Joe Scarborough said that the Republicans that he knew often wept as Lee Greenwood's "I'm Proud To Be An American" was played. He rationale, "Because they really believe it."

I have heard the song and never wept. When I hear Marvin Gaye's rendition of  the "National Anthem" ("Star Spangled Banner"), I am stirred. My friends and relatives have similar feelings.

We view things in a slightly different prism in the African-American community. We differ from those who say "My country, right or wrong.". For us the Constitution is the foundation for uniting the country, but is not an infallible document. The Constitution had to be amended to include us.

We had to fight our own country to be "given" what was guaranteed to others in the Constitution at the beginning. We are amazed that people from the region of the country that wanted to seceed are now among those considered the most patriotiotic despite a plethora of Confederate flags flying in the southern states. We are confused by the combination.

The South, the region that wanted to seceed, fought the hardest to keep African-Americans from gaining their Civil Rights despite a Constitutional and Supreme Court consensus that this was the law of the land. Still, the default position is that Southerners are patriotic.

Barack Obama, has to prove that he is patriotic. Dennis Kucinich never had his patriotism questioned even thought he is more traditionally on the left on the poilitical scale.

Crispus Attucks died on Breed's Hill. African-Americans fought in the Revolutionary War, and every military engagement since. We served despite not having equal rights on US soil.

We still serve in the military at levels equal to or above our levels in the US population. We may not be moved by Lee Greenwood, but get us Marvin Gaye (or Whitney Houston) and we're right there with you.

The Greenwood patriots see the US as the best country in the world. They are correct. They were included in the American dream from the beginning. They love the Founding Fathers.We Marvin Gaye patriots came aboard by amendment. It is in our bones to see
ways that the status quo can be improved.

When Greenwood patriots say the US is the greatest country in the world, we feel it is our patriotic duty to say , Yes, but......

None of the Whitebread panel on the Scarborough show today (Scarborough, Mika, Giest, Russert) were capable of presenting this alternative point of view. We are all patriotics, but not all of us are represented consistently in most MSM shows.