Pledging Allegiance to Obama

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Tue, 01/20/2009 - 10:49 — Dr. Zaius

Celebrities big and small implore Americans to embrace their president — nay! pledge allegiance to him.

MySpace Celebrity and Katalyst present The Presidential Pledge

These propaganda videos have become so ubiquitous since Obama's emergence that one is tempted to just yawn, or laugh. But there is just something creepy — and, yes, un-American — about leader worship.

Free men and women, naturally, are free to subject the ordering of their lives to the instructions of a leader. But that's not my definition of freedom. And I'm free to object.

I find it funny, though, that the left has found patriotism cool again. And imagine, for a moment, what the reaction would be among our elite if such a video were produced about a Republican president.

UPDATE 01/22/09: Michael Graham has a column on this video in the Boston Herald. A taste:

Seriously - if a dozen college conservatives had lined up on TV to pledge their service to George W. Bush, wouldn’t there be an HBO documentary on “America’s BusHitler Youth” by the end of the week?

(HT: Jonah, video via Gormogons)

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Comments

Tue, 01/20/2009 - 11:05 — Joel

Patriotism is cool again

Conservatives are right to mock elements of this video — it’s a little undemocratic (and a little creepy) to pledge yourself as a servant of the new president.

On the other hand, it seems to me that there’s also a spirit to the video that — Obama worship aside — conservatives should recognize and embrace. Instead of saying, “We’ve got the president we want! Now he and the government can make everything better!” the celebrities are urging individual action to improve communities and society. There might be some disagreement on some of the aims (stem cell research being prominent in what was mentioned) but a lot of the others seem to be agreeable to just about everybody. What’s wrong with that?

Except for the fact that Anthony Kiedis is a tool?

Also: I'm going to find it funny that the right suddenly thinks dissent can be patriotic again.

Tue, 01/20/2009 - 11:17 — Ben

Re: Patriotic dissent

There's a fine line between loyal opposition and... whatever it was we saw from certain quarters over the past eight years, starting with "selected, not elected." I've seen some pretty despicable stuff from commenters on some conservative blogs, and I've seen some pretty despicable stuff from a handful of righty bloggers. I have zero tolerance for this "He's not my president!" stuff. But I haven't seen anything near the ferocity of what Kos, Atrios, the core Huffington bloggers, Frank Rich and those nabobs laid on George W. Bush. It's early yet, though.

Tue, 01/20/2009 - 11:24 — Joel

Re: Re: Patriotic dissent

Well, I'm not really a fan of Kos, Atrios* or HuffPo bloggers. (I think Frank Rich has a good point to make now and again.) Maybe I really should trade in my liberal card.

But I get my back up when "the left" gets painted with that brush because, well, I take it to include me. I know that's not Z's specific intent -- at least I hope not -- but I can't help but get a bit cranky.

* I keep not going to Philly's "Drinking Liberally" event because, well, he's there. And I've got the feeling that I'm not hardcore enough to fit in.

Tue, 01/20/2009 - 11:48 — Dr. Zaius

Joel and patriotic dissent

No, Joel. I don't include you among the "the left" when I'm making generalizations and most of my criticisms of the left. I consider you a reasonable liberal foil. Not a radical. And not un-American.

But Ben's comments capture what I was getting at. It has been one of the (many) great lies of the last 8 years that conservatives were pounding down and killing dissent during the Bush years (as if!). But we conservatives and defenders of President Bush and his administration have a right to expect that our principled and reasoned dissent will be tolerated in the Obama years.

I don't expect those who celebrated Bush-bashing as the highest form of patriotism to "celebrate" my dissent of Obama's policies. But they'd better get ready to hear it, and not decry it as un-American.

Oh, and I'm relieved, Joel, that you find that video creepy, too.

Tue, 01/20/2009 - 14:18 — Dr. Zaius

'We have to think the way he thinks'

From a story in the WSJ about how Facebook employees took time off of work to enjoy today's festivities.

“I got goosebumps,” said Namita Moolani, a 30-year-old whose first day at Facebook was Tuesday. Ms. Moolani said she was particularly struck by the President’s firm words against terrorism and insistence that government can only do so much and ordinary citizens must help. “We have to think the way he thinks."

Actually, we don't. And if Ms. Moolani really thinks Obama's agenda involves more "ordinary citizens" volunteering to help out with stuff ... she'll find out soon enough it's a bit more expensive and expansive than that.

Thu, 01/22/2009 - 13:43 — Christian Toto (not verified)

Just ... can't ... watch

I've read about this video, but I'm not strong enough to hit 'play.' Deathly afraid of feeling the wave of nausea/anger/embarrassment that would likely ensue.

Thu, 01/22/2009 - 14:47 — Dr. Zaius

RE: Just ... can't ... watch

C'mon Christian. Show some stones! :-)

It is bad as you'd think it is, but I'd be interested to read your take on it anyway.

Thu, 01/22/2009 - 15:39 — Ben

Re: Just... can't... watch

I only got about a minute into it. I couldn't bear the rest.

Iowahawk's take at Big Hollywood is a must-read.