On almost any important policy—taxes, transfers to the poor, abortion, military interventions, etc.—the U.S. is approximately the least progressive of all economically advanced countries. Given this, if American progressives were truly principled, then they should hate America. At a minimum, they should least have serious mixed feelings about the country.

By contrast, if I, as a conservative, lived in France or another progressive country, I don’t think I could love the country. If someone asked me about my love or patriotism for the country, I hope I’d have the honesty to say, “No, I’m actually not very patriotic. France [or whatever progressive country in which I lived] doesn’t deserve my patriotism.”

My first question for American progressives is: “Why can’t you be as honest about your patriotism as I would be if I lived in France?”

For 27 years I’ve been a professor or grad student within a social-science department at a university. Thus, I’ve interacted with lots and lots of progressives. I’d estimate that at least half, and maybe something like three-quarters, favor a one-world government. That is, in contrast to the status quo, they’d prefer a situation where a body like the U.N. governed the entire Earth, and all countries, including the U.S., ceased to exist. My second question for progressives is: “How deeply can you love something if you prefer that it not exist?”

As Jonah Goldberg has recently noted, when progressives say things such as “I love America just as much as you” or “How dare you question my patriotism?” they are usually playing a rhetorical game, one that involves a slippery definition of “patriotism” or “love.” The game begins with a criticism of America. The progressive then explains that, through his criticism, he’s actually trying to improve America. Therefore his criticism, he explains, is an expression of love, not hate, for his country.

My third question for progressives is: “But if that’s true, by the same argument wouldn’t it be true that—when Rev. Jeremiah Wright suggested that God should damn America—he was expressing his love for America?”

Of course, some progressives would say “yes,” however most progressives recognize how ridiculous the above argument becomes when it is examined through the Rev. Wright lens. Most retreat and admit that—although maybe Rev. Wright does not love America—Pres. Obama does not share those views.

But that leads me to my fourth question, “Are the views of Obama really so different from those of Rev. Wright?”

This video shows the main parts of Wright’s sermon. One aspect of the video is very remarkable, yet almost no one seems to have noticed it. This is the reaction of the parishioners. As you can see in the video, the parishioners agree with Wright. Indeed, they agree enthusiastically. Several cheer when he reaches his climax—that God should damn America. Approximately half clap or stand up during the crescendo. As best I can tell, none of the parishioners are bothered by Wright’s words.

As any reasonable person would conclude, those parishioners do not love America. Even if Obama did not attend the sermon, and even if he never became aware of it, he had to know about the anti-American attitudes of his fellow parishioners. Yet he still chose to attend the church for some two decades.

I believe Obama’s love for America is about the same as any other progressive’s—which means at best tepid, if he’s principled.