INDEPENDENCE — Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama defended his interpretations of patriotism, impressing supporters who came to hear him speak in Independence.
Many who heard Monday’s speech at the Truman Memorial Building said they gained even more respect for Obama as he argued that patriotism should allow Americans to stand up and dissent against a government they don’t agree with.
Dennis Moriarty, a 66-year-old from Kansas City, said he thought Obama brought all the issues of patriotism he wanted to hear to the forefront. He agreed with Obama that false patriotism can be dangerous.
But 28-year-old Glenn Frizell of nearby Grandview said patriotism isn’t an issue he votes on, and he would have rather heard about jobs and the economy.