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I read a lot of blogs pretty much most days.  This entry from Thomas Sowell caught my eye, and while it is talking mostly about the NYT and the lack of concern / the overabundance of hubris, for me the money quote is this:

Patriotism is not chic in the circles of those who assume the role of citizens of the world, whether they are discussing immigration or giving aid and comfort to the enemy in wartime.

The decline and fall of the Roman Empire was as much due to the internal disintegration of the ties that bind a society together as to the assaults of the Romans’ external enemies.

The pride of being a Roman citizen was destroyed by cheapening that citizenship by giving it to too many other people. The sense of duty and loyalty eroded among both the elites and the masses.

Without such things, there could be no Roman Empire. Ultimately, without such things, there can be no United States of America. In neither case have tangible wealth and power been enough to save a country or a civilization, for the tangibles do not work without the intangibles.

In my mind’s eye, true Patriotism is putting your country ahead of any other.  Patriotism is fully believing in the ideals and potential of your country to the exclusion of others, and willing to make a stand for those beliefs even when unpopular. And Patriotism is willing, when and if necessary, to put your country ahead of your needs.

That is not to say that the ills of your country are swept under the rug; nay, one works to correct those ills.  However, while doing so, one advances, publicizing and dissemimates the positives. 

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Independence Day

This past Saturday, I attended the One Voice (www.onevoiceministries.org) Celebrate America! concert – an old fashioned patriotic celebration whose theme was “America – my home” and standing with our Founders on the premise that it is God who has so blessed our Nation. Seeing the flags and listening to the songs, I was stirred to put away my “working” column for this instead. I realized, once again, how fortunate we are to live in this great country, warts and all. There is no perfect place; even America has its bad with the good. Yet because some constantly dwell only on the negative, they believe it overwhelms that goodness. And I am tired of taking it on the chin because of it!

Nativist, xenophobe, bigot, unsophisticated – pejoratives used by those who consider outward displays of affection for our country as beneath them (especially those that besmirch it)

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A Liberal once wrote a piece that was obviously against the war.  In it, the writer asked three questions:

Where in our constitution does it say that the purpose of our military is to invade sovereign nations for the purpose of deposing their leaders and changing their political system?

Truthfully, would you have supported this invasion if you had been told back in 2002 that the mission was to bring democracy to the Iraqi people, even though we had not been invited to do so?

Finally, if you believe in this mission, whatever it really is, are you willing to die or send your children to die for it?

Good questions; very thoughtful questions as they get to the heart of how one feels about their political system and especially about the mission and purpose of this country and how it applies to someone at the personal level.  I was compelled to think when I read it (although, to be sure, some of it was a bit in anger given how the questions were phrased) and in formulating my answers.

The way I responded was….

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