Within just a few minutes of President George W. Bush’s departure from the stage at the Republican National Convention, Senator John F. Kerry took to a podium in America’s heartland and delivered a speech that blasted every RNC speaker and attendee for daring to question his patriotism.  This tiresome charge, trotted out by Kerry on innumerable occasions over the past few months, is made worse by the obviousness of a speech being written hours, if not days, prior to the RNC’s actual closing.  How do we know?  Because at no time did any speaker at the RNC ever question Kerry’s patriotism.

We have to start with a definition of patriotism, especially in this post-September 11 era wherein people are accusing others of being unpatriotic for not adhering to their beliefs.  Republicans did it at one time, and now Democrats are doing it.  A patriot is on who “loves and zealously supports one’s own country.”  Patriotism is that sense of loyalty and devotion that we all feel for America – a devotion that innumerable thousands throughout the world try to experience first-hand by coming to our country, legally and illegally.

Kerry’s insistence that Republicans are smearing him and his claims that Bush’s subordinates are questioning his patriotism is unfair and false.  No one doubts Kerry’s sincerity when it comes to protecting this country.  In fact, if anyone does truly believe that Kerry intends to purposely bring harm to America, they best take that evidence to the networks and reveal him as a traitor.  But, it’s impossible.  No one is capable of becoming a multi-term senator, or hold any other elected office, if they openly attack America, her values, or wish for her demise.  Just like Bush, Kerry seeks to protect America.  But, just like the RNC speakers, the speakers at the DNC questioned the opposition’s plans and methods.  That’s not questioning their patriotism, that’s questioning how they intend to protect the country.  It is a fundamental and critical difference.

So what is questioning a person’s patriotism?  Calling someone a liar and suggesting that they concocted a war for purely political gain; calling someone a killer; or directly calling a person unpatriotic or their actions immoral.  Those are things that are truly questioning a person’s patriotism, and all are phrases that Democrats have used to attack Bush and his credibility.  No such charges have been leveled against Kerry, although there have been questioned raised about his Vietnam service, they are little different from the innumerable questions that the Democrats raised about Bush.

Our country must be protected, and both presidential candidates know that, especially in this dangerous new world war.  Our Commander-in-Chief must have a vision for keeping our country safe from terrorists and Americans deserve to know what their plan is.  Arguments can be made that Kerry’s foreign policy, which is almost identical to Clinton’s, will do little to defend America against terrorists.  After all, Clinton’s choice to treat terrorism just as any other law enforcement issue may have subtly encouraged the terrorists to become bolder.  But, a similar argument can be made against the Bush doctrine – albeit with less success because there has not been any substantial terrorist attack on America or her interests since the implementation of that policy.

By its definition, though, both Kerry and Bush’s plans are patriotic.  They seek to defend America.  Plain and simple.  Neither wants to see another attack on our country and both are patriots because they will zealously defend out country and the Constitution that they swear by upon entry into the office.

Questioning the method that they intend to use to defend our country, however, is fair game in a political cycle.  After all, we are encouraging Americans to get informed and engage in the debate, which means there has to be a discussion of the pros and cons of each candidate’s plan to keep America safe from terrorists and other threats.  The question is, which foreign policy do the people think will better protect America, not which foreign policy will protect America.  This is a subtle, but fundamentally important, distinction.

On November 2, the people will have to decide which candidate’s plan will better protect America.  That is their patriotic duty.  If any honestly believes that one candidate is unpatriotic, then they have no business entering the election booth because it is the poorly informed voter, not either candidate, who is truly unpatriotic.

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