Topic: "I am an American first and black second"
Dodo_David's photo
Thu 07/24/14 03:29 PM
Edited by Dodo_David on Thu 07/24/14 03:31 PM
The title of this thread is a statement made by syndicated radio host Autry J. Pruitt in a commentary titled "Defending Property Rights is a Uniquely American Duty".

Here are excerpts from his commentary:

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) created a fatal contradiction for itself when it announced on June 18 that it would cancel the trademarks of the Washington Redskins. In handing down the decision, the PTO claimed the name was disparaging. However, a Freedom of Information Act request showed that nobody complained to the PTO about being disparaged by the name, revealing the decision as entirely subjective.

The pro-Redskins arguments that take on the false hope that the name was meant to honor Native Americans are elementary and almost as offensive as the name itself. The real issue boils down to the one that essentially launched the republic: whether we are a nation of laws or a nation of men. Is the rule of law inviolable or is it elastic depending on who is in charge of government? If the Obama administration or any future administration can direct bureaucrats to unilaterally determine that which is disparaging, there is no end to abuse. It's a powerful issue, one that is only a few short steps from the novel Fahrenheit 451 and the question of who determines which books are to be burned.


and

Alas, an enforcement arm of the United States government now refuses to continue to protect the $1.7 billion property of team owner Dan Snyder because of a couple of public opinion polls and a capricious administration. Has the collective right of a slice of our citizenry not to be offended trumped trademark protection for Snyder's property - especially when the government protected that property in the first place?


and

I and other black Americans understand thoroughly that words can leave deep wounds. But I am an American first and black second. As citizens in a nation of laws, it is not only 100 percent American to protect private property, speech and ideas that we find abhorrent; it is almost anti-American not to do so. Protecting the repugnant and the offensive, whether they are rich or poor, is not only our duty. It is what makes us uniquely American.


So, Autry J. Pruitt can openly criticize the Obama Administration because he is an American first. I find that quite refreshing.

In cased you missed it, plenty of Republicans openly criticized the George W. Bush Administration for mistakes that it was responsible for. Why? Because those critics were Americans first, Republicans second.

Come to think of it, the Carter Administration had its Democrat critics, because those critics were Americans first, too.

In Pruitt's case, he is standing firm for the rule of law, which Americans of all political backgrounds should be doing.

msharmony's photo
Thu 07/24/14 03:43 PM
1st, Pruitt needs to research Blackhorse v Pro Football,,, there were complainants and they apparently made their case

2nd, the team is still using 'redskins',, so it seems like a premature complaint,, the Patent board only determined the name could not be patented/registered,, not that it cant be used

3rd, I don't know who this reporter is, never heard of him/her,,but everyone is permitted to complain about the President in reality, and their reason doesn't matter,,,,,

4tn, everyone is also allowed to voice opinions about those who complain or about the merit of complaints

5th,, the 'american' vs' black' aregument is as futile as an argument between 'american' vs' woman' first

technically, we are going to be black/white, female/male, wherever in the world we are,,,so as citizens of the world, we are probably more these things than anything else


legally speaking though, we are more American than we are any other nationality,, we have more ties to America than any other nation, we have the rights americans in America are granted,,,and race and gender are not supposed to matter

so if we are speaking about the context of rights and national ties,, we are 'American first', because that is more relevant than whether we are female/male, black/white/other

TBRich's photo
Thu 07/24/14 07:04 PM



4tn, everyone is also allowed to voice opinions about those who complain or about the merit of complaints




Can I yell "movie" in a crowded firehouse?

msharmony's photo
Thu 07/24/14 07:19 PM




4tn, everyone is also allowed to voice opinions about those who complain or about the merit of complaints




Can I yell "movie" in a crowded firehouse?



is that an opinion or complaint?...lol