What does a Republican crowd do when their speaker is heckled by protesters? They chant “USA!”
On at least three occasions during the early part of his speech, members of the audience began chanting “U.S.A.” in response to protesters, who were then escorted out of the hall.
What does a Democrat crowd do when their speaker is heckled by protesters? They chant “Yes we can!”
As Obama continued his speech – the protests did not subside, causing the rest of the crowd to attempt to drown out the protestorswith ‘Yes we can’ chants instead – in support of Senator Obama.
So which is a more inspiring reaction to whiny demonstrators? This-
or this?
I personally enjoy the moments at all rallies, Republican or Democrat, when the protesters—kicking and screaming for peace and nonviolence—are carried off by security. I was no stranger to this sight at UC Berkeley, where nearly every event we organized was interrupted by a member of Code Pink, the World Can’t Wait, or some other fringe group that thought screaming at the top of one’s lungs was an effective method of persuasion.
Even more ridiculous, however, is chanting “Yes We Can” to drown out protesters. It raises the question: what is it exactly that you can do? If the goal is to simply be louder than the protesters, then the crowd could have yelled any meaningless phrase. “I like cookies!” or “Let’s play ball!” “Yes we can” is an especially awkward chant when one of the protester’s signs reads, “Obama endorsed by KKK.” Yes, we can be endorsed by whomever we want!
As far as patriotism is concerned, one can draw whatever conclusion one wants from a party that prefers to chant “Yes we can” over “USA.” I particularly like Spencer Doyle’s assessment of patriotism among a particular sect of Democrats over at my old crib, the Cal Patriot blog. Keep in mind, however, that we can’t question their patriotism. But to that I say, “Yes, we can.”
