The Bemis Comfy, As American as Apple Pie

Imagine you are having a conversation and the other people begin abasing your spouse, children, or anyone else among your circle of loved ones. Every denigrating statement they make has some basis in fact, however tenuous. As you know better than most, your loved ones have failed miserably all too often. But, because you are aware of the whole story and the broader circumstances, and because of the love that you have for those under attack, you can respond with aggressive confidence. You, in some way, shape, or form, call the offending turds... 'Turds'.

Such is the present circumstance concerning our nation. There are many, within and without, abasing and denigrating the United States in every conceivable way. Turds, be thou flushed!

Mark Steyn terms it, 'cultural confidence'. We are an imperfect nation, especially according to utopian (derived from Greek, meaning 'no place') visions. But, we can still confidently call specious denigration a turd.

Peggy Noonan quotes Congressional Medal of Honor winner, James Livingston, "The medal didn't prove courage, he said. "It's not bravery, it's taking responsibility."" He may as well have added, "It's not whining, it's not criticism, it's taking responsibility."

Ms. Noonan compares this with our immigrant assimilation problems, "Because we do not communicate to our immigrants, legal and illegal, that they have joined something special, some of them, understandably, get the impression they've joined not a great enterprise but a big box store. A big box store on the highway where you can get anything cheap. It's a good place. But it has no legends, no meaning, and it imparts no spirit."

As Americans, we have plenty of reasons to think, speak, and live with cultural confidence as we continue to improve our land. A good first step would be to flush the unhygienic, offending turds.