The interesting thing about the world Sean Hannity lives in is that his version of being “pro-American” or patriotic is in almost direct contradiction to the founding fathers. Our democracy, and our America, is founded on debate, dissention, criticism, and course correction. The greatest Americans have been the ones who have questioned, challenged, and changed the status quo.

Sean Hannity’s America is rooted in empty gestures, groupthink, hyper-nationalism, and unquestioned, unquestioning loyalty. Basically, Sean Hannity’s America is China. The greatest Hannity Americans are the ones who do the best job telling everyone how superawesomefantastic America is. In the early 1800s, Hannity Americans would have been telling us how superawesomefantastic the institution of slavery is. In the early 1900s, Hannity Americans would have been the ones telling us it’s unpatriotic– against the established law of our great and never wrong nation– to suggest women should vote.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s room for flag waving, flag pin wearing, fireworks and funnel cake patriotism. Lots of room. But as good as all that makes us feel, it’s not what makes America great. Every country does those things in their own way. Only one country on Earth has so mastered the art of allowing disagreement, dissention, and a kind of natural selection of ideas to flourish for the greater good.