But he’s not a Muslim.

He did not say that wearing a lapel pin didn’t indicate patriotism, which could be taken one way or another; he said it was a substitute for real patriotism.

To substitute A with B, you must remove A and put B in its place.

If an American flag lapel pin is a substitute for real patriotism, then real patriotism must be removed and the American flag lapel pin put in its place.

Thus, in Obama’s opinion, quite different from yours and mine, the only people who can legitimately claim to be patriotic are those who do not wear American flag pins. (As you may have noticed in an earlier thread, Obama himself has even fallen short of his standard on this).

I think Obama has a valid point here. People who enlist in the armed forces or serve in government when they can make more money elsewhere are genuinely patriotic. Anybody can wear a lapel pin.

Good thing y’all can’t vote. But, how about a trade? Almost everyone over here admires Tony Blair a lot more than any of our own politicians and Obama’s a lot more popular in the U.K. than any British politician (from what I can tell).

US President Tony Blair and British Prime Minister Barack Obama?

Allow me to refresh your memory.

Barack Obama: “that [American flag lapel pin] became a substitute for I think true patriotism.”

Is the logical conclusion of that statement not that those who wear such lapel pins possess only false patriotism, which of course, means no patriotism at all?

Despite the odd minor setback

Having said that, I don’t think Obama’s comment has been distorted. I’ve read it carefully, and in context, and it does impress me as being condescending and disdainful. He implies that people cling to certain points of view, with which he objects, not on the merits, but because they are bitter about their economic circumstances. Whether he was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth (like you!) or not, I hear an elitist edge in that perspective.