Run for the Fallen

Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Sovie 20, Ogdensburg, New York U.S. Marines Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, Marine Air Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing,2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, New River, N.C. Killed when two CH-53 helicopters crashed near Ras Siyyan, northern Djibouti, while flying a training mission in the Godoria Range area. Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, MAG 29, 2nd MAW, II MEF

Nic’s mom, Mary, says:

I cannot believe how hard this is to write about memories of Nic. This year, and this month especially is difficult as Nic’s 5 year contract with the Marines ended on August 5, 2008. We will never know now if he would have reenlisted or come home as he planned and attended college. He had so many dreams and plans for his future. However, he loved his job as crew chief in the Marines and working with all of his fellow Marines.

As any parent who lost a child will tell you, everyday is Memorial Day. You would think it would be easy to share all of those memories……they play through our minds everyday. And sadly, it doesn’t get easier as time goes on, we just learn to live with the pain. That is where our faith comes in. Nic had that faith too. He would tell me that he put his life in God’s hands before every flight. He said that God is in control and whatever happens, he was OK with that. It was that same faith I had to stand on when those 2 Marines came to my door @ 10:30 PM on a cold winter night February 17, 2006. It is that same faith that sustains me today.

Nic was my middle son. He has a brother 4 years older and a brother 4 years younger. We were always a close knit family. Faith and Church has always been important to our family. Nic was an altar server for many years and was involved with the church youth group & plays. He even went to Taize & Paris France in 2001 with the church youth group. He enjoyed hiking in the Adirondacks with his older brother and they had plans to climb all the peaks. Nic was always smiling and made friends easily. His friends often turned to Nic for advice because he really listened and cared….they knew that. He had a great sense of humor and was usually the life of the party. He was always optimistic and saw the glass as half full, not half empty. He could cheer anyone up. He was thoughtful & caring to everyone, but could be tough when he had too. He was a wonderful uncle to his nephew Andy. Andy was only 4 when Nic died, but he still talks about “Uncle Nic” all the time.

Nic was on honor student throughout school and could probably attend any college he wanted to go to. When September 11, 2001 happened, Nic was 16 and in 11th grade. He wanted to serve his country. A few days after is 17th birthday, just before starting his senior year, Nic talked to a Marine recruiter and signed up with the delayed entry program. He graduated high school with honors in June 2003 and left for bootcamp August 5, 2003. We proudly watched our son march across the fields October 31, 2003 as he was called a Marine for the first time. From there, Nic continued his training, went to SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training, earned his wings for flight school and became a crew chief on the CH 53 Helicopter. He excelled in his job as crew chief. His best friend in the Marines, Sam Large was also a crew chief. They bot h died along with 6 other Marines and 2 Air Force personnel when 2 helicopters collided. Somehow, in our pain, both Sam’s family and ours were comforted by the fact that if they had to die, they died together. Sam’s wife and many of his Marine buddies were here for the burial. Nic is buried in our parish cemetery, Notre Dame in Ogdensburg, NY. He had 2 CH 53 helicopters fly over for his burial.

There is a song called “The Dash” sung by Eric Dodge. He is a new & upcoming Country Music singer from Utah. Every time we listen to that song, tears fill up our eyes as we think of Nic. It says:

“Someday they’re gonna carve two dates beneath my name in stone. One for when I first arrived, one for when I say good-bye. I can’t change when I got here, or when I’m going home…but there is still a little time in the middle that’s mine ..all mine. The dash between the dates, the gift we’ve all been given. That little line that takes us from the cradle up to heaven. You’re born and then you die….Life goes by so fast and it’s all riding on the dash.” The song ends with..”When I’m gone I hope my friends all gather for a toast to laugh and cry and say at least I tried to make the most of the dash between the dates……..”

Nic lived his “dash” to the fullest. He filled all our lives with joy & love and wonderful memories. He touched so many hearts and changed so many lives for the better. His smile lightened and brightened everyone’s day. His sense of humor made us all laugh. His stories kept us on the edge of our seats. His wise words, his encouragement and his ability to always look at the glass as half full and seeing the positive aspect of every obstacle or problem that came before him or his friends, made life not only easier for those around him, but a whole bunch more fun! His faith kept you grounded and he never wavered. We thank God for that and for him each and everyday. Honor, courage and commitment—–he was every bit of the Marine motto. We will never let him be forgotten….he is a part of our day, everyday! We know there will always be heartache & tears, but also the precious memories that we created through the years.

I will always remember what he told me the first Christmas when he couldn’t be home, “Don’t be sad that I am not there. The Spirit of St. Nicholas is always with you and so am I.” We hold his words close to our hearts. We will never let his sacrifice for all of us be forgotten.

Mary (proud Marine Mom of Nic)

(source)

Run for the Fallen

Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Sovie 20, Ogdensburg, New York U.S. Marines Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, Marine Air Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing,2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, New River, N.C. Killed when two CH-53 helicopters crashed near Ras Siyyan, northern Djibouti, while flying a training mission in the Godoria Range area. Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, MAG 29, 2nd MAW, II MEF

Nic’s mom, Mary, says:

I cannot believe how hard this is to write about memories of Nic. This year, and this month especially is difficult as Nic’s 5 year contract with the Marines ended on August 5, 2008. We will never know now if he would have reenlisted or come home as he planned and attended college. He had so many dreams and plans for his future. However, he loved his job as crew chief in the Marines and working with all of his fellow Marines.

As any parent who lost a child will tell you, everyday is Memorial Day. You would think it would be easy to share all of those memories……they play through our minds everyday. And sadly, it doesn’t get easier as time goes on, we just learn to live with the pain. That is where our faith comes in. Nic had that faith too. He would tell me that he put his life in God’s hands before every flight. He said that God is in control and whatever happens, he was OK with that. It was that same faith I had to stand on when those 2 Marines came to my door @ 10:30 PM on a cold winter night February 17, 2006. It is that same faith that sustains me today.

Nic was my middle son. He has a brother 4 years older and a brother 4 years younger. We were always a close knit family. Faith and Church has always been important to our family. Nic was an altar server for many years and was involved with the church youth group & plays. He even went to Taize & Paris France in 2001 with the church youth group. He enjoyed hiking in the Adirondacks with his older brother and they had plans to climb all the peaks. Nic was always smiling and made friends easily. His friends often turned to Nic for advice because he really listened and cared….they knew that. He had a great sense of humor and was usually the life of the party. He was always optimistic and saw the glass as half full, not half empty. He could cheer anyone up. He was thoughtful & caring to everyone, but could be tough when he had too. He was a wonderful uncle to his nephew Andy. Andy was only 4 when Nic died, but he still talks about “Uncle Nic” all the time.

Nic was on honor student throughout school and could probably attend any college he wanted to go to. When September 11, 2001 happened, Nic was 16 and in 11th grade. He wanted to serve his country. A few days after is 17th birthday, just before starting his senior year, Nic talked to a Marine recruiter and signed up with the delayed entry program. He graduated high school with honors in June 2003 and left for bootcamp August 5, 2003. We proudly watched our son march across the fields October 31, 2003 as he was called a Marine for the first time. From there, Nic continued his training, went to SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training, earned his wings for flight school and became a crew chief on the CH 53 Helicopter. He excelled in his job as crew chief. His best friend in the Marines, Sam Large was also a crew chief. They bot h died along with 6 other Marines and 2 Air Force personnel when 2 helicopters collided. Somehow, in our pain, both Sam’s family and ours were comforted by the fact that if they had to die, they died together. Sam’s wife and many of his Marine buddies were here for the burial. Nic is buried in our parish cemetery, Notre Dame in Ogdensburg, NY. He had 2 CH 53 helicopters fly over for his burial.

There is a song called “The Dash” sung by Eric Dodge. He is a new & upcoming Country Music singer from Utah. Every time we listen to that song, tears fill up our eyes as we think of Nic. It says:

“Someday they’re gonna carve two dates beneath my name in stone. One for when I first arrived, one for when I say good-bye. I can’t change when I got here, or when I’m going home…but there is still a little time in the middle that’s mine ..all mine. The dash between the dates, the gift we’ve all been given. That little line that takes us from the cradle up to heaven. You’re born and then you die….Life goes by so fast and it’s all riding on the dash.” The song ends with..”When I’m gone I hope my friends all gather for a toast to laugh and cry and say at least I tried to make the most of the dash between the dates……..”

Nic lived his “dash” to the fullest. He filled all our lives with joy & love and wonderful memories. He touched so many hearts and changed so many lives for the better. His smile lightened and brightened everyone’s day. His sense of humor made us all laugh. His stories kept us on the edge of our seats. His wise words, his encouragement and his ability to always look at the glass as half full and seeing the positive aspect of every obstacle or problem that came before him or his friends, made life not only easier for those around him, but a whole bunch more fun! His faith kept you grounded and he never wavered. We thank God for that and for him each and everyday. Honor, courage and commitment—–he was every bit of the Marine motto. We will never let him be forgotten….he is a part of our day, everyday! We know there will always be heartache & tears, but also the precious memories that we created through the years.

I will always remember what he told me the first Christmas when he couldn’t be home, “Don’t be sad that I am not there. The Spirit of St. Nicholas is always with you and so am I.” We hold his words close to our hearts. We will never let his sacrifice for all of us be forgotten.

Mary (proud Marine Mom of Nic)

(source)

Run For the Fallen

Today, the Run for the Fallen ends in Arlington. Today marks the end of this run for our heroes. Every hero has been recognised and remembered. I have a number of these brave men and women forever etched on my heart. There ARE sites which have profiles of each of them. Two that allow us to know them and their lives are:

Living Legends (SA)
They Have Names

There are many other official sites, of course, and I urge you to spend some time reading the words of those who know and love these heroes the most. To find out more about Run For the Fallen, go here.

“May they rest in peace. They are some of the chosen ones.”

Run For the Fallen

Today, the Run for the Fallen ends in Arlington. Today marks the end of this run for our heroes. Every hero has been recognised and remembered. I have a number of these brave men and women forever etched on my heart. There ARE sites which have profiles of each of them. Two that allow us to know them and their lives are:

Living Legends (SA)
They Have Names

There are many other official sites, of course, and I urge you to spend some time reading the words of those who know and love these heroes the most. To find out more about Run For the Fallen, go here.

“May they rest in peace. They are some of the chosen ones.”

Understanding the New Left: Revisited

Understanding the New Left

A note from Radarsite: In response to our previous article from Lionheart, The Takeover, honoring the life and work of Orianai Fallaci, we are reposting this original article from December 9, 2007. It is hoped that this small essay will contribute to our discussion of this New Left, this treacherous internationalist political and ideological menace, which currently threatens the very foundations of our nation, and yet is still so widely misunderstood and misinterpreted.

As is so often the case with some of the world’s most destructive ideologies, they are born from the honest and high-minded efforts of intellectuals, politicians, and historians to right a perceived societal wrong, often coupled with a desire to redress the purported victimization of a people or a nation.

One cannot fathom the power of these revolutionary movements without at least attempting to understand their appeal. Few if any successful revolutionary movements were based on the embrace of the dark side of human nature; on the contrary, most were clothed in the shining raiment of goodness and equity. The most violent excesses of the French Revolution were — at least, originally — carried out in the firm belief that they were working for the betterment of mankind. The fervor with which these Great Causes were embraced by so many otherwise ‘normal’ people did not come from their perception of themselves or The Cause as the virtual incarnation of Evil, but rather as the victory of the Good. Whether we are contemplating Islamism, Fascism, Nazism or Communism, or even the rise of an unmitigated monster such as a Pol Pot or an Osama bin Laden, we cannot comprehend these sweeping political upheavals without first acknowledging their loyal adherents’ unquestioned self-perception as the embodiment of justice and righteousness. The road to hell is paved with such well-intentioned movements.

The closest this contentious world has ever come to achieving true social equity has been in those modern nations which have embraced the combined principles of freedom, capitalism, and democracy. They are simply the most judicious and honorable systems yet devised. Unfortunately, this glaring truth does not render these privileged societies impervious to the machinations of those who know better, those who understand history better, and can better interpret its meanings, those who have conceptualized a better vision of the future, embodied in a better system. There is always a ‘better system’ out there. And as we have seen to our despair, oftentimes those same old ugly lies reappear in the guise of some newer ‘better system’, and subsequently a whole new generations of believers is born.

Thus we now have our New Left. A New Left which really isn’t all that new; and yet, despite its undeniable previous history of abject failure and brutal oppression, it still manages to attract a whole new roster of converts. And once again, this is not because it appeals to the evil hearts and minds of these newest disciples, but rather beckons to their higher selves. They believe that they have a better grasp of historical truth than the rest of us. They believe that they have the answers for the rest of us. And, as with all those other monumental idealistic disasters that have befallen mankind, they will be our ruin unless we can stop them. And we cannot hope to stop them unless and until we understand them. – rg
——————————————————————

If I understand it correctly, the argument of the liberal, multicultural, internationalist left goes like this. Over the course of history, the concept of nationhood has been thoroughly discredited: it has wrought nothing but divisiveness and trouble to the world community. The two greatest and most destructive wars in human history were the direct result of the opposing selfish ambitions of several major nation states. Nationalism breeds patriotism; patriotism breeds chauvinism; chauvinism, in turn, breeds ultra-nationalism — or as it is more commonly known, fascism. Therefore, for the sake of world peace, the idea of individualistic nations with finite borders and selfish agendas must be done away with completely and forever and replaced by the more rational, humanistic concept of internationalism.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the left lost its champion for the worldwide movement of internationalism, which it had hoped would defeat the self-interested powers of nationalism and capitalism. Following the disintegration of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R., and the abject failure of communism in general, the left had to look for a new paradigm, and for new leaders. Not surprisingly, the new left would find its leaders amongst the liberal intelligentsia, who were, themselves, largely products of the radical protest movements of the Sixties and the “cultural elite”.

This new social revolution would be led by artists, writers, academics and left-leaning politicians of the world who would unite to create a new internationalist order. Whereas the goals of the Communist state-based old left were primarily political, the new left’s battles are primarily cultural — political power, as such, is seen only as a means to an end.

This internationalist new left is ideologically opposed to any intrinsic national characteristics — such as, language, monetary systems, customs, etc. — which would set one nation apart from another. Most particularly, they are opposed to borders — borders, after all, define nations, which, as has been proven, are a fundamentally disruptive and dangerous concept. Secondly, once the whole construct of nationhood is done away with, then those intransigent problems of racism and immigration (two issues high on the new left’s agenda) would disappear.

In the last several decades Europe has already moved (perhaps irreversibly) in this direction, with its creation of the European Union, the introduction of the Euro, the pan-European capitol at Brussels, with its International Court at the Hague and, of course, its “moral” opposition the the “nationalistic” United States.

More ominously, Europe’s intrinsic cultural identity is in the process of being obliterated by the mass influx of (mostly Muslim) immigrants who, rather than assimilate, more often than not form their own separate enclaves, follow their own cultural leaders and laws, and continue speaking their own languages. Less and less do these new immigrants show any sense of affiliation with, or loyalty toward their new European host countries.* In fact, in many instances, they thoroughly despise these liberal societies which they have infiltrated and actively seek to tear them down from within and replace them with something more “internationalist”, like the universal religion of Islam. Unfortunately, far from being some compassionate, all-encompassing, peace-loving world order, this radical form of jihadist Islam — whose rights the new leftists so passionately defend — is, in the end, far more tyrannical and fascistic than any of these so-called brutal imperialist nations that they would like to do away with.

These ideological battles with the forces of the multicultural, internationalist new left and their allies at the ACLU, the universities, Hollywood and the media, etc., are being played out daily in our own country with our ongoing and hotly contested debates over border enforcement, immigration legislation, English language issues, illegal alien rights, racial profiling, etc.
The new left’s Utopian and monumentally ambitious goal is to eventually have an America without borders, either northern or southern, a North American Union, similar in concept to the EU, a thoroughly homogeneous socialist society, minus, of course, any culturally unique Americans, governed by international laws, adjudicated by international courts.

These current societal conflicts are essentially battles of migration, similar to the great Germanic migrations that overwhelmed the increasingly vulnerable Roman Empire of the third, fourth and fifth centuries. They are battles of demographics. And they are battles that, for various reasons, the peoples of the Western Democracies are losing.

However violent and bloody they might be, the most serious threats to our democratic societies do not necessarily come from these well-publicized, intermittent terrorist attacks but, rather, from these insidious — and seemingly unstoppable — ubiquitous cultural invasions, against which we, in our liberal and open societies seem woefully incapable of defending ourselves.

*[According to Claire Berlinski in “Menace in Europe”, over 30% of European Muslims believe that Europe is evil and decadent and deserves to be overthrown and replaced by Islam. Whereas, Benjamin and Simon state in their book, “The Sacred Age of Terror”, that 98% of London’s Muslims under 45 said they would not fight for Britain.]

This article was first published by Political Grind July 7, 2007.

Understanding the New Left: Revisited

Understanding the New Left

A note from Radarsite: In response to our previous article from Lionheart, The Takeover, honoring the life and work of Orianai Fallaci, we are reposting this original article from December 9, 2007. It is hoped that this small essay will contribute to our discussion of this New Left, this treacherous internationalist political and ideological menace, which currently threatens the very foundations of our nation, and yet is still so widely misunderstood and misinterpreted.

As is so often the case with some of the world’s most destructive ideologies, they are born from the honest and high-minded efforts of intellectuals, politicians, and historians to right a perceived societal wrong, often coupled with a desire to redress the purported victimization of a people or a nation.

One cannot fathom the power of these revolutionary movements without at least attempting to understand their appeal. Few if any successful revolutionary movements were based on the embrace of the dark side of human nature; on the contrary, most were clothed in the shining raiment of goodness and equity. The most violent excesses of the French Revolution were — at least, originally — carried out in the firm belief that they were working for the betterment of mankind. The fervor with which these Great Causes were embraced by so many otherwise ‘normal’ people did not come from their perception of themselves or The Cause as the virtual incarnation of Evil, but rather as the victory of the Good. Whether we are contemplating Islamism, Fascism, Nazism or Communism, or even the rise of an unmitigated monster such as a Pol Pot or an Osama bin Laden, we cannot comprehend these sweeping political upheavals without first acknowledging their loyal adherents’ unquestioned self-perception as the embodiment of justice and righteousness. The road to hell is paved with such well-intentioned movements.

The closest this contentious world has ever come to achieving true social equity has been in those modern nations which have embraced the combined principles of freedom, capitalism, and democracy. They are simply the most judicious and honorable systems yet devised. Unfortunately, this glaring truth does not render these privileged societies impervious to the machinations of those who know better, those who understand history better, and can better interpret its meanings, those who have conceptualized a better vision of the future, embodied in a better system. There is always a ‘better system’ out there. And as we have seen to our despair, oftentimes those same old ugly lies reappear in the guise of some newer ‘better system’, and subsequently a whole new generations of believers is born.

Thus we now have our New Left. A New Left which really isn’t all that new; and yet, despite its undeniable previous history of abject failure and brutal oppression, it still manages to attract a whole new roster of converts. And once again, this is not because it appeals to the evil hearts and minds of these newest disciples, but rather beckons to their higher selves. They believe that they have a better grasp of historical truth than the rest of us. They believe that they have the answers for the rest of us. And, as with all those other monumental idealistic disasters that have befallen mankind, they will be our ruin unless we can stop them. And we cannot hope to stop them unless and until we understand them. – rg
——————————————————————

If I understand it correctly, the argument of the liberal, multicultural, internationalist left goes like this. Over the course of history, the concept of nationhood has been thoroughly discredited: it has wrought nothing but divisiveness and trouble to the world community. The two greatest and most destructive wars in human history were the direct result of the opposing selfish ambitions of several major nation states. Nationalism breeds patriotism; patriotism breeds chauvinism; chauvinism, in turn, breeds ultra-nationalism — or as it is more commonly known, fascism. Therefore, for the sake of world peace, the idea of individualistic nations with finite borders and selfish agendas must be done away with completely and forever and replaced by the more rational, humanistic concept of internationalism.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the left lost its champion for the worldwide movement of internationalism, which it had hoped would defeat the self-interested powers of nationalism and capitalism. Following the disintegration of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R., and the abject failure of communism in general, the left had to look for a new paradigm, and for new leaders. Not surprisingly, the new left would find its leaders amongst the liberal intelligentsia, who were, themselves, largely products of the radical protest movements of the Sixties and the “cultural elite”.

This new social revolution would be led by artists, writers, academics and left-leaning politicians of the world who would unite to create a new internationalist order. Whereas the goals of the Communist state-based old left were primarily political, the new left’s battles are primarily cultural — political power, as such, is seen only as a means to an end.

This internationalist new left is ideologically opposed to any intrinsic national characteristics — such as, language, monetary systems, customs, etc. — which would set one nation apart from another. Most particularly, they are opposed to borders — borders, after all, define nations, which, as has been proven, are a fundamentally disruptive and dangerous concept. Secondly, once the whole construct of nationhood is done away with, then those intransigent problems of racism and immigration (two issues high on the new left’s agenda) would disappear.

In the last several decades Europe has already moved (perhaps irreversibly) in this direction, with its creation of the European Union, the introduction of the Euro, the pan-European capitol at Brussels, with its International Court at the Hague and, of course, its “moral” opposition the the “nationalistic” United States.

More ominously, Europe’s intrinsic cultural identity is in the process of being obliterated by the mass influx of (mostly Muslim) immigrants who, rather than assimilate, more often than not form their own separate enclaves, follow their own cultural leaders and laws, and continue speaking their own languages. Less and less do these new immigrants show any sense of affiliation with, or loyalty toward their new European host countries.* In fact, in many instances, they thoroughly despise these liberal societies which they have infiltrated and actively seek to tear them down from within and replace them with something more “internationalist”, like the universal religion of Islam. Unfortunately, far from being some compassionate, all-encompassing, peace-loving world order, this radical form of jihadist Islam — whose rights the new leftists so passionately defend — is, in the end, far more tyrannical and fascistic than any of these so-called brutal imperialist nations that they would like to do away with.

These ideological battles with the forces of the multicultural, internationalist new left and their allies at the ACLU, the universities, Hollywood and the media, etc., are being played out daily in our own country with our ongoing and hotly contested debates over border enforcement, immigration legislation, English language issues, illegal alien rights, racial profiling, etc.
The new left’s Utopian and monumentally ambitious goal is to eventually have an America without borders, either northern or southern, a North American Union, similar in concept to the EU, a thoroughly homogeneous socialist society, minus, of course, any culturally unique Americans, governed by international laws, adjudicated by international courts.

These current societal conflicts are essentially battles of migration, similar to the great Germanic migrations that overwhelmed the increasingly vulnerable Roman Empire of the third, fourth and fifth centuries. They are battles of demographics. And they are battles that, for various reasons, the peoples of the Western Democracies are losing.

However violent and bloody they might be, the most serious threats to our democratic societies do not necessarily come from these well-publicized, intermittent terrorist attacks but, rather, from these insidious — and seemingly unstoppable — ubiquitous cultural invasions, against which we, in our liberal and open societies seem woefully incapable of defending ourselves.

*[According to Claire Berlinski in “Menace in Europe”, over 30% of European Muslims believe that Europe is evil and decadent and deserves to be overthrown and replaced by Islam. Whereas, Benjamin and Simon state in their book, “The Sacred Age of Terror”, that 98% of London’s Muslims under 45 said they would not fight for Britain.]

This article was first published by Political Grind July 7, 2007.

Myth vs Fact

Myth	Fact
Islam: Religion of peace.	Sahih Muslim Book 019, Number 4473: It has been narrarted on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: People are subservient to the Quraish: the Muslims among them being subservient to the Muslims among them, and the disbelievers among the people being subservient to the disbelievers among them.
Tafsir

"Our Country Is The Best"

Wall Street Journal

August 18, 2008; Page A14

 

Assorted TV commentators keep opining that the Olympics are all about the brotherhood of man, rather than national ambition or patriotism. But don’t tell that to the fanatically nationalist Chinese — or to Kobe Bryant, the NBA star who is playing with Team USA in Beijing.

In an interview Friday on NBC, the world’s most famous basketball player told Chris Collinsworth how he got “goosebumps” when he received his Olympics uniform. “I actually just looked at it for a while. I just held it there and I laid it across my bed and I just stared at it for a few minutes; just because as a kid growing up this is the ultimate, ultimate in basketball.” The Los Angeles Laker went on to call the U.S. “the greatest country in the world. It has given us so many great opportunities, and it’s just a sense of pride that you have; that you say, ‘You know what? Our country is the best.'”

Mr. Collinsworth seemed either startled or impressed by such sentiment, and asked, “Is that a cool thing to say in this day and age? That you love your country, and that you’re fighting for the red, white and blue? It seems sort of like a day gone by.”

To which Mr. Bryant replied: “No, it’s a cool thing for me to say. I feel great about it, and I’m not ashamed to say it. I mean, this is a tremendous honor.”

 

Cynics will claim that this is merely about marketing, with Mr. Bryant hoping to use the Games to burnish his public image. On the other hand, he and his rich teammates on the basketball squad are giving up their offseason to play for nothing save possible medals. Mr. Bryant has also been an enthusiastic spectator for other U.S. Olympians, waving the Stars and Stripes at various events.

To the kind of Americans who consider themselves primarily “citizens of the world,” nationalism at the Olympics is déclassé, even embarrassing. We’re with Kobe.

 

"Our Country Is The Best"

Wall Street Journal

August 18, 2008; Page A14

 

Assorted TV commentators keep opining that the Olympics are all about the brotherhood of man, rather than national ambition or patriotism. But don’t tell that to the fanatically nationalist Chinese — or to Kobe Bryant, the NBA star who is playing with Team USA in Beijing.

In an interview Friday on NBC, the world’s most famous basketball player told Chris Collinsworth how he got “goosebumps” when he received his Olympics uniform. “I actually just looked at it for a while. I just held it there and I laid it across my bed and I just stared at it for a few minutes; just because as a kid growing up this is the ultimate, ultimate in basketball.” The Los Angeles Laker went on to call the U.S. “the greatest country in the world. It has given us so many great opportunities, and it’s just a sense of pride that you have; that you say, ‘You know what? Our country is the best.'”

Mr. Collinsworth seemed either startled or impressed by such sentiment, and asked, “Is that a cool thing to say in this day and age? That you love your country, and that you’re fighting for the red, white and blue? It seems sort of like a day gone by.”

To which Mr. Bryant replied: “No, it’s a cool thing for me to say. I feel great about it, and I’m not ashamed to say it. I mean, this is a tremendous honor.”

 

Cynics will claim that this is merely about marketing, with Mr. Bryant hoping to use the Games to burnish his public image. On the other hand, he and his rich teammates on the basketball squad are giving up their offseason to play for nothing save possible medals. Mr. Bryant has also been an enthusiastic spectator for other U.S. Olympians, waving the Stars and Stripes at various events.

To the kind of Americans who consider themselves primarily “citizens of the world,” nationalism at the Olympics is déclassé, even embarrassing. We’re with Kobe.