It never ceases to amaze me how politicians can love the place, but not the people who live there.

Sarah Palin is not the first politician to "Love America, but not love AMERICANS". These pols love the stature and prestige of America, but have no understanding of what it took to get here. They'll say things like "We have the best Judicial System in the world", but want to limit appeals in death sentence cases.

One of my personal favorites is the idea that to complain or protest agsainst America is to be less than patriotic. Does my service in Kosovo, Somalia, and Iraq make me more the patriot than someone protesting the 2 (TWO!!) on going wars? No. No it does not. I am a Marine (Once... Always...) the people who love this country best are the ones who hold it accountable. Who say to it "You are so much better than what you have become". "We have a short history, but it has been distinguished by moments which made the world better". "You are stronger than your force of arms". "We the people of America are better than this, and I object to you doing these things in my name". These are the words of Patriots.

What Mrs. Palin seems to miss is the history of the moment; that 2 black Americans became accepted as just American. 222 years 4 months 28 days ago this country was born of this dream.