Are you, like many, disenchanted with the modern American “patriot,” the kind that summons a sensation more like nausea than national pride?
Like in A Christmas Story, with its “triple-dog dare”, so-called “patriots” like Sean Hannity and his bullying counterparts toss out their “un-American” adjective as a last line of defense, leaving the victim on the other end of the conversation with no way to respond, discredited and publicly humiliated.
“If that’s patriotism, count me out,” you may say to yourself.
The good news is that isn’t patriotism. Some crass, coercive types have just fooled millions into believing in such a cheapened, watered-down version of the real thing.
As Richard Falk, international law professor emeritus at Princeton, activist, author and U.N. appointee once said, “Confusing patriotism with unconditional support for government policy does core damage to the meaning of citizenship.”
From fear of being labeled un-American, people opt for complacency and stagnation, allowing bully attitudes and philosophies to dominate the public forum while the same run counter to our founding fathers’ ideas about freedom.
As a result of this slackness, precious freedoms are slowly eroded. The Patriot Act is a case in point.
True patriotism, the brand the founding generation subscribed to as they reacted to oppressive rule by King George, was taken hostage by the former administration and the partisan media that backed it. In the hands of media talking heads, “patriotism” morphed into a rhetorical billy club, useful when slamming dissenters who don’t back the state’s political and military agenda.
It’s time to restore patriotism to something we still can believe in. In case you’ve become confused, here’s a quick guide to true patriotism, starting with what patriotism is not.
Patriotism is not attacking an opponent who disagrees with your political views, calling into question their righteousness and national loyalty.
Patriotism is not unquestioning allegiance to the state or its military leadership.
Patriotism is not waving a flag, wearing a lapel pin or speaking your loyalty in buzz words and clichés: “the greatest nation in the world,” “You’re a great American.”
Patriotism doesn’t belong to any one political party.
What patriotism is:
Real patriotism is motivated by a responsibility to family, community, and the future of this country – a future the true patriot wants to see free from the abuses that come when government over-extends its power and control.
Patriotism crosses political, religious and philosophical lines. True patriots realize any nation is capable of doing wrong when it is controlled by the self-interested.
The true patriot challenges the state whenever it reaches to increase its power at the expense of the individual.
The current definition of “patriotism,” (where those who criticize military policy are made out to be unsupportive of the troops, and defenders of the Constitution are labeled anti-American) is fluffed with nothing more than convoluted rhetoric and scare tactics. We would do well to scratch that definition from our American dictionary. It isn’t how our forefathers defined the word.
This Independence Day, we invite Americans dismayed with this modern “patriotism” to celebrate our country’s founding with fresh vigor and enthusiasm. Know you can love this country for what it stands for: liberty, justice and the pursuit of happiness. At the same time, you don’t have to love everything it does.
Together, let’s hold our nation to a high standard, keeping her actions in line with the ideals that made us love her in the first place.
Happy 4th, Americans–from the Progress.
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