Middletown’s Independence Day festivities were held down by the Connecticut River, but the Wesleyan campus offered great views. In the early evening the sky was threatening, and we weren’t sure if there would be thunder or firecrackers. As darkness fell a small crowd gathered on the lawn in front of College Row, and other groups were spreading their blankets on Foss Hill. We were all hoping for good site lines of the fireworks show over the river, and there were also plenty of smaller displays from friends and families on campus. The rain fell for only a few moments, and the sky lit up in glorious display. Mathilde tried to find a place to hide.
This July 4 weekend I found myself missing our old haunts in Berkeley, where each year there was a parade and celebration that wonderfully combined patriotic tradition and the radical energies for which the city is famous. There was an old time brass band that led us all in American songs, and young and old listened attentively as some celebrated resident gave a short speech to commemorate the day. Usually the speeches reminded us all of where we as a nation were falling short of our ideals.
In this election year we have already heard a lot about patriotism or the supposed lack of it. How do we measure allegiance to or love of country during a time when very few are satisfied with the direction in which our nation is heading? Elvin Lim, Assistant Professor of Government at Wesleyan and author of The Anti-Intellectual Presidency, recently wrote about this on his blog, Out on a Lim: http://www.elvinlim.com.
Of course, thoughtful criticism of any particular representatives may be a strong sign of patriotism – of the thoughtful commitment to see one’s country realize its finest, most admirable aspirations. An even stronger sign of patriotism is participation, engaging in the political process — not just commenting on it from the outside. In this vital election year, I hope to see vigorous, informed political debate at Wesleyan. More importantly, I hope to see Wesleyan students finding ways to participate in the political process in relation to the issues and candidates they care about the most.
My neighbors in Berkeley affirmed our local community as we expressed our desire to see our country reflect the values of freedom and equality that are an essential part of the rhetoric of July 4 celebrations. I bet that in this regard our new neighbors in Middletown feel much the same way.
[tags] Middletown, Connecticut River, Berkeley, presidential election, Elvin Lim [/tags]