C.T.
What does it mean to be a "patriot?" This is a question that has been arising much as of late, from the implications of Bush totalitarianism to Obama Marxism and everything in-between. The good ole American Heritage Dictionary puts the definition of a patriot as plain and simple as this, "One who loves, supports, and defends one's country. " The only problem is it does not explain how you can love, support, and defend one's country, there are a multitude of ways, based on your objectivity. But there has to be one way that is correct or one that is at least as close to correct as you are going to get.
From my experiences around the world a patriot is not a flag waver, not a revolutionary, not a soldier, not an activist. A patriot is a person who gets out of bed and faces the day's challenges, not fearful of the outcome. They are the people who are willing to look past all that is shallow and meaningless and make themselves better, because in the end it makes their country better. They are also the people who embrace their past, bad and good, but do not wallow in it or use it for personal gain. A patriot remembers the wisdom and sacrifice of those who came before them and seeks to build on their valuable lessons. They are honest with themselves about their strengths as well as their shortcomings. They seek to better who they are and are thankful for the opportunity to do so. The patriot knows that they have a responsibility to protect and nurture those who are innocent or are incapable of caring for themselves. Above all else, the patriot knows that there will be a time when the wolf is at the door, they must face it head on and do what is necessary to protect their country, the people, and the way of life they love.
These are the things that I have seen in most Americans. Through racial strife, economic hardship, and military conflict many of these attitudes have survived and are what is the best in America. Unfortunately, it is dying.
Whether the American people like it or not we are in a struggle for our national identity. We are stuck between being a willing participant in the global community or a sovereign nation. The path we chose will be the one that will more than likely define the path the rest of the world takes. So, this decision is one which we should not take very lightly, for ourselves and our children.
C.T.
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