What Patriotism Means To Me
By Julia A. Keirns
When our children were little, they attended a program that taught them how to respect the American Flag. They learned to never let it touch the floor or ground, never display it in bad weather, always keep it well-lit after dark, and never hang it upside down.
We had never been particularly patriotic. We raised three children pretty normally. Then our oldest son joined the Navy. Turning him over to the recruiting office after graduation at eighteen was not easy. The first thing we did was put in a flagpole and hang an American Flag at our home. It just seemed like the right thing to do.
One day when he came home for a visit, he noticed that we did not have the flag lit at night and it was not an all-weather flag. He had been taught to respect the flag as a child, and now the military had also instilled a respect for the flag in him. That weekend we bought an all-weather flag and put in electric lighting around the flagpole.
Eventually our youngest son joined the Air Force. One day when visiting him on base, taps began to play and he instantly stopped talking, turned to face where he knew the flag was on base, stood at attention and saluted. It was a powerful moment to witness the entire base stand in silence at attention. There have been many opportunities for us to witness the patriotic respect that military personnel display on a regular basis.
I want to talk about what patriotism is, educate us on its origin and look at how it has changed over the years. I feel patriotism is still extremely valuable in today’s society and we need to reaffirm it. You see, I believe that a renewed passion for patriotism is the answer to the division being experienced in America today.
So, first of all, what is a patriot and what is patriotism?
According to the dictionary, a patriot vigorously loves and supports their country and is prepared to fearlessly defend it against all enemies.
The word patriot emerged in the 16th century by the colonists. It originated from a Middle French to Late Latin word patriota which means “fellow countryman.” The first patriots wanted to break away and gain their independence from Britain. They had no representation and were not being treated fairly so they put their lives on the line to create their own laws and form a new country based on the rights and freedoms they felt all men deserved. And they did not want their new government to ever be able to take away those rights and freedoms.
A patriot’s every action was to support, protect, defend, and maintain the pride of this new country and what it stood for. He was willing to lay down his life for what he knew was right. Nathan Hale was a true patriot when he declared his only regret was that he had but one life to give for his country. If he had 100 lives, he would have lived each one defending America.
A patriot today has respect for those who served and died in the past, for those who choose to serve currently, and lead our country, regardless of political views or opinions.
Patriotism is not just loving the physical land or preserving the national parks. It isn’t just showing up to vote and then blindly following whoever is elected. And it isn’t just waving the flag or singing the National Anthem. It is so much more than that.
It is the quality of being patriotic, having that devotion and displaying vigorous support for the country and the freedoms it stands for. It is feeling patriotic inside.
Patriotism is loyalty. It’s a heartfelt devotion to the place, and the way of life it affords us. It is loving our freedom. The first patriots were loyal to the new ideas for their new country. They remembered where they came from and what it was like before their freedom.
Patriotism is defensive. It remembers the past sacrifices to preserve future freedoms. Patriots feel a need to defend and maintain that freedom and way of life, but they don’t feel a need to force it on others. Everyone has the freedom to choose and that is what they want so strongly to uphold and defend.
George Orwell, famous author of Animal Farm and 1984 stated, “By patriotism I mean devotion to a particular place and way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world but has no wish to force upon other people. Patriotism is of its nature defensive.”
Why do we need patriotism in America today?
Patriotism is actually declining in America today. According to yearly Gallup Polls, the number of Americans who feel extremely patriotic falls each year. Patriotism reached its highest percentage ever between 2002 and 2003 right after 9/11 when 70% of adults said they felt extremely patriotic. Jump ahead to 2017 and it was only 51%. In 2018 it fell to 47% and in 2019 it fell again to only 45%. Why is that? Americans come together when something or someone threatens our way of life like they did on 9/11. Our patriotism is what gets us through the tough times. But why do we only feel patriotic when our way of life is threatened? Shouldn’t we be patriotic all the time?
Steven Kurlander wrote an article for the Huffington Post a few years ago where he said, “Instead of being proud and united, we are actually more fragmented today than before 9/11 in terms of social class, race, sexual preference, religious beliefs and ethnicity, we are a country that is ineffective in moving forward in building a strong economy and quality of life for our citizens and leading as an example in the world.” America is falling behind because of its lack of patriotism.
Younger generations are not as patriotic as they used to be. I believe it is important to teach patriotism to the youth so they will become responsible citizens who care about this country. They are the future leaders of this great nation, and without a patriotic background, we can only imagine where they might lead us as a country. Are they being swayed by other political doctrines? Will they bring unpatriotic ideas into the government and create change that will take away freedoms and rights of the people that we are not prepared to lose?
Most importantly, I believe patriotism brings us together as one people and unites us.
John Dickinson, one of the founding fathers first coined the phrase “United we stand, divided we fall” in 1768 (Smithsonian, n.d.). It was important for the first Americans to stay united for the future of the country and it is important for us to stay united today for the future of this great country. I read a student essay online about patriotism that said, “Patriotism involves a love for not only the land and the nation itself, but also for the citizens of the nation and includes the urge to live in harmony with everyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, race or religion.” More patriotism will equal less division.
We share a country, a flag and a song that makes us one family of free people. If you have come here from another country, you now belong to our American family. We all desire to be free. The more we find in common, the closer we will become. Being patriotic will cause us to stand up for each other and protect each other like family.
So, how can we renew passion for patriotism in today’s America?
First, I believe we need to continually remember the past tragedies and how they made us feel as a country. Visit the historical sites and learn about the sacrifices made.
Anguished Americans refocused on Sept. 11, 2001 and came together as one people. We were passionately proud to be patriotic Americans. It is that patriotic unity that helped us win World Wars and become the greatest nation on earth.
We need to daily restore the love and respect for our country and its institutions by continuing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in schools which helps teach the young children about their country. I asked my 5-year-old granddaughter the other day if she knew the Pledge of Allegiance. I was glad to hear her say, “Of course I know it Grandma. We stand up and say it every morning at school.” So, then I asked her if she knew why they said it and she said, “Because we love our country.” That was a simple, winning answer in my book.
We need to continue to sing the National Anthem at sporting events. The amazing camaraderie felt at a huge event where thousands of people stand together in unison as one is powerful! Have you ever felt chills at a time like that?
And finally, we need to publicly display our patriotism. If you have the ability to hang an American Flag at your home, please do so. It will daily remind you that you are a proud American.
So, there it is.
I have explained what a patriot is and what patriotism is. I have told you why I believe it is still important, and I have mentioned a few ways that we can daily keep it alive. So now what?
Patriotism is more than flag window decals and bumper stickers. It is teaching our children, visiting historic sites, learning about the past, honoring soldiers and veterans, respecting the flag as it drives by in a parade and standing for the National Anthem.
It is getting involved. Voting. Keeping our local government accountable. Speaking up for injustices. Advocating for what’s right. It is protecting and defending our family, our neighbors, our communities and our way of life.
Barack Obama once said, “We, the People, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks what’s in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.”
If you ever run into one of my sons, please thank them for their service and for being willing to die for you, your family, and for what America stands for. As a mother of two military sons, I have succumbed to the fact that they now love their country more than they love me. At this point in their lives, either one of them would instantly sacrifice their own life for any American for any reason. You see, I know for a fact that they would die for you if called to. They have something bigger to live and die for now than just themselves and their families. And that, my friends, is why I want to see patriotism passionately renewed in America.