Patriotism
I went back to try to find what was posted that had this reply, but did not find it.
“For those of us that are educated and familiar with the English dictionary “Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to one’s country or state.” Has nothing to do with your neighbors. Which adds truth to your lack of patriotism. You just don’t now the truth about anything, so you make it up expecting people to believe you.” (because if you don’t believe what he tells me, you’re wrong)
Now I could make several more assumptions, which may not entirely be assumptions? And I’ve gone back and forth on what I say here. The commenter a white man who supports the serial offender, affording him license has one arrest record. The poster a white man was a Sheriff who resigned admitting to an inappropirate relationship with a female employee. The poster and commenter attended the same high school I did. I’m not sure about education beyond high school. An assumption I am taking from his(the commenter) other comments tells me that he is very angry at something or someone so projects that onto the one(the poster) who appears to have taken responsibility of his “personal failings”. I don’t know the entire story, it’s an old one. That said, it appears he took accountability.
I read that comment over the weekend. Two, three days later it’s still with me. This ‘commenter’ it appears does not like the ‘poster’. The ‘poster’ seems to piss him off, always. So another assumption, he’s more interested in verbal attacks than to just walk away, keep scrolling, unfollow or unfriend. It’s the attack that is important to him. His visibility in the fractured ‘conversation’. That self-righteous indignation. The comment was the first I’d seen that wasn’t just a dig. Again, usually showing his allegiance to a man rather than a country or the law and offering nothing but the dig.
Okay, enough of that. I’m starting to feel like the ‘commenter’.
Sometimes I read replies. Most of them make me sad. Most of them are a weird, complex example of the fracture in humanity. And a freedom from decency. I’m of the opinion that it’s always been there, just under the surface. Then someone came along and allowed some to bring it out into the open without apology. Why? Fear, identity fusion, racism, greed, manipulation or just willful ignorance? They can say what they want now, regardless of how it demeans or dehumanizes, yet they are still angry.
I’ve been trying to sort out the contradiction. Is it a contradiction? It almost feels like another bastardization of a definition.
My first thought without any other information was when I read it, how can patriotism not involve one’s neighbors? Belief in something that the entire country either believes in or not will involve another, neighbor, friend or foe.
Search: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=americans+ideas+of+what+patriotism+means&t=osx&ia=web.
USA Today
“What does it mean to be Patriotic? Even that question divides us as Americans.
“Despite these divisions, there’s a strong desire for a renewed sense of unity and a more inclusive understanding of patriotism.”
“When given a list of options, among the top choices in our survey were supporting the military(neighbor) (by 59% of the respondents), flying the flag(object) (52%) and celebrating national holidays like July 4 (45%).”
“For some respondents, it means voting (61%), speaking out against political leaders (49%) and pushing the country, sometimes uncomfortably, to live up to its promises.”
All have potential impact on … your neighbor. To remove your neighbor from patriotism to me feels like a devaluing. Or removing your responsibility to consider them. It feels arrogant. It gives more value to an object or even words, that depending on who wrote them could have just about any intent behind them.
“Most Americans consider themselves patriotic, but fewer and fewer people agree on what that means.”
What anything means these days is a problem. I see this posters posts frequently. I have commented a few times. I typically scroll by. Occasionally I do read the replies. (note to self: don’t read replies)
We now have license to say the quiet part out loud and more than that the opposition just isn’t nice. I think I am, or try to be. But nice has also been redefined.
I guess we don’t have to be nice. I’d prefer it. Especially with people we have know for 30-40-50- even 60 years. I did have a friend, who I have known since kindergarten, replied to a post of mine last year asking “What happened to the notion of not calling people names and being nice to one another?” She later blocked me when I asked a question on an angry post of hers a few weeks later about the Olympics.
Her comment, it kind of took my breath away considering I had seen her call people names on her page and the litany of name-calling the candidate and now president she supports. Not to mention his recent proclamation, “I hates my opponents and I don’t want the best for them.” At a memorial service no less.
It can’t be said enough, hate will not make us great, it will destroy everything I and even you think is true and right. What I hear as hate and what they hear as hate are contradictory. We have allowed one person to bastardize everything from truth to religion and how we see each others as human beings.
It’s easy to go out and find the definition of something. It’s not a stretch. I do that all the time. I have advanced education, but that gives me nothing. My question, what about meaning OF that definition? What does it mean to hit up google then copy and paste the words found. Then offer a (IMO) somewhat narrow understanding of the meaning of the word as what we all should accept as definition or meaning.
Search Assist: Patriotism in America is often defined as a love for one’s country, encompassing respect for its symbols, values, and the sacrifices made by its citizens. However, interpretations vary widely, with some viewing it as a call to hold the nation accountable to its ideals, while others see it as a more traditional expression of loyalty and pride.
“…values, and the sacrifices made by its citizens.” I personally can’t think about much that is going on today, political or otherwise that does not involve or include ‘my’ neighbor. Even the neighbor who voted against everything I believe are values of the America I grew up in. The one my parent and grandparents showed me, by their living example. Now, if you did not know me, would you now know “what side” I am on?
Help Save America: For many Americans, patriotism now emphasizes civic participation, community service, and defending democratic institutions. Volunteering, voting, and supporting first responders are common expressions. Others find patriotism in cultural pride—music, food, and regional traditions—or through military service.
Community service, volunteering, first responders, neighbors.
How has patriotism changed over time?
“Patriotism has shifted from Revolutionary-era resistance to a broader civic identity shaped by wars, social movements, and political debates. Its expressions have expanded from public rituals to civic engagement and social activism.“
I’m not sure that there is a reasonable, logical cogent explanation as to this dynamic that is our current discourse. In the Bulwark’s Focus Group talking to voters of the current president one says;
“…because they literally think that any right-winger or Trump voter is is an actual unironic Nazi or racist anti-semitic so on and so forth.”
“And I think that conservatives are a lot more open to be able to talk to the opposing side than. than the other way around.”
(both comments copied from Youtube transcript, unsure about accuracy)
Both of those comments are, in my experience, the exact opposite. It feels to me that the ‘conservative’ side or the GOP/Republican/MAGA voter is too angry to talk. I’ll take the route of others who are listening and say, if you don’t want someone to call you a Nazi or racist, don’t talk like or quote the words of a Nazi or a racist.
I’ve tried to be measured with my words, not call out what I am hearing for what it is but try to be neutral enough to maybe invite a conversation. People for the most part, have no response. I’ve only had questionable replies to my comments from people who don’t know me, but what I see is name calling or an angry response that is hateful, not nice. (IMO)
But by saying that patriotism has nothing to do with your neighbor, this completely removes any engagement of another human. I’m not sure how one eliminates that engagement. It removes any responsibility to be accountable to harm of any kind. It is strictly a commitment or an allegiance to an object. What has an object done for you? Yet it’s an emotional attachment that conjures up such emotion when it is challenged and doesn’t align with how they believe it should be considered, honored or respected. All that, rules for thee but not for me.
All this to say, you have to consider your neighbor in all you do. Giving more respect, honor and consideration for an object is the projection of so much, that to say more should involve more reference and reading. Maybe I’ll do that later.
With every word out of your mouth, every vote, every dollar you spend, just about every action you take, will impact another, a neighbor. We should all do ourselves and those neighbors a favor and stop for even a few seconds and think, actions, result, consequences. And if that last has any negative adverse impact on any other human, you have to stop. You have to. Full stop.
