This week, most Americans found a moment of rare unity in our pride over the performance of our athletes in the Winter Olympics. After years of rage politics, there was a brief respite as we joined in cheering our team in representing the United States in Milan and Cortina. Well, most of us. Some in the media found the entire demonstration of patriotism to be intolerable and triggering. What is striking is how this aversion to our flag and country was so openly expressed in major media.
Yesterday, the nightmare continued for some on the left who were traumatized by seeing the American flag and open displays of patriotism. Jack Hughes, one of the heroes of the gold medal hockey game, returned to New Jersey to play and was met with cheers of “USA, USA” and a sea of American flags. Hughes immediately called his Olympic teammate Tage Thompson of the visiting Buffalo Sabres to the ice to join him. The two skated arm in arm as the crowd celebrated them and our country.
It was another unifying moment for the country. The fans joined arm in arm to relish this moment for the nation.
These scenes are clearly having a different impact on some on the left.
The HuffPost even published an article with therapeutic advice for liberals triggered by seeing so many American flags. The liberal publication ran an article titled “There’s a Name for the Discomfort You’re Feeling Watching the Olympics Right Now.” It then published it a second time before the gold-medal hockey game with Canada — presumably to prepare its readers for the nightmare of the United States actually winning.
The subheading read, “If waving the American flag or chanting ‘USA!’ turns you off right now, you’re not alone.”
Senior writer Monica Torres began the article with this line: “While President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda separates families, and federal agents detain 5-year-olds and kill unarmed civilians, American athletes are winning medals on behalf of the nation at the Olympics right now.”
Torres goes on to interview three therapists for this “story” about how the celebration of the United States team has forced many liberals into therapy over their trauma and “the cognitive dissonance of rooting for U.S. sports.”
Los Angeles-based licensed clinical social worker Aimee Monterrosa explained that the “atrocities” of the United States can trigger feelings of guilt, despair, shame, anger” in seeing the country celebrate these sports victories.
Expert Lauren Appio echoed how “waving the American flag or chanting, ‘USA!’ [can make] us feel grossed out or ashamed.”
Over at Vox, Senior correspondent (and former Atlantic writer) Alex Abad-Santos wrote an article on the winners and losers of the Olympics. The column perfectly summed up the pathological opposition of some to this country’s symbols and celebrations.
Abad-Santos declared the men’s hockey team one of the biggest “losers” of the games. He blamed that team for alienating citizens by their patriotic statements: “The conversation surrounding the win quickly shifted into how the team celebrated and who it celebrated with.” He expressed outrage over the team accepting the celebratory call from the President of the United States.
In the meantime, the “winner,” according to Abad-Santos, was . . . wait for it . . . Eileen Gu, the American who reportedly took millions from the repressive Chinese regime to ski for China.
Gu used the games to criticize the United States while saying nothing of how China arrests anyone who speaks out against that country.
Abad-Santos gushes:
“Gu symbolizes the reality that athletes don’t need the US’s backing or support to be commercially successful. That makes some Americans like Vance uneasy. She also embodies the very American idea of relentlessly pursuing success and maximizing it, no matter what it takes. Gu represents the American dream and the startling concept that America isn’t necessary for it.”
The last line is particularly telling. Abad-Santos is celebrating the idea that you can live the American dream without America.
Others joined in lionizing Gu. Charlotte Harpur, writing for The New York Times’ (NYT) The Athletic, virtually declared her a new deity: “You would be forgiven if you thought Gu was a quasi-human robot expertly created by artificial intelligence, so eloquent are her responses to the media.”
The next day, the Times then slammed Men’s Hockey Team in an article titled “The U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team won gold — and then lost the room.” The Athletic‘s Jerry Brewer acknowledged that speaking with the U.S. president after such a win is “an obligatory celebration.” However, he declared that these are not “normal times”: “This isn’t a neutral climate. This isn’t a neutral president. And in a nation this polarized, the proximity carries weight whether the players are being intentional or merely naive.”
These columns on sites like HuffPost and Vox stripped away the pretense of past pieces and laid bare the antagonism for the United States by some on the left. The open celebration of the country was too much for many rage addicts today.
Fortunately, these writers are largely writing for each other. The public long ago left these sites. They now write for a minority of Americans who are triggered by the appearance of American flags or traumatized by expressions of patriotism.
What these writers find repulsive is rousing for the rest of us. Watching Hughes and Thompson skate together last night was everything that is great about this country, as those Jersey fans went wild. Hughes said that he was struggling not to get emotional at that moment. He was not alone.
Jonathan Turley is a law professor and the author of the New York Times bestselling “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
Turley frames the discomfort with symbols of patriotism as emotional fragility while some frame it as hate of the country. Nothing could be further from the truth. Turley’s article is a weak denigration of liberals holding a principled objection to performative nationalism. They argue, often correctly, flags and patriotic themes are used to justify grotesque actions deemed corrupt and discriminatory, the “trauma” stems from what the symbol has been co-opted to represent rather than the symbol itself.
It’s about those able to recognize the real failures of Trump and like-minded ilk upon the nation. It’s interesting that Turley has yet to offer a thorough analysis of Trump’s long winded SOTU speech. It had little to say about policy initiatives and more about griping and lying about the economy. Trump’s sagging polls have not changed for the better.
We may invade Iran soon and that means spending more money that, according to Republicans, we don’t have. The “no war” president is gearing up to go to war, again. Keeping the tradition of Republican presidents going to war over sketchy claims alive and well.
George you silly old man, Turley writes opinion, not novels. Your nonsense is outright fiction.
The US supplied more explosive tonnage that was used by Israel to obliterate the buildings in Gaza than was used on Hiroshima by a factor of 3 to 5 times.
That’s the reason some don’t have a great pride in America. A great measure of ethics is how a nation treats those who cannot fight back and, under Trump, that measure has been nearly eliminated.
Hamas murdered over 1000 Israelis on Oct 7. As Trump pointed out in the SOTU a nations is responsible to its citizens FIRST.
The GAZAns started a war they were going to lose badly. They could have ended it at anytime by turning over Hamas.
The Hiroshima bomb was not all that powerful. The power of the 14 GBU-57’s used in Iran is just a bit less than Hiroshima
The MOAB used in Afghanistan by the US is a single thermobaric bomb with as much power as a small nuke – about 11,000 tons of TNT
The Operation Meetinghouse firebombing of Tokyo on the night of 9 March 1945 was the single deadliest air raid of World War II,[23] causing more destruction than the bombings of Dresden[24] and Hamburg, and even Hiroshima and Nagasaki as single events
Really? I haven’t heard a SINGLE protester or a SINGLE leftist media network name this as “the reason some don’t have a great pride in America.”
Gee, what a surprise.
X says: Turley frames the discomfort with symbols of patriotism as emotional fragility
Why don’t you have articles by author X on the Marxists Internet Archive?
https://www.marxists.org/admin/janitor/faq.htm
The writer is alive and well and politically active. The MIA’s Charter forbids us from building an archive for a writer who is still politically active. There are several reasons for this:
(1) It ensures that the MIA stays out of current disputes and
(2) remains independent of all political parties and groups; Also,
(3) if a writer is still alive, they can build their own web site. This does not prevent the MIA from using material also from politically active writers in an editorial role or in support of a subject section, so long as we have the author’s permission.
BBBBUUTTTT…. MUH TURLEY!!!!! DAMN HIS EYES!!!!
“Turley frames the discomfort with symbols of patriotism as emotional fragility while some frame it as hate of the country.”
Yup, but this is not just about symbols it is not just flags that trigger those of you on the left it is the principles of individual liberty or even the concepts of a country or border.
” Nothing could be further from the truth. ”
Becauseyou say so ?
“Turley’s article is a weak denigration of liberals holding a principled objection to performative nationalism. ”
You are not required to be patriotic – but denigrating the principles of THIS govenrment – such as individual liberty or denigrating those who have sacrificed for this country or who have brought favor to the country is immoral.
“They argue, often correctly, flags and patriotic themes are used to justify grotesque actions deemed corrupt and discriminatory, the “trauma” stems from what the symbol has been co-opted to represent rather than the symbol itself.”
Correct, but RARELY in the US and not anytime recently. Ranting because the Nazi’s used flags and patriotic themese almost a century ago is not much of an argument. At the very same time Americans used Flags and patriotic themes to assist in freeing much of the world from actual left wing fascism. Before that the american flag lead soldiers to fight to free slaves.
“It’s about those able to recognize the real failures of Trump and like-minded ilk upon the nation.”
Doubly false and disconnected from reality.
Trump is far from perfect – he is just the best president in the 21st century.
If you wish to argue your idiotic claims of failure – do exactly that – do not attack patriotism.
Trump asking legislators to stand if they put the interests of US citizens first and foremost, should have been a no brainer.
Those of you on the left are NOT willing to find the tiniest bit of common ground
If you do not put the interests of US citizens first and Foremost – you do not belong in government.
You are free to make the argument that immigrants are important. But no one is listening if you do not accept that Citizens come first.
” It’s interesting that Turley has yet to offer a thorough analysis of Trump’s long winded SOTU speech. ”
Trump’s SOTU was very effective. Its purpose was to use the lack of patriotism of democrats to discredit and disgrace them.
It did so by pointing out how out of touch democrats are on numerous 80:20 issues.
The 2nd purpose was to rebut myriads of left wing nut lies about the state of the country.
“It had little to say about policy initiatives”
Mostly correct – Trump did advocate for a few specific policy initiatives like the 80:20 save act but mostly his argument is that His administration and a republican congress has already accomplished great things to imporve americnas lives.
“and more about griping”
There was little griping and it was mostly about the horrid behavior of democrats.
“and lying about the economy.”
Trump exagerates but the fact is the economy is vastly improved.
We are back on track with the first 3 years of Trump’s first term.
That is not as fantastic as Trump claims, but it is the best we have seen in 25 years.
” Trump’s sagging polls have not changed for the better.”
Trump was at 48 a few days ago – he is at 46 now, but the bump from the SOTU has not hit.
Regardless even left wing nut MSM found a 10pt accross the board bump after the SOTU.
“We may invade Iran soon and that means spending more money that, according to Republicans, we don’t have. The “no war” president is gearing up to go to war, again. Keeping the tradition of Republican presidents going to war over sketchy claims alive and well.”
The country pretty universally does not want war with Iran.
They also do not want Iran to have nukes, ICBM’s or to fund terrorism.
and a majority of us want an end to the regime of the ayatolahs.
We all hope that both of those can be accomplished.
You are correct this could all go upside down and prove disastrous for Trump.
It also could prove a great success.
The likely outcome will be somewhere in the middle.
However merely tying Iranian regime down – forcing them to focus on their own defense blockading their arms and oil sales
Disempowers both Russia and China.
John Say,
Great comment, analysis and assessment. Thank you.
Although if it were not for the Schumer Shutdown, the economy would of fared much better.
Seems the only way I can comment is by a reply. I am disabled Vietmam War. Many of my childhood friends died there. Others retuned disabled or so traumatized killed them fast or slow with drugs. I belong to the DAV many of us have mixed sentiments about misguided ‘Patrotism’. Especially. from draft dodging Trump. So, all the Red White and Blue war heros, sign up for frount line duty in Ukraine or Iran. The Last Days of Our Vietnam War.
US Killed: 59K
Wounded: 153K
Cost: $1.3T in $2025 dollars
VA Disability Cost: $1.5T
Related Suicide: 20K
Drug Addition upon return: 15%
Homeless at one time: 75K
Notice, no one talks about that war.
I’ve been flying a flag at my house since I moved from my apartment 25 years ago where I had no place to put a flag. One reason I put a flag up is to salute the boys and girls going off to a war that very few people talked about or even acknowledged was even happening, should they drive by. Another was to salute the people in law enforcement who patrol in the dark of night and in the worst weather to keep the evil ones in check.
I always knew some people were flag shy. I even have a neighbor who took down his US flag and put up a black BLM flag for a couple of years. It’s gone now like the money BLM raised.
But I had no idea that my flag was pulling triple duty by triggering and disgusting the sh!theads who hate their country – like crucifixes to vampires. This gives me no end of joy. This weather has torn up my current flag quite a bit. I always keep one in reserve. I’ll replace it when the weather gets better in a month or so. I’ll take the old flag to the local funeral home which disposes of worn flags properly. Thanks for the article. It made my day.
Proverbial balls. Hate to burst your bubble, but no, not a trannie.
When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.
Truer words have never been spoken.
Fascism already arrived in America with Obama and Biden wrapped in the communist hammer and sickle flag. And their devout Catholic communists like Commissar Pelosi, The Wealthy Cougar Of Wall Street, not wearing a cross, but instead the shamagh of their favorite Muslim terrorists.
Truer corrections were never issued, Tovarisch.
Fascism everywhere has come from the left.
Fascism is a form of socialism.
The main reason the US deploys troops is to protect oil companies and their profits.
Oil is not only a strategic interest of the US, but of the world.
From The Globe and Mail!
The State of the Union was a Circus – and Team USA the Monkeys???
Hope the author ends up on a special TSA watch list!
There’s no defense for the stupidity of the four years of the Biden administration, those who supported it, and continue to do so, including those contributors here in. Common sense gone to hell in a handbasket.The deluge of acid rain, which it brought down on the heads of this nation is not only inexcusable, but in unforgivable. The nation will rise or fall on the failure or success of that lot and it’s manifestations of their soft bigotry for the intelligence of the low information voter.
Methinks Gu wasn’t good enough to represent the US at the Olympics. She could move to China and whine and complain from a country with a different flag.
Gu is the best in the world consistently.
OBVIOUSLY one doesn’t need intelligence to figure skate well. 😏.
Gu is a freestyle skier, not a figure skater. Not hard to know.
Gu is a freestyle skier, not a figure skater. Obviously one doesn’t need intelligence to post ignorant replies.
Gu was just another American job being moved to China. If you didn’t notice that all the major American manufacturers have done that to drive American workers out of jobs, you haven’t been paying attention.
Turls, the men’s hockey team played themselves by letting Ka$h buddy and the teenager rapist trump gignap their image and efforts. Ka$h buddy thrash kegged with a medal around his neck he in no way earned.
Trump paraded the men’s team at the SOTU to steal attention from the news that 3 of 4 fbi interviews were illegally redacted from the epstein files that most likely detailed his forced oral sex on a 13yr old babysitter that resulted in him punching her in the face after she bit Mr. Happy…
You’ll no doubt chime in soon to shill for those interviews staying illegally redacted, as that is your job in furthering the grift at fox news, Turls.
So party on, you deviant.
Anonymous
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
🇺🇸 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
Know how to quote? Didn’t think so.
Fascism has always come via socialism.
Thanks, Cue balls. As expected, you misread my post. I’m as patriotic as the next guy in regard to the Olympics having been an athlete myself and grown up with several members of the first men’s gold medal team in 1960 as surrogate uncles…, my father having played college hockey with them.
As stated in my post, I’m no fan of co opting credit to those who in no way deserve it.
But yet you co-op yourself.
So why would my post of USA first with Old Glory trigger a response from you then? National Pride for our American hockey team should be a national celebration. What better honor and celebration of that win than being invited to a SOTU address by the President of the United States of America?!
As you may be aware, in 🎱 if you sink the cue ball on the 🎱you lose the game. 🎱’s itch and you just scratched, you lose….again. Rack em.
Thanks for clearing that up, Bolshevik Birthing Boy. If those 1960’s actual surrogate uncles do exist, they must be wondering why you didn’t get your little commie ass spanked more often to prevent you becoming a hater of any American athlete that refuses to call Trump a Nazi.
Clearly, if Gu is your idea of patriotism and the winning American hockey teams aren’t… your alleged uncles never taught you Jack Shyte about patriotism.
Turley is rewarded for being a human shield. He’s not specifically protecting Trump, but he is protecting people who find that protecting Trump is useful for them.
Nice touch, my love! That will have the MAGATS screaming in rage. No need to do anything further – lets go home early and get our Thursday Furry Tranny on!
How well has that wishful think paid off.
Where is the pee tape ?
See your doctor. Your antipsychotics aren’t working.
The next day, the Times then slammed Men’s Hockey Team in an article titled “The U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team won gold — and then lost the room.”
Actually we should welcome stuff like this from the NYT and their bretheren. Approval for the Left in the US is now down to the 20% to 25% range and articles like this, wallowing in hate America rhetoric, will only make it worse.
These liberal writers who warn their followers about their feelings if the US wins, are themselves preparing for the same. Many of them feel joy only at the demise of others, particularly the hated MAGA-types. They are unaccustomed to pure happiness. They reject it. They celebrate Eileen Yu, living in the US, for her medal while representing China. Just knowing that this action brings contrary feelings from most American is the extent of their feelings of joy. In this case, it’s not clear if they live in rage or just plain misery.
I was going to post a stand-alone comment on this subject, but a reply to you will do. Please, you, Professor Turley, and everyone else, refrain from calling today’s progressives liberal. Liberal is what the Founders and Framers were. Progressivism has been profoundly illiberal since its inception, and remains so, with more modern enhancements and embellishments.
John Locke they ain’t.
Founder, framers… next time include the fact that they lived in a different time and era.
Lots of words, No continuity. No point. Smells likes you’re playing with AI to sound intellectual. Caught red handed you are.
Being a professional writer, I do not need artificial intelligence to write, I have plenty of the natural kind.
“The Force” of ? is Among Us
This is a learning moment for the Lefties. The revulsion they feel when Americans celebrate the USA is their pathway to understanding how normal people feel about pretty much every dingle damn Leftist policy, principle, and activity.
This would require a smidgon of self-awareness the Leftist’s part. Sadly, it’s their own lack of self-awareness (perhaps they consider that their most redeeming quality on their part?) that will prevent the, “… pathway to understanding…”.
My revulsion is the Men’s Hockey team sold out for a cold McDonald’s meal in a gaudy, pasteboard office.
I did not realize the HuffPost was still being published and distributed. It must be required reading for the Susan Rice’s of the world and their minions. So sad that they cannot even enjoy a hockey game won by the national team of the United States.
I suspect the psychotherapists’ rooms have been filled all this week in Multiple Blue states and Cities as people melted down at watching the American flag waved around the rink in Italy.
Such sadness, such angst. I imagine doses of Effexor, Prozac, Duloxetine all doubled and possibly tripled this week. I Hope there are no overdoses in all this mass depression.
I wonder how many progressives went back to smoking this week. Either strait cigarettes or Cannabis.
So you didn’t realize HuffPost exists? So if it doesn’t exist for you, then its nonexistent.
How’s the pot working?
That’s his version of moral relativism.
Typical leftist eunuch going on the offensive from the comfort of his Anonymous keyboard, not even realizing how irrelevant he truly is.
Got a problem with words eh? So you resort to insults. Screams Karen.
And you think putting a picture and a name on a comment somehow makes you credible? It could have, had you not automatically resorted to insults. Just goes to show how put your picture in the public sphere people tend to equate with intelligence.
BTW, how do you know what anyone’s sex, the binary kind of course, here is? Just like a liberal, you focus on genitals.
Oh, BTW, registered republican. Thank you.
What a sad little gender confused person you are.
Trying hard to be relevant eh? Is that all you got, 10 word insults? Was gonna call you stupid, but your comment speaks volumes.
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa ………… good one anon. GRAND SLAM.
Wow, oh yeah that was out of the kiddie play area! However he needs to learn how to count to 10, as that was only a nine word insult.
I think Beck wrote a song about that kind or was it radio head?!
You’re so magnificently articulate this morning. You’ve got me hot and wet all over. Knock off work early and let’s get back in bed and get our Furry Tranny on!
First off, any sport that is judged based on “style” shouldn’t even be an olympic sport. That said, Ms. Gu has the right to sell her soul to the devil and I have a right to cheer for her to break a leg!
Style, so foot ball has no style, or boxing? And guys on skates are what? Styleless?
Does football get awarded points for style? Does boxing? What are you talking about? And guys on skates racing against the clock aren’t getting points for style. And those guys on skates that do get points for style are actually just ballerinas on ice, not a sport.
Points. Yes! The perfect touchdown pass. Is an example. A KO, is a perfectly beautiful example of style. Just calm down , didn’t know you masculinity is so thin.
Wow Anonymous, calling the 6 points a team gets for a TD “style points” is dumb even for you.
Dumb? Read your comment once you sober up.
HullBobby,
Yeah, that was pretty dumb. In annony world, there is a outrageously flamboyant announcer commenting on the “style” of each and every successful pass, run, or touchdown.
Oh Oh, farmer is maaaaadddd …. try a learn a writing style that fits you. Suggest you start with comic books.
Participation points for the LGBTQ crowd…
Well said. As for the lib scribblers, (and their mis guided minions)they have a right to their opinions and the rest of us have a right to consider them fools unworthy of even our contempt.
Perfect, that’s why no one responds to you. Well, except this one time.
Kicked it up a notch, Billy? Now we’re into maiming folks!
The problem is people are confusing the nation with the government. They are not the same thing.
The nation is permanent. The government is temporary. Governments come and go. Administrations change. Policies change. But the nation itself endures because it rests on principles that don’t expire every four years.
It’s like the Declaration and the Constitution. The Declaration is the permanent foundation. The Constitution is the framework built to protect it. You can amend the framework. You can repair it. But the foundation remains.
When people start judging the nation itself based on whoever happens to be in power at the moment, everything gets inverted. Patriotism starts looking like political loyalty, and criticism of government starts looking like rejection of the country.
A self-governing people have to remember the difference.
E Pluribus Unum.
So people are not the nation and the nation is not the government. And the government is not the nation and the people are not the nation.
Representatives do not represent the people, The representative are not the government.
George Orwell must is turning in his grave.
Olly is a bit confused today. As usual.
Bwahahahaha! Project much? In your haste to troll my comment, you just described your own confusion.
Not that I believe this would help your confusion, but here is a quick summary:
– The nation and the government are not the same thing. The nation is permanent. The government is temporary.
– Criticizing the government is part of self-government. Rejecting the nation itself is something entirely different.
– If you can’t separate the two, you stop thinking like a citizen and start reacting like a subject.
– The Declaration is the permanent foundation. The Constitution is the framework. The government is just the current operator. Don’t confuse the operator with what it’s operating.
Oh oh Ollly is big mad. Calm down old timer. In your haste to troll my comment, you just described your own confusion.
Let’s see, if the “The nation is permanent. The government is temporary.”, then the people who are the nation are also permanent and since the government is the nation, the nation are the people, it is not permanent? I get that right? Oh let’s see, so then if the government is not permanent, the nation of people who is the government, is therefore not permanent?
Has a rhyme to it eh?
OLLY,
Perfect take down of the anonymous!
Simp much?
Olly never heard of the Ship of Theseus.
Anonymous remembers something from the past, which sounds good even if it is not meaningful in this situation. You lack critical thinking skills. I would listen to Olly. His statement represents values, and yours, the feeling of the moment.
There is a critical difference between values and feelings. You lack the former and live by the latter. If everyone had good values, the world would be wonderful. If all everyone had were feelings, there would be chaos.
Olly,
It is striking to see the parallel between Israel and the U.S., where many citizens now feel a deep sense of shame regarding their government’s actions. Recent polling shows that 61% of American Jews believe Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza, and 68% give Prime Minister Netanyahu negative leadership ratings. Many are accused of being unpatriotic just as Trump and Republicans accuse liberals at home.
Just as Germany had to grapple with the “patriotism” used to mask the atrocities of the Nazi era—a struggle that still fuels a national revulsion toward enforced nationalism—we see a similar tactic today.
For Trump and his supporters, the flag is often used as a cloak to hide the cruelty and corruption that the rest of the world clearly sees. Modern liberals aren’t against pride or the flag; they are against using those symbols to justify being seen as “assh*les” on the world stage. Look at the contrast in how we treat our heroes: Trump “celebrated” the Olympic gold-medal men’s hockey team with cold McDonald’s burgers, a gesture many saw as an insult. Meanwhile, the women’s hockey team found a more genuine champion in Flavor Flav, who offered them a world-class celebration in Las Vegas that actually matched their achievement.
Its GEORGE! Um… you got sources for those stats. Or did you just make them up.
Without AI to support your rants, you look rather pathetic and laughable. Naked, so to speak.
I see it was only a matter of time before the Jew haters came out. Right on cue.
Jew haters? You really are stupid aren’t you.
Apparently not as stupid as you are.
X, you’re proving my point by trying to change the subject from the distinction between the nation and the government to whether you approve of specific government actions.
You’re free to criticize the government. That’s your job as a citizen. But the government is not the nation. Governments come and go. The nation remains. Germany didn’t cease to exist because of Hitler. The regime was temporary. The nation endured. The solution wasn’t to reject the nation. It was to remove the regime.
And no, I’m not going to run down every rabbit hole you generate to distract from that simple point. When you tie your relationship to the nation itself to whoever happens to be in power at the moment, you stop thinking like a citizen. The nation is permanent. The government is temporary. Don’t confuse the two.
Olly,
You forget that the government, Trump’s government, is using patriotism and the nation’s symbols to represent its position, America First. It’s Trump’s use of the nation’s symbols and patriotism to deliberately conflate it with his agenda and views.
Trump claims the government IS the nation. His authoritarian views exclusively link his, yes, HIS government as the nation.
“Germany didn’t cease to exist because of Hitler. The regime was temporary.”
The regime was temporary, BUT the stigma is forever. Germany didn’t cease to exist, but the stigma and association with Hitler still remains. It’s an almost natural connection with everything about Hitler and Nazism. Germans still feel shame and embarrassment about their nation’s horrific history with Nazism. Trump, MAGA, and Republicans are denigrating a similar sentiment from those who express shame and embarrassment about our nations government as hate towards our country and its flag.
I’m not confusing the two. You’re failing to see that Trump is making them one and the same.
No, Trump didn’t make them the same. You’re making them the same by accepting that premise in the first place.
Every government in history uses national symbols. That’s not new, and it doesn’t change the underlying structure. The nation still exists independent of whoever is temporarily operating the government. The symbols belong to the nation. They don’t belong to Trump, and they don’t belong to any administration.
Your Germany example actually proves my point. Germany didn’t cease to exist. The regime ended. The nation continued. The shame is attached to a temporary regime, not to the permanent existence of the German nation itself.
What I’m describing is National Dysphoria. It happens when people tie their relationship to the nation itself to the trajectory or leadership they expected, and when that trajectory breaks, the psychological distinction between nation and government collapses. At that point, the current operator becomes seen as the embodiment of the country itself. That’s a perception problem, not a structural reality.
The nation is permanent. Governments are temporary. No leader has the power to merge the two. Only citizens can lose the ability to distinguish between them.
Olly,
“No, Trump didn’t make them the same.”
Yes he did. He’s literally using the flag and the nation as his own brand. He’s making the nation in his own image and vision.
Trump is changing its underlying structure. Deliberately. His administration and the enabling Republican Congress may be temporary. BUT the stigma of Trump and his authoritarian tendencies will remain forever, just like Hitler and Nazism has for Germany.
Today, Trump IS associated with the USA. Everything USA is attached to Trump and his policies. Criticizing him or his policies MAGA and his cronies label it as “hating America” or being “unpatriotic”. Trump claims and brands America as his own brand. Remember he’s all about branding everything with his name. Something dictators are fond of doing. Trump withheld funds for a major NY infrastructure project to force them to change Penn Station “Trump station”. Trump wants to build an arch bigger than the Arc de Triumph in France because he wants it to be about him. The ball room? Hello? All symbols of the nation directly attached to him.
“The nation is permanent. Governments are temporary.”
The nation’s character is directly linked to the government. Trump. And it’s being irrevocably changed by him. He’s even attacking the structure of the country itself.
“The nation continued. The shame is attached to a temporary regime, not to the permanent existence of the German nation itself.”
The shame is permanent. It’s directly attached to the German nation itself. You can’t mention Germany and not associate Hitler and Nazism with it. USA will always be associated with Trump’s failure of moral character and corruption. It will take a long time to shake that and that is why liberals are rightfully feeling shame and embarrassment at displays of the flag and the performative nationalism that is attached to it.
X says: BUT the stigma of Trump and his authoritarian tendencies will remain forever, just like Hitler and Nazism has for Germany.”
Why don’t you have articles by author X on the Marxists Internet Archive?
https://www.marxists.org/admin/janitor/faq.htm
The writer is alive and well and politically active. The MIA’s Charter forbids us from building an archive for a writer who is still politically active. There are several reasons for this:
(1) It ensures that the MIA stays out of current disputes and
(2) remains independent of all political parties and groups; Also,
(3) if a writer is still alive, they can build their own web site. This does not prevent the MIA from using material also from politically active writers in an editorial role or in support of a subject section, so long as we have the author’s permission.
X: indelibly associated with the new Democrat communists and their police state fascism – they’re not the police state fascists; their intended victim Trump is the police state fascist.
OLLY,
Well said.
Trump is probably the most patriotic president of modern times.
Biden attempted to come off as patriotic in his Blood Red, Marines in the background in Philly while he told half of America they were evil. Despite his attempted use to vilify half of America using patriotic symbols we all saw through it. We still felt pride in America, the American flag. We did not associate the nation as “bad,” as with Biden in the WH. We felt pride despite him.
Personally I think the Democrats painted themselves into a corner by embracing this nihilistic attitude toward national pride and patriotism. Their reactions to Americans winning in the Olympics (even prior to a game) and their antics at the SOTU address only made it that much more obvious. The few times they try to spin their idea of patriotism comes off as fake, shallow and lame.
Yes sir. I served four different CinC’s and I wish I ad served this one. I was in my 20’s with Reagan and decades away from knowing what I now know about the system. Fotunately Reagan was easy to like and he gave me an 11.7% pay raise right away. So that was that.
Once I figured it out, I registered Independent. I don’t need to like Trump. I do, but more importantly I like his vision and policies. It’s hard to argue with the results. And I believe he truly loves this country.
X says: X, you’re proving my point by trying to change the subject from the distinction between the nation and the government”
Why don’t you have articles by author X on the Marxists Internet Archive?
https://www.marxists.org/admin/janitor/faq.htm
The writer is alive and well and politically active. The MIA’s Charter forbids us from building an archive for a writer who is still politically active. There are several reasons for this:
(1) It ensures that the MIA stays out of current disputes and
(2) remains independent of all political parties and groups; Also,
(3) if a writer is still alive, they can build their own web site. This does not prevent the MIA from using material also from politically active writers in an editorial role or in support of a subject section, so long as we have the author’s permission.
What’s the point of a cowardly Democrat Marxist that would never be noticed if they didn’t exist as a parasite dependent on somebody else’s successful blog?
Germany was gone after WWII, replaced with West Germany and East Germany with entirely new governments.
A new and different nation was later formed under the old name, the name being re-used.
Nations are never permanent; they continuously reform into new forms.
MAGA followers have certainly tied themselves to Trump and are apparently not thinking like citizens – one thing Olly has gotten correct.
X says: It is striking to see the parallel between Israel and the U.S., where many citizens now feel a deep sense of shame regarding their government’s actions.”
Why don’t you have articles by author X on the Marxists Internet Archive?
https://www.marxists.org/admin/janitor/faq.htm
The writer is alive and well and politically active. The MIA’s Charter forbids us from building an archive for a writer who is still politically active. There are several reasons for this:
(1) It ensures that the MIA stays out of current disputes and
(2) remains independent of all political parties and groups; Also,
(3) if a writer is still alive, they can build their own web site. This does not prevent the MIA from using material also from politically active writers in an editorial role or in support of a subject section, so long as we have the author’s permission.
Then there’s the shame of a Marxist too cowardly to create his own blog, and instead exist as a simpering coward posting it’s screed on somebody else’s successful blog.
“It is striking to see the parallel between Israel and the U.S., where many citizens now feel a deep sense of shame regarding their government’s actions.”
We are listening to a man totally devoid of moral values.
“Recent polling shows that 61% of American Jews believe Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza, and 68% give Prime Minister Netanyahu negative leadership ratings.”
What you are hearing is feelings devoid of values; reason is nowhere in the above statement. Feelings, even when reason is included, but absent values, are why the Nazis could commit the atrocities we remember and hate. Values such as “Thou shalt not murder” were absent. That is why George Svelaz can so easily fall into the trap of Nazism.
The problem is that libs interpret cheering for the U-S-A and waving the flag as support for Donald Trump. They are afflicted with such severe TDS that they can’t allow themselves any joy when US athletes do well. Instead, they cheer for a US citizen that competes for communist China. It really is a mental disorder.
BillyG,
Well said!!
“Instead, they cheer for a US citizen that competes for communist China. It really is a mental disorder.”
So?
Many foreign born athletes compete for the USA. Some hold dual citizenship.
30 American citizens have competed for other countries in the Olympics.
“Many foreign born athletes compete for the USA.”
Nice moral equivalence.
Here is what you, and the execrable Gu, sanction with your moral equivalence:
Jimmy Lai, 78, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the communist Chinese government. His “crime” was to criticize China’s tyrannical government and to stand tall for free speech.
Sam,
Rumeyza Öztürk was snatched off the street and jailed for 45 days simply for exercising her First Amendment rights in a student op-ed. She was being punished for joining in on an opinion piece critical of the Israeli government’s policies towards Gaza and the Palestinians.
Turley never said a word or defended her. We have our own tyrannical government when it comes to free speech. He never stood tall for free speech at a crucial moment. He turned a blind eye towards an issue near and dear to his heart.
X says: We have our own tyrannical government when it comes to free speech.
Try being somebody employed by the Trump campaign when the Obama/Biden police state fascists were trying to take out Trump like they took out Governor McDonnell in 2012.
Why don’t you have articles by author X on the Marxists Internet Archive?
https://www.marxists.org/admin/janitor/faq.htm
The writer is alive and well and politically active. The MIA’s Charter forbids us from building an archive for a writer who is still politically active. There are several reasons for this:
(1) It ensures that the MIA stays out of current disputes and
(2) remains independent of all political parties and groups; Also,
(3) if a writer is still alive, they can build their own web site. This does not prevent the MIA from using material also from politically active writers in an editorial role or in support of a subject section, so long as we have the author’s permission.
X: indelibly associated with the new Democrat communists and their police state fascism – they’re not the police state fascists; their intended victim Trump is the police state fascist.
“Rumeyza Öztürk was . . .”
A deflection.
Imagine that.
How do you know what the the libs interpret? YOu smell like a lib. Write like a lib, so you must be a …
BillyG, what you’re describing is real, but I don’t think it’s about Trump as a person. It’s something deeper. I call it National Dysphoria.
National Dysphoria happens when someone loses the ability to distinguish between the nation, which is permanent, and the government, which is temporary. In 2016, what broke wasn’t just an election prediction. It was an expected trajectory. Trump’s win disrupted what many believed was a permanent direction for the country, and from that point forward, he became seen not just as a temporary officeholder, but as what they believed the country itself had become.
That’s why cheering for the country can get interpreted as cheering for the current operator of the government. The psychological distinction between nation and government collapses. The nation didn’t change overnight. The government did. Citizens who understand the difference remain anchored. Citizens who don’t experience political change as if they’ve lost their country.
OLLY,
“In 2016, what broke wasn’t just an election prediction. It was an expected trajectory.”
Yep!
We had eight years of Obama. The expectation was for a HRC WH admin, for eight years and all the things the Obama and HRC admins brought or would bring with it. Trump won and the trajectory changed. And I think that is what broke the Democrats into their meltdown puddles of goo. I do in fact believe they are really traumatized by their reactions, words, the TDS they have and continue to display. You remind us that in order to fix this, we need to address the root cause which is for a return to a self-reliant, self-governing, civic citizen. Seems to me, they are fighting against that and their own self-interest every step of the way. They have been indoctrinated into big government will take care of me, I cannot do anything myself mentality.
I think we saw that on display during the SOTU address. At one point, the camera panned around to the Democrat side and a bunch of them were looking around for someone else to tell them what to do.
Upstate, I appreciate your comment. You’re getting to the root of it.
The real issue isn’t the election itself. It’s whether citizens see themselves as self-governing individuals or as spectators waiting for cues. When people stop relying on their own judgment and start relying on signals from parties or personalities, civic strength weakens.
Self-government only works when citizens carry their share of it. Without that, the system drifts no matter who’s in office.
Absolutely spot on.
Fascist Democrats hate America. They promised to “fundamentally transform” the country. And flooded 20 million illegal aliens into the country to make it a reality. The anti-American hatred is quite visible when you see Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib during the State of the Union. This is the modern day left. John F. Kennedy would have slapped these unpatriotic weasels.
We are dealing with mental illness and anguish. People must come to this country legally and pledge to assimilate.
So if they don’t buy into your world view, they’re nuts? Um… and if you don’t buy into their worldview, then you are nuts? So which is it anon?
Dr. Turley, thank you for another excellent article! I always save your commentaries– they define our times, casting light on the very real battle between good and evil!
I can’t imagine living inside the tortured minds of these people, or the ignorance required to shill for the CCP. Congratulations to our athletes!
make no mistake James, you too are living in a toutured mind.
@Anonymous
No, I’m not. I’m actually ok with cognitive dissonance, as any sane person is. It can be concerning, but that’s all it is because we have confidence in ourselves and our abilities, largely due to our experience in dealing with hardship, and making it through it.
More and more this seems to be a failing on the part of people born after 1985 or so, particularly those born in the 90s, which was the most peaceful and prosperous time the West has ever seen. I will do what I do regardless, this does not impact my mental health. A rainstorm can send the fragile generations into a panic; I don’t know how we expect them to reliably even handle the adult responsibilities of life, let alone governance. Learn to do your own laundry, and do not expect a cafe to have the one particular hot sauce you want. That is not ‘oppression’, it’s you being a privileged idiot.
The number one failing of the millennial generation and subsequent is the lack of that sense and resilience, and yes, to an extent, that is not your fault due to the way your parents failed to raise you seemingly at all in relation to the reality of life on a planet with 7 billion other people that literally all think differently than you and have no idea who you are when you were led to believe you were the most special star to ever grace the earth.
Nevertheless, we are at the time of comeuppance. We do not want your dysfunction and we will no longer placate it. It is your turn to adjust to the shape of things, whether you like it or not, and I’m guessing given your predilection toward juvenile histrionics, it will not be pretty. Even to that, as a mature adult, I say. ‘Meh.’. Get over it.
Your worst fear is that you are just an ordinary person that has to live and contribute to this world like everyone else, and that is terrifying to you. We didn’t do this to you, but we sure will correct it. You don’t intimidate or impress because you are pathetic. We will move on without you, just like the world did your hippy era parents, and but for the tiny handful that got wealthy from that era and didn’t just end up pathetic burnouts, that is across the board. The sad fact is, many of those ‘revolutionaries’ were privileged to begin with, it’s how they could afford to do and contribute nothing whatsoever, and that goes for the Beatniks, too. Look in a mirror.
Gertrude Stein was not poor.
James,
Yesterday I mentioned how exhausting it must be to be filled with hate and rage all the time. I think we can add delusional to the list.
“Buckle up and have fun?” So now you threaten people for speaking their minds? Typical of Democrats who have clearly reached the “murder your political opponents” stage of democracy.
Not that anon. But that anon confessed to being a “registered republican”. Attached that to your initial insulting comment. Read first, shoot second.
And here’s the blog simp. And must be exhausting to repeat your daily screed… I don’t read comments from etc. But to show up every day, every hour, 12 hours a day, repeating yourself, that is delusional
@Upstate
Yessiree. 👍🏼
Upstate: They recognize their hate and rage but, by definition, they can not recognize their fixed, false thought as a delusion when presented evidence to the contrary. Delusional behavior is by definition a mental disorder.
James and Upstate, there’s actually a term for this. Dr. Domina Petric called it National Dysphoria, a disconnect between a person and their national identity. I use it more precisely to describe when someone becomes psychologically disconnected from their country because it no longer matches the political trajectory they expected, and they stop distinguishing between the permanent nation and its temporary government.
Do you mean the permanent, the temporary changes under FDR?
OK
Agreed! The purposeful division of American society starting with indoctrination of young students in the public schools system by subculture teachers of every ilk is starting to firmly take hold after several decades. These newer younger members of our society have been continuously taught that only subculture extremism is to be respected so those nonconforming individuals (aka fringe folks) are worshipped for their ‘uniqueness and bravery’ and any unifying of the culture is EXTREMISM and FACISM that will bring ruin (gotta have an apocalyptic outcome, right?) to humankind! Oh well that is what you get when schools are infiltrated by wack jobs.
Just how sad is it to be a left wing extremist?
“While President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda separates families, and federal agents detain 5-year-olds and kill unarmed civilians”
Amazing how many lies they pack in with one sentence.
Just how sad is it to be a MAGAott.
Source: Jim22
I’m actually quite happy.
As happy as a MAGAot sucking on putrid meat?
You have it completely wrong. We do not eat up anything far leftist Democrats offer up nearly daily. Like, “There’s a Name for the Discomfort You’re Feeling Watching the Olympics Right Now.” Or the Susan Rice or Sen. Murphy rantings about putting people in jail for . . . something they cannot name.
Oh, no. We have the intelligence to know what far leftist Democrats are offering is bad. We will not even give it to our dogs.
Upsaatefarmer and intelligence, na… nope… mutually exclusive.
Oooohhh putrid meat! Oh lover… you’re making me wet and hot visualizing that! Let’s hop back in bed and let me get your Furry Tranny on (or in, whatever pleases you)!
Just how sad it is to be a parasite like Anonymous.
Speaking of parasites, the drunken lout has awaken. Where’s your simp?.
Obviously you don’t know any better, commie.
I obviously have bigger balls than you.
Balls huh. You a trannie then?
Really? You sure? Big balls doesn’t not equate with intelligence Steph. Your first mistake.
Actually, my first mistake was thinking you were worthy of a response. I won’t make that mistake again. Good day.
. Hit him with big ovaries. You’ve got a pair.
In my worst state of being drunk I still wouldn’t post things as stupid as the things you put in writing.
“I still wouldn’t post…things as stupid” … but you always do. Perfect example is that comment.
I’m out of tonic. 😏
I was gonna say the same thing
The left conveniently forgets that the Kenyan put children in cages and separated families. Like the obedient little Marxists they are, Democrats accuse their enemies of doing exactly what they do to create confusion and division.
Never forget that Democrats hate Americans!
Very ballsey to put put your name and picture on this blog. Buckle up and have fun.
The aggression of testosterone…
SK:
You can’t stereotype an entire group by a few idiots. That rule applies to stereotyping Republicans also.
So says anon. Got self-awareness?
The child detained was left by his father. Agents cared for him until his mother finally came through. Why do you believe the worst? BTW – why is no one talking about Joe Biden who created this illegal mess. And Harris? She takes no responsibility for her lack of border control. Can anyone really believe she would stand up for America?
You just have to love moral relativism –
Not that the readers here know what it is, I’ll help:
Moral relativism is the philosophical position that moral judgments are not universally true but are instead relative to the individual, culture, or society making them. It holds that what is considered morally right or wrong depends on cultural or personal perspectives, and there are no objective, universal moral truths. This view contrasts sharply with moral absolutism, which asserts that certain actions are intrinsically right or wrong regardless of context.
Source: https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/moral-relativism
If I didn’t know better, I’d say that definition is MAGA.
Did I give the blog readers too much credit? I didn’t think so, but, regardless, thanks for the assist
. Let’s say what we do know —> all life reproduces, replicates.
Go ahead, add something…
Another red meat day, MAGAotts!
Provided by . . . far leftist Democrats. And we are not actually eating anything up. I mean, just look at it. HuffPost, “There’s a Name for the Discomfort You’re Feeling Watching the Olympics Right Now.” Who in their right mind would even come up with something like that?
Haterrrrrrr