Evening star., 1909-07-17
MOUNTAIN BOARD.
TINSEL PATRIOTISM.
The Theatergoer Who Yells When
the Starry Banner Waves.

From the Overland Monthly.
We are Il country-lovng people we
Americans. and the great majority OF us
is possessed of goodly quota of patriot
ism. Which is glorious thing l would
be the last person in the length and
breadth Of the nation to find fault with
such an excellent condition of affairs. I
believe in patriotism as well as the next
fellow, the fellow after him. There is no
more loyal admirer of his own United
States. or of It's banner and what it stands
for. than my humble self.
Which little explanatory paragraph is
here above set forth in order to place
myself right to what follows. The
u1Ibounded admiration. believe in him.
He is big unit in that which goes to
make up the bone and sineW of the ma
ton. However. there is form of pa
triotism that jars my generally reposeful
soul and sets ii on edge-if such a thing
as the latter is possible. Patriotism that
is born of the heart and the emotions Is,
to repeat, the finest sort Of asset for a
true citizen, but there is another brand.
| refer to what / have elected to term
"tinsel patriotism" a patriotism that is
not even sain-deep. that is superficial and
ungenuine.. Tinsel patriotism is INDUCED
in by certain kinds of people at all places
and at all times. We find exhibitions Of
IL
orally brought out through the power Of
some cheap demasogue, and we meet
with ii most everywhere.
But it is chiefly in the playhouse that
l have seen the tinsel patriot at his
worst. The theater-going patriot is the
most Jealous of the lot. He dearly loves
the flag. which is right ard proper as
should be. bat the tinsel patriot is afraid
that YOU are not aware Of this love of
his Perforce ne must enlighten you. And
I, 80 ~ lit ~
means. either. 1t is disease that is
practically incura be-not that we care SO
much about that, but We do wish some
of its manifestations Were
To the tinsel patriot Old Glory is the
star performer behind the footlights. Sc
ect any weeks bill in any vaudeville
theater in the land. and a good many of
the musical comedies. and you will bear
me out. All that is necessary for his
trion to do in order TO gain favor i'll the
eyes of the tinsel patriot is to wave An
American flag excitedly. The tinsel pa
triot will at once work himself into d
patriotic frenzy. His palms come to-
gether with reSoundng beats and his hat
is metaphoricailly in the air He screechcs
and whistles and stamps and screams his
delight. And-he is eminently convinced
that the performer is a greet artist. The
tinSel patriot is sure of it. In fact. II
does not matter that the na:I's act has
been as bad as they make 'em-that he
has given a suffering audience. will
say, twenty minutes of theatrical torture
in the shape of some readings from Joe
Millers historic Jest store--the fact re-
mains that lie has coyly Introduced the
flag into his act. Wherefore. instead OF
leaving the stage at the conclusion of his
act with the audience in Il state OF icy
Indifference, he leaves them in a burst of
applause and enthusiasm. An inca pable.
incompetent thespian has saved his scalp
through the use of the good old Stars and
gentleman he
entertainer. but circumstances prove that
he has something else under his hat be-
sides hair. Unless you happen to be a
tinsel patriot yourself--and therefore look
upon this screed of mine as being con-
ceived in a sense of real treason-you
too, have noticed numerous instances of
tinsel patriotism. There is no question
but what you have.