I can still remember the daily repeated chants of "USA! USA! USA! USA!" outside my office window.

[stone space]

(X-Posted from GD: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028058868 )

It was decades ago, in 1980, but the memory is still crystal clear.

Students and others would gather every day outside the administration building, which was right next to the math department here, wave flags and shout, "USA! USA!".

There was a restaurant here in Ames, with a sign posted, "Iranians not welcome here", first on small card, and later in huge red letters on a giant billboard next to the restaurant.

One day, a friend, who was married to an Iranian, was in an university dormitory elevator, and 5 guys got into the elevator with her.

They shouted "USA! USA!" at her.

By the time the elevator door opened, my friend's body was cut and bruised, and she had several broken ribs.

These were ugly, ugly times here in Iowa, and whenever I hear such chants, I am filled with fear.

[leftofcool]

1. This is not 1980. We have come a long way since then.

If thousands of my fellow Democrats want to chant USA, then I am with them. We can be proud of our country while still recognizing its faults. We can love our country while still knowing it needs lots of work. That crowd last night, rescued patriotism from the GOP who has held it ransom for fall to long.

[stone space]

2. There was a resurgence of such chants here in Iowa in 2016

It happened during Trump rallies leading up to the Iowa Caucuses.

None of the Democratic candidates used such scary chants during their rallies here in Iowa. We attended rallies for O'Malley, Clinton and Sanders here, and we never heard this bone chilling chant that was being repeatedly shouted at Trump rallies across Iowa in 2016.

[stone space]

5. It's already led to folks being called unAmerican right here on DU.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8058955

This is where such ugliness leads.

And not just here on Iowa.

[sarae]

3. I never liked those chants growing up,

because I always felt they were aimed at people like me and my family as a way to point out that we weren't real Americans. Last night, the people chanting "USA! USA!" were people like me and my family. Therein lies the difference.

I feel like it's a rebuttal to those who want to take away our rights as Americans.

[Itchinjim]

4. Iowa State. Go figure.

[progressoid]

6. I've grown weary of it

Regardless of the implications of war mongering and ultra-patriotism, when it is used incessantly, it becomes empty and jingoistic.

Like the magnetic yellow ribbons...


Or this....