This is a phrase that I most frequently hear from people who consider themselves conservative American patriots. They are generally referring to protesters, people who complain when a Republican President is in office and who generally are vocal about their discontent with conservative policy. Oh, yeah, I get that they are just venting frustration and attempting to change the topic of discussion because they can't handle criticism of their favorite politicians.
But after events in Michigan today, and some of the rhetoric that is now swirling around Washington, DC, it is taking on a new meaning.
We live in a country with a government that is of the people, by the people and for the people. Until recently, I thought that it might be next to impossible for a tyrant to emerge here, but the current Presidential administration is giving me second thoughts about that. So if you're a patriot, and I mean a true patriot, there's nothing wrong with being critical of your government. You have a recourse for change. It's called "voting." If you don't take advantage of it, well, then that's your fault. If you don't like the results it produces, then if you're a true patriot, you accept the fact that people who think differently than you do have exactly the same rights, privileges and ability to make a change that you do, and when the time comes around again, you go vote again.
You're not always going to get your way. In some circumstances and some places, change doesn't happen frequently. If you aren't happy with liberals in charge of the government in your state, move to one where conservatives are in charge, or accept the results of the elections and go on with your life. At the federal level, this is a big country and public opinion is going to shift over time. Chances are good that for about half of your lifetime, you'll have to endure a Presidential administration and a federal government that is dominated by a party that you disagree with. If you're a patriot, you understand that's part of what comes with being an American. But you don't make false claims about unfair and "rigged" elections without proof or evidence and you don't threaten to ignore the will of the people if they don't vote like you think they should. If that's the way you feel, then you need to pack your bags and go somewhere else. But don't stick around here and mess it up for the rest of us.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer was elected by the people of Michigan. After having a governor in office whose policies hastened the state's economic collapse, decimating its cities, his administration's blunders let to contaminating the drinking water in one of its larger cities, Flint, and then he failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership necessary to resolve the crisis, failing to repair the damage that had been done and leaving it without a drinkable water supply for years. Tired of his failed leadership, the voters overwhelmingly elected Whitmer and provided her with legislative support.
Faced with another crisis, this time the spread of COVID-19 which hit Michigan hard, Whitmer demonstrated the kind of leadership that the former Republican governor of Michigan never demonstrated. Exercising her constitutionally-given emergency powers, her leadership helped the state weather the crisis. Her actions led to slowing the spread of the virus, making sure there was adequate hospital care for the more serious cases, securing adequate testing to help with quarantine efforts and helping the state get through a nasty "peak" period of its spread. Michigan is now one of the states that is safely opening, recovering nicely and putting people back to work thanks to her efforts and she enjoys a high job approval rating among the state's voters.
No matter your opinion of her handling of the situation, there has been absolutely no excuse for the criticism she has received from right wing extremists who have bullied and attempted to intimidate state leaders because of the restrictions. You don't have to like them, but this is America so you have a choice. You can either decide you're going to live with the situation, because the state government is acting according to the expressed will of the people, or you can leave and go somewhere without those kind of restrictions. And good luck with that, since the places that have failed to provide the kind of leadership for their state's people that Whitmer has done for Michigan are seeing infection rates and death rates soar. But there's no tyranny involved here, just a whole lot of ignorance and selfishness. And some dog whistling from a President who is now suffering politically because he has failed to do what Governor Whitmer has done--protect the people of the United States by taking leadership during a crisis caused by a viral pandemic.
Americans have frequent opportunity to make whatever changes in their government they want. They can do it every time they go vote. The people of Michigan did just that in 2018 and the governor has followed the law in every step she has made to protect the people of her state from the spread of this virus. If people aren't happy with it they can vote to make a change. If that doesn't work out, well, if you don't like living under a government "of, by and for" the people, then you are free to go elsewhere to pursue happiness. Moderates, liberals and progressives are just as entitled to win elections and run the government as conservatives are and when they do, you either live with it, stop complaining and go vote, or leave. But you don't take up arms and commit treason.
And if you're occupying the White House, you don't publicly encourage that kind of behavior on twitter. Voters, take note and hand out some consequences for that, too. It's your government and you can do it if you want to.
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