people like Maines stay here. I love the USA, yet I could see myself spending a few years in another country, namely Singapore, just for the cultural experiences. I could learn a lot, and I just might appreciate my home country more after being away for a while.
Some people need to step outside of the USA just to understand its place in the world. And, it's not even hard to do so. What is stopping Maines? I mean, if she thinks there's a better country, then why not go there and give it a try? Heck, if she changes her mind, we would even take her back without making her recite the pledge of allegiance or anything. God bless the USA.
I think a lot of people, including Maines, don't understand what patriotism is. For example, patriotism is not uncritical acceptance of your government.
People called her unpatriotic for publically criticising her president. That's not unpatriotic imo. She's obviously proud of America, and Texas in particular. So I think she's misusing "patriotism" now.
I don't think this is an instance of free-riding. MW's argument could say that everyone who isn't an infantryman is a free-rider, but that doesn't make sense. I think entertainment is a great deal better than "basically worthless" -- yes, it isn't involved with primary survival, but it enhances peoples' lives. Gives them a focus for their patriotism. Distributes ideas. etc. How would you like it if all entertainment were withdrawn from you?
David, you're right living abroad teaches you, obviously, about the country you moved to, but it also teaches you a whole lot about your own country. The shift in perspective is incredible.
But it doesn't say that. MW's argument simply points out the Maines' statements convey that she takes for granted the sacrifices that make our country great.
Additionally, I don't believe Maines is misuing "patriotism." If you read the entire quote, she recalls how the burst of flags and Americana in music videos and media after the Iraq War invasion was "a sickening display of ultra-patriotism."
jez: There arnen't other ways to love and protect one's country than to serve in the military? Maines explicitly isn't working for the betterment of America.