Harry's Gang: There's much to be patriotic about

I’m feeling patriotic. There’s an old quote, from George Bernard Shaw, that “Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it.”

A little biting, to be sure, but witty and accurate. Sure, I love my country, and it’s probably because I was born here, raised here and still live here. There’s nothing wrong with believing your country is the greatest in the world, just like there’s nothing wrong with being proud of your children or a fan of your local sports team.

I happen to think America is the greatest country in the world, and I am not interested in debating it. I’ll only explain why.

First, we have a terrific justice system. Alan Dershowitz, the famous appellate lawyer, gave a speech I attended and said, “Most of the people going through the criminal justice system are guilty … “

You could almost hear the gasps of shock from the audience. After all, criminals are presumed innocent, right? But then he went on: “Would you want to live in a country where that wasn’t true?” He meant that in America, we generally don’t arrest people on fake charges, or prosecute people for bogus charges. I’ve been practicing law in Carlton County for two decades and I can tell you that it’s true: our freedoms are pretty well-protected, and you don’t get charged with a crime unless the State thinks they can get a conviction.

Of course, there’s plenty of room for improvement. The George Floyd case shows that there may be too much power vested in one aspect of the criminal justice system. But we, the people, are reacting to that injustice and are demanding a fix. It’s never going to be perfect. But I still think we have the greatest criminal justice system in the world.

Next, look at government. We formed a democracy in America, and built a government of, by, and for the people. We hold regular elections, and everyone can participate. In America, anyone can grow up to be president: a peanut farmer from Georgia; a business tycoon from New York, a black man from Chicago, or a poor child from Arkansas. We all get a vote; we all have a say.

Sure, there’s still work to be done and progress to be made. We haven’t elected a woman president yet, but we came close. And politics is full of money and corruption. But our American system of government has balanced the needs of our country’s people for a couple hundred years and shows no real signs of giving up.

How about taxes? My college roommate used to say there’s no sure constant in life except death and the speed of light. Most of us add “taxes” to that phrase. Sure, we collect a lot, but we spend it wisely. We have great schools, roads, social programs, and the best military in the world. I’m OK with our government spending, but I will continue to keep an eye on it. The great thing is, in America, I have that right.

And so many more. We are free from persecution for disagreeing with our leaders. We have free speech, with newspapers and media printing what they want — not what the government tells them to print. We can travel freely, move when we want to and change jobs, if we feel like it. The recent pandemic has put a strain on those freedoms, but notice how loudly we complain about it? We are so used to our freedoms we cringe when, even for important public health reasons, our rights are infringed. We’re lucky to have that choice.

So, for these reasons and many others, I wave my flag proudly, and proclaim that I live in the greatest country in the world.

Pete Radosevich is the publisher of the Pine Knot News and an attorney in Esko who hosts the talk show Harry’s Gang on CAT-7. His opinions are his own. Reach him at [email protected].