Flags? Real Patriots don't need no stinkin Flags!!!*
PATRIOTISM: n. Love of and devotion to one's own country.
That seems like a fairly unambiguous definition - loving your country. If you read political columns, blogs, and listen to political discussion - the meaning of patriotism seems to be up for grabs. There are many, particularly those of the Republican/Fundamentalist persuasion that define patriotism as believing whatever they or their chosen representative tell you to believe. So it is no longer love of one own's country, but love/devotion of some person or group of persons. Therefore, you can only be patriotic if you are devoted to the Republican/Fundamentalist Party(ies). The last time I checked the atlas, there wasn't a country called the 'Republican Party' or even a country called the 'Fundamentalist Party', so I'm not really sure how these people can be experiencing patriotism. Which, if you re-read the above defination is love/devotion to A COUNTRY.
OK, so this brings to question, "What is a Country"? Is it just a geographical location? Is it a collection of Ideas? A group of people?
COUNTRY: n. pl. tries. 1. A large tract of land distinguishable by features of topography, biology, or culture 2. An area outside cities and towns. 3.a A nation or state b. The terriotory of a nation or state: LAND. c The people of a nation or state. 4. The land of a a person's birth or citizenship. 5. Law. a jury.
So, from the above defination, we can extrapolate that a country is the territory AND people and Ideas (culture) of a nation or state. From there we can see that patriotism is the love/devotion of the culture, territory AND people of a nation or state. To make it even simpler, lets group culture and people together - you can't have culture without people, hmmmm?
If I say that I am a patriot of the United States of America, then that means that I am devoted to the territory and the citizens(people) of the USA. Not the government (the individuals in the government perhaps), not other countries that we invade and impose governmental doctrines on, not corporations (which are neither people or territory), not religious doctrines. Land and People - that's it.
So patriotism is caring for the land and people of our country. Again seems unambiguous enough.
How does a patriot care about the land and people of their country? Perhaps by Subsidizing companies that make products that poison the air, water, and soil? Allowing irresponsible logging of old growth forest? Opening up nature preserves to drilling? Cutting or getting rid of economic safety nets like Welfare and Social Security? Not guaranteeing basic medical care to every citizen? Not investing in the educational system?
According to many Republican and Religious Fundamentalists, this is what patriotism means. And they are busy waving flags in our faces and telling those of us that disagree that we are un-patriotic or Anti-American. Well, they can keep their stupid flags, because I DO CARE about the land and people of MY COUNTRY. And if that means I have to pay more taxes to keep economic safety nets in place and running or to provide basic health for MY FELLOW CITIZENS or do with out certain types of luxuries so that the land, air, and water stay unpolluted - THEN SO BE IT. I am an American and am Proud to be part of a country were the citizens chose their government and enable said government to provide programs, laws, and services that CARE for the LAND and PEOPLE of THIS COUNTRY. So I urge everyone to find their patriotism and tell the ANTI-AMERICANS currently running amok in OUR COUNTRY to get the heck out.
*This rant brought to you by by courtesy of an online argument that I got embroiled in on a political blog that got carried over into real-life and has been rolling around in the back of my head for sometime now. Also from the belief that a patriot would never condone or be comfortable with poverty, starvation, and no medical help for fellow citizens.
That seems like a fairly unambiguous definition - loving your country. If you read political columns, blogs, and listen to political discussion - the meaning of patriotism seems to be up for grabs. There are many, particularly those of the Republican/Fundamentalist persuasion that define patriotism as believing whatever they or their chosen representative tell you to believe. So it is no longer love of one own's country, but love/devotion of some person or group of persons. Therefore, you can only be patriotic if you are devoted to the Republican/Fundamentalist Party(ies). The last time I checked the atlas, there wasn't a country called the 'Republican Party' or even a country called the 'Fundamentalist Party', so I'm not really sure how these people can be experiencing patriotism. Which, if you re-read the above defination is love/devotion to A COUNTRY.
OK, so this brings to question, "What is a Country"? Is it just a geographical location? Is it a collection of Ideas? A group of people?
COUNTRY: n. pl. tries. 1. A large tract of land distinguishable by features of topography, biology, or culture 2. An area outside cities and towns. 3.a A nation or state b. The terriotory of a nation or state: LAND. c The people of a nation or state. 4. The land of a a person's birth or citizenship. 5. Law. a jury.
So, from the above defination, we can extrapolate that a country is the territory AND people and Ideas (culture) of a nation or state. From there we can see that patriotism is the love/devotion of the culture, territory AND people of a nation or state. To make it even simpler, lets group culture and people together - you can't have culture without people, hmmmm?
If I say that I am a patriot of the United States of America, then that means that I am devoted to the territory and the citizens(people) of the USA. Not the government (the individuals in the government perhaps), not other countries that we invade and impose governmental doctrines on, not corporations (which are neither people or territory), not religious doctrines. Land and People - that's it.
So patriotism is caring for the land and people of our country. Again seems unambiguous enough.
How does a patriot care about the land and people of their country? Perhaps by Subsidizing companies that make products that poison the air, water, and soil? Allowing irresponsible logging of old growth forest? Opening up nature preserves to drilling? Cutting or getting rid of economic safety nets like Welfare and Social Security? Not guaranteeing basic medical care to every citizen? Not investing in the educational system?
According to many Republican and Religious Fundamentalists, this is what patriotism means. And they are busy waving flags in our faces and telling those of us that disagree that we are un-patriotic or Anti-American. Well, they can keep their stupid flags, because I DO CARE about the land and people of MY COUNTRY. And if that means I have to pay more taxes to keep economic safety nets in place and running or to provide basic health for MY FELLOW CITIZENS or do with out certain types of luxuries so that the land, air, and water stay unpolluted - THEN SO BE IT. I am an American and am Proud to be part of a country were the citizens chose their government and enable said government to provide programs, laws, and services that CARE for the LAND and PEOPLE of THIS COUNTRY. So I urge everyone to find their patriotism and tell the ANTI-AMERICANS currently running amok in OUR COUNTRY to get the heck out.
*This rant brought to you by by courtesy of an online argument that I got embroiled in on a political blog that got carried over into real-life and has been rolling around in the back of my head for sometime now. Also from the belief that a patriot would never condone or be comfortable with poverty, starvation, and no medical help for fellow citizens.