I Find Patriotism Offensive

Patriotism is the first refuge of the scoundrel. And so if Republicans are going to attack Obama because he won't wear a pathetic American flag on his lapel, or he won't put his hand on his heart while singing the national anthem (puhleeze), anybody with two working brain cells understands that this is not what patriotism is about.
The man is running for president. This is patriotic.
If his wife said that this is the first time she felt proud about her country, we should appreciate the honesty. What should she be so proud about a place where there were no rights for people like her until after the mid 60's?
Patriotism is a cheap, fake, highly dangerous manipulative ploy. Totalitarian regimes are crazy about patriotism. The Nazis took patriotism to the nth degree.
When words like patriotic or patriotism start appearing, (as for instance in many cases wrongly and shamefully after 9/11), it's time to be very concerned. It means a full-blown bullshit attack is under way and we need to be protected from it. The Patriot Act. "Homeland" Security. We've been had, people.
On the opposite side of patriotism are common sense and a clear view of reality. You do much more for your country if you wear both in abundance near your lapel.