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Patriotism Isn’t a Problem, But Your Cynicism Might Be!
You can be patriotic without compromising your convictions
Happy Fourth of July!
At least to those of you celebrating America’s Independence Day. If you’re an American, that should include you. If you are an American and you’re not celebrating…allow me to suggest there’s something wrong with that.
Every citizen of the United States should be patriotic.
I’ll go further. Every citizen of every nation-state in our world should regard the nation-state in which they live with honor and loyalty.
But since I’m a citizen of the United States, I will write from an American perspective and address my fellow U.S. citizens.
In today’s climate of extremes, patriotism has become a loaded word.
For some, it conjures flags, fireworks, and the national anthem. For others, it suggests jingoism, blind allegiance, and a whitewashed view of history.
The latter view seems to permeate younger generations and more progressive circles. Indeed, in such circles, expressions of patriotism are often met with scorn or at least suspicion.
