Patriotism
September 4, 2008
Patriotism
Main Entry: pa•tri•ot•ism
Pronunciation: \ˈpā-trē-ə-ˌti-zəm, chiefly British ˈpa-\
Function: noun
Date: circa 1726
: Love for or devotion to one’s country.
Lately with the upcoming presidential race I’ve been hearing the word Patriotism a lot. This started me to thinking, ‘what the heck is patriotism?’ Is it running around professing how much you love America at every moment? Is it having an American Flag (which more than likely is made in China) waving outside your home? Is it, in the case of Barak Obama, wearing an American flag lapel pin? Is placing your right hand over your heart when and wherever you hear the American National Anthem being sung? I really don’t know.
As I started to write this blog I thought about what I thought patriotism was and if I was patriotic. While I don’t know if I have a love or devotion for America I can’t really think of another country I would want to live in. I believe the average American isn’t what we would call patriotic. I believe one become patriotic by their status in America meaning if they have had good life. Lately a lot of the conservative talk show folks would have you believe that because Barak doesn’t wear a flag lapel pin or always puts his hand over his heart when the pledge of allegiance is sung, that he his not patriotic or better yet doesn’t have love for America. I would like to challenge their thinking by saying a lapel pin doesn’t equate to love for America. I also would like to add that I don’t believe you have to be patriotic to lead this country. I believe you have to want the best for the people of the country to lead it. As far as the lapel pin I believe this blog captured it best Politcal Blog
