So called “immigrants” more patriotic than “real” Americans
I’m referring to Phil Luciano’s column about businessman Yosef Abdullah, who purchased and is renovating the Freedom Oil gas station on route 24 near the John T. McNaughton bridge that crosses over into Pekin.
As Phil reports, some of the local citizenry have been planning a boycott of the gas station after he took down a large American flag which had been flying out front. An email being circulated said this:
“The owners said that this wasn’t their country, so they are not going to fly the flag. Please let everyone know that if they can’t fly our flag, then they don’t need our money. Let’s boycott!”
And another fine American went off with this little rant while confronting the new owners:
“Where is the flag? Somebody told me you guys don’t like the flag. Are you American citizens? Do you pay taxes?”
So what was Yosef Abdullah’s response to all this hubbub?
“The old flag was ripped in half,” he says. “That’s why I ordered a new one. … I do not like ripped flag. [...] It’s up to me to put up the flag. That’s freedom,” he says. “I ordered the flag. I want to put the flag up. But I don’t want people to tell me to put up the flag.”
This so-called foreigner, who is an American citizen and has lived in the United States for 36 years, understands the ideals of freedom, patriotism, and tolerance more than those “real” Americans who like to preach it.
June 1st, 2007 at 11:11 am
I read that article this morning and had to laugh a little bit. The so-called “patriots” passing the nasty emails around wanted the store’s owner to display a flag that, by the letter of law, was probably illegal to fly.
Hard to believe it happened at the gas station right across the river from Pekin. That’s all I’m sayin’.
June 1st, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Sigh…I saw that article this morning too. It’s so sad how quick people are to judge. How people will believe anything. If I lived closer I’d be going to that gas station to fill up… which is what I hope all the nice, sane people in Bartonville/Pekin do.
June 1st, 2007 at 4:26 pm
[...] PI and the Pundit also put the smackdown on local [...]
June 2nd, 2007 at 5:34 am
In my experience, immigrants are often more patriotic than your average native-born American. My grandparents certainly were. Having experienced life in other countries (including Germany during WWII), they were acutely aware of what a great country the United States can be and the opportunities it provided.
June 2nd, 2007 at 7:23 pm
I’m golfing in Pekin tomorrow and I’m going to fill up on the way home at that station.
June 2nd, 2007 at 11:56 pm
Doesn’t surprise me a bit. Well, I guess what surprises me just a little, to be honest, is that the hillbillies that thought of the email actually 1) could use a computer, and B) had internet access.
June 3rd, 2007 at 1:36 pm
I don’t normally respond to the silly comments on the Journal Star’s site, but this really ticked me off, and I did comment a couple of times. There’s some real idiots out there.
January 10th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
[...] absent-minded stupidity flows through all who dare to enter. Sure couldn’t tell by reading the news. [...]