Friends of friends and politico pride

In recent days, a good friend of mine has started his blog dealing with all sorts of issues that are on his mind. He mostly speaks it, and I can say that I'm very happy to know him and it pleases me how strong he is not only in his convictions, but also in his arguments. Check his new blog out: bellingson.blogspot.com [WARNING: he is a poli sci major, so...]
He also forwarded a good post that I would like to share with you about Obama's Patriotism. Especially in times of late, John McCain has made personally approving personal attacks the central point to his platform. Barack's response is clear and very beautiful:

[Brett's Brain via Brad DeLong via Fox News]
As a personal addition, I would like to direct everyone to two sites:
Know the Facts: Check the REAL facts about Obama
and
Fight the Smears: Fight the outrageous stereotypes and accusations about Obama that have been started by conservatives and McCain's campaign


If it wasn't so blatantly obvious that more than $6 million of McCain's ad campaign have created "smear" ads, I'd give McCain a little more credit. He's lost his vision of changing Washington (and it was a good one). He's left behind his ideals of breaking the partisan lines. He has transformed himself and his campaign into the exact paradigm of Republican leadership. If you support him, at least make your case. Know why you support him--don't do it simply because your whole life you've ticked "All Republican" on the ballots. Don't do it simply because everyone you know expects you to. Don't do it because he's more "patriotic." Do it because you truly agree with his ideas. To do that, you must know what they are!
The same goes for Obama. Do it because you understand his positions, his strengths, his desire and determination to be the best president at this point of history.
In his speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (above), he makes an excellent comment that I would like to echo, because I have felt it very strongly in my life. He says, "One of the things we have to change in this country is the idea that people can't disagree without challenging each others character or their patriotism." Once upon a time, a large group of my peers deemed me "un-American" and "not proud to be an American" just because I didn't have the exact viewpoint they had. I know what it's like, and to a point, it made me bitter (and actually...not proud!) of my fellow Americans. I never gave up on my country, but I prayed, wished and hoped that someday I would be accepted *as* a fellow citizen among my friends, working to make this country take a step forward, not backward.
Anyway...just some thoughts.