Patriotism Today

American Patriotism Today

Depending on who you are, patriotism is a gift, an obligation or a burden. The dictionary defines patriotism as, devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty. The definition may seem straight forward and simple, but in reality patriotism has many more definitions and its meaning changes over time. Being born in Denver, CO in 1988 my views of patriotism were shaped by my family as well as by the ultra-conservative community I grew up in. A persons definition of patriotism is generally shaped by three main factors; the timing of the question, their family values and their community values. The timing of the question is of vital importance as the national view of patriotism can change in as little as a couple months.

American Patriotism used to be supporting the Constitutional right of all men to be free, then it was patriotic to ration during WWI and WWII. After WWII it was patriotic to be anti communist, and to turn in your “red” neighbor. Following McCarthyism, it became patriotic to fight the governments involvement oversees, or to support it depending on whose political ideology you followed. After the peaceful and lucrative 90’s people were forgetting what it meant to be patriotic. Then on september 11^th the country was united and a whole new wave of flag waving and anthem playing patriotism arose. However the consequences of 9/11 would later divide the country in a way that has not been seen since the 1960’s.

A couple months after 9/11 it became patriotic for republicans to defend Bush and his decision to go to Iraq. At the same time it became popular for democrats to constantly batter Bush for his not finding of WMD in Iraq and to constantly fight every move president Bush tried to make on everything from health care to education. Iraq became the iconic hot button for Bush’s presidency, and helped re-write the definition of patriotism for the rest of his term.

Now that the reader knows the importance of this brief history of American patriotism, I can now explain my personal view of what it means to be patriotic. To be patriotic a person needs to meet a couple of very important criteria. First, a person needs to be driven not only by what is good for them but also by an honest concern for the greater good of their countrymen. Second a person needs to know what they are being patriotic for. For example a person who has no knowledge of our countries history would have a hard time being honestly patriotic. I would define patriotism as; a love and respect for your country and a willingness to make sacrifices for it.

Following this definition of patriotism I would be considered a patriot of the first order. The United States of America is far from perfect but it does represent an idealistic society unlike any other in the world. However to enjoy the right to vote, the right to free speech and all of the other rights we take for granted some one had to pay the ultimate price. In my opinion the greatest patriot is the soldier. The US soldier is a volunteer who has given an oath to defend the constitution of our country and is sometimes asked to lay down his life to guarantee those rights. Although sometimes a soldier is driven more by the monetary incentives than by their patriotic ideals but that is not the norm. However it does not take the blind obedience of the soldier to be a true patriot.

Some of the greatest patriots of all were people who spoke out against the current administration and/or against unjust laws. Although I do not go to the extremes that Kazin does when he says, “Throughout or history, and still today, the most effective way to love the country is to fight like hell to change it,”(The Informed Argument) I think that it is entirely possible to be patriotic and not support what is going on in Washington at any given time. One phenomenal example of an American patriot is Martin Luther King Jr. Our founding fathers put down in writing that all men are created equal and yet they allowed the enslavement and later discrimination of people based on nothing but the color of their skin. Being born in the time of segregation in America, Martin Luther King had an enormous task in bringing equality to all Americans. Marting Luther King believed in the uniquely American ideals of freedom and equality and took measures to guarantee them. He led dozens of enormous and peaceful protests against Washington D.C. and yet he is still, according to my definition, a model for American patriotism.

American Patriotism should never be defined as a blind obedience to any political party or president. American patriots need to balance their allegiance to their political parties or other groups with their national pride. As McClay puts it, “On the contrary, American patriotism has generally affirmed and drawn upon the vibrancy and integrity of other, smaller-scale, and relatively independent loyalties.”(The Informed Argument) This quote is explaining that being of a different race, religion or even sexual orientation does not need to take away from a persons patriotism but rather can help make it stronger. In America an unjust rule can always be fought against and changed if the majority agree with you. This means that to be an American patriot does not mean blindly following all the rules but rather fighting for what you believe in.

As JFK so eloquently put it, “And so, my fellow americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” Thanks in part to this mentality and Americans definition of patriotism is changed depending on the time, their family and their community. American patriotism as McClay so beautifully put it is, “To be an American… is not a matter of whose child you are but of what principles you accept. It is a nation of the twice born, politically and culturally, a nation founded not upon decent but consent.”(The Informed Argument)

 

Works Cited

Miller, Robert, and Robert Yagelski The Informed Argument. Massachusetts, 2004