Are you a patriot.......?

Question

Is patriotism still alive in the USA? Some older folks wonder. During previous world wars we supported our troops whole heartedly. We flew the flag. We participated in scrap drives to help the war effort. We saluted the flag. We held our hand over our heart as we sang the National Anthem. Pride in our nation was a burning flame in our b*****s. We loved our nation. We were not ashamed of it, or of saying we loved the USA. Tears would well up in our eyes as we heard the National Anthem, or sang 'God Bless America', or marched to John Philip Sousa's stirring marches. I wonder - is patriotism like this still here in the USA??? If you are a true patriot, will you please check in? This is YOUR chance to stand up and be counted.

Answer 1

I hate the war. I support our troops. I was in the military. My son is in the military. No one is asking us to sacrifice anything to help the war effort, not even taxes, gasoline. I don't salute the flag, because I haven't been anywhere where they've played it live. Tears well up in my eyes every single time I hear the star spangled banner and have for years. I don't sing God Bless America because I've never been anywhere that has sang it in years. I like listening to John Phillip Sousa but there are no marching bands in my town and it doesn't happen that often. So, I am a patriot, but I have a right to dissent. A government without dissent, doesn't try and accomplish anything.

Answer 2

Being a patriot to me means standing up for the Constitution and the laws and traditions of the land, not worshipping some amorphous concept of a nation that may or may not exist.

Being a patriot means holding your government accountable and protecting your rights. That's what the USA is all about, and that's real love for your nation, not pride over symbols or ideals that we aren't actually realizing and suppressing (like liberty and 'land of the free'). Working to secure and protect these ideals that stem from our rights is patriotism.

Answer 3

Yes, 9 years Military Service, 6 Years as Federal Law Officer, personally, Nephew just finished 6 years USMC with 3 deployments to the sandbox or Afghanistan. My son just signed for 6 in USCG, Patriotism is d**n well and alive.

Answer 4

I think the main factor is that people no longer trust the government... and they have a mulititude of good reasons not to.

Supporting the troops and supporting the war is two different things..  The Iraq war isn't a "world" war either...  The world wars were fought out of necessity....we were actually fighting to protect OUR country during those times.

Lots of people still well up with tears during the national anthem...and patiotism/pride in your country isn't directly linked to whether or not you are disappointed in the countries leadership.

I think many are just angry at the way this country has changed for the worse in a short amount of time...  it doesn't mean they love it any less.

Still a better place to live than 99% of the rest of the planet.

Count me in..

Answer 5

I consider myself Patriotic and dedicated.

But only to the country that existed before 9/11. I'm not sure what has happened to my country. Things have gotten so messed up. It doesn't seem too long ago that being American meant something good.

Blind loyalty is ridiculous. And our founding fathers would hardly be impressed.

It's our country. Not the presidents to do with what he pleases.

Answer 6

I can consider myself a patriot not just because I salute the flag, put my hand over my heart during the National Anthem or put a yellow ribbon on my car. These things are just superficial symbols that mean nothing if you are not willing to acknowledge the injustice we face as a nation and are apathetic to it's causes. Without consciousness, all this is nothing more then just Fascism.

The real Patriots rebelled against the ruling governments. They recognized when things weren't right and did something about it. Going though all the issues that went on during that time they would laugh at all the finger pointing and name calling about flag pins, yellow ribbons, super delegates, crazy pastors etc.

A patriot is not just a mindless follower.

I can say the World Wars in which we fought were justified and needed to be fought in. This "war" is really an occupation and does not follow the ideals of America.

Answer 7

I love my country, so Yes I am.

Answer 8

Yes I am

to the first poster, you do know you are free to leave this country if you do not like it right?

You wont be missed

Answer 9

Yes. Patriotism is very moving to me. We fly our flag everyday and I think it's beautiful. I love the Pledge of Allegiance, and patriotic music.

People who say they are ashamed of our country are entitled to their opinion, but I feel sorry for them. It is possilbe to disagree with your government's policies without hating your country. I don't agree with everything by any stretch, but I still and will always love my country.

Answer 10

Yeah, those days are long gone.  There was a brief, shallow, reflexive resurgence in the trappings of patriotism for a couple years following 9/11, but that's over.

Answer 11

I have an American Flag flying proudly from a pole in my front yard, appreciate no fellow American more than a soldier or Marine, and pray for this nation daily.  However, I'll take that flag down and replace it with a Texas Flag the day someone of the likes of Obama is sworn in as president because I wouldn't want to offend him or his worthless supporters.

Answer 12

Blind fate in government is NOT patriotism.

Answer 13

yeppers

EDIT...to the first poster...feel free to complain all you want, freedom makes us great

Answer 14

I am not an american

It appears to an outsider, That the government has lost the respect of the People it is supposed to serve.

What effect this has on patroitism, can never be good.

Perhaps giving the Whitehouse to an Independant, might shake up the Two main parties into serving the People better.

Are there any Good Independants, that stand a chance.

Such a shake-up many increase the feel-good factor, and increase Patriotism too.

Answer 15

YES! I love this country!!!!  I have a flag on my car as an outward expression.

I'm surprised that many people don't know the words to our National Anthem. It's a difficult song to sing but I think all Americans should know it.

I also get angry when I see people desecrating our flag.

Answer 16

Yes my friend I am.!!!!!, I still get goose bumps, as they raise our flag. and when I hear the national Anthem  I cry, When I see a Guy or Gal in their uniform, I give them a hug and say thank you. And yes I think and care about what they are doing. and are willing to die for our freedom, and it's their choice, no one forced them.  They are there because they love their Country.Yes I am Proud!!!!!!. God Bless America. !!!!!!!!

Answer 17

Patriotism CANNOT be merely given, without conditions.  That would be like staying with an abusive spouse because he or she "used to treat me like gold."

Nothing stays the same; change is inevitable in all aspects of life.  The behavior of our and other governments aren't free of this fact, but included in it.  

Those who controlled our government in the past, had different ideals and goals than the ones who do now.  This is not an opinion statement, but that of fact.

Here is the opinion statement: we are being run by a criminal organization no better than the mafia. (The facts support this statement, but it is something that a debate, no doubt, would occur due to what facts are being made known and what facts aren't.)

One can not be a patriot blindly.  If you currently are one: you are not paying attention to what is going on.  You aren't going around the corporations who now run media that give you THEIR version of events.  Their versions help make them more money.  War is very profitable.

I am not currently a patriot.  My country has let me down.  I believe in the ideals of our forefathers, however, we have become like the Germans in the era of Hitler--only we can't smell the ovens!

IF YOU WATCH FOX "NEWS"--You are being lied to and controlled.

If you don't watch CSPAN- you are being lazy.

If you don't seek out media online (not owned by the "gang of media corporations taking care of the corporate thugs in power")--you are NOT being a patriot.

A patriot is one who doesn't take their government at their word.  If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck--it is a duck.  Our Executive Branch, and their thugs, cronies, and criminals will kill babies to keep themselves in a larger yacht, and to leave "wealth" to their future generations.

I am a patriot as I question authority.  However, I am not a patriot if that means allowing the killing of innocent civilians that had nothing to do with 9/11, and following blindly those in government.

“You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror.” –George W. Bush, interview with CBS News’ Katie Couric, Sept. 6, 2006

All patriots make sure that they actually have reasons to be patriotic, not idiotic.

Answer 18

before answering your question.... we must establish what is the definition of patriotism.

if patriotism in your eyes means supporting everything this government does (good and bad) then I am not your kind of patriot.

If patriotism implies loving America enough to speak out against her when she is wrong..... I am in.  I am loyal to this country but I won't be loyal to anything that is against the Word of God.    

Loving anything unconditionally is not only stupid... but dangerous.  even God doesn't love us unconditionally... He will condemn us to h**l if we don't follow the Word of His.

Answer 19

I suppose patriotism is a bit like being a true sports fan. Whether your team is winning or not, you have love the team. At the same time, it is entirely okay to criticize the team in a constructive light (i.e., changing the leadership, speaking out against policies that you don't believe in). But if you are not willing to do that, if you are not a true fan, leave us alone and go root for some other team.

Personally speaking, I may not love how GWB is running our country, but I love our country and I have personal stakes in our country to succeed.

Answer 20

Why the h**l would anyone be now with the current state of the country?

Answer 21

I believe in the words of Thomas Jefferson; "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." I don't support the war or the troops, or anything the government does that I believe is morally reprehensible. I pledge my allegiance to God, not a flag. I speak out against injustices in this country, and quietly help my fellow Americans who are in need without fanfare. I can't believe or support your particular brand of patriotism.

Answer 22

There was a time when I would have said, "Well, not really"  then I traveled to some foreign countries and stayed there awhile (pre 9-11-01 even) and was never so patriotic in my life as when I touched down on American soil again.

One thing that could really open some eyes is to have a President put us on a war footing instead of telling us it's out patriotic duty to go shopping.

Some kids are very patriotic, some have a ways to go, but hopefully, they'll see that the USA, while not perfect, is STILL the greatest country on earth.

Perhaps if we taught more history and civics in high school, including the US Code which was established in part to address such things, we as a nation might remember what a great idea America is.

Answer 23

“War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.” —John Stuart Mill

Answer 24

no because they are dead it was in the back time