“The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.”
– Alexis de Tocqueville
Fly your flag on July 4, and make sure everyone sees that it is indeed possible to love your country and not be satisfied that it is all it can be.
The people telling you that questioning your country, petitioning its leadership for change, and protesting its policies are not patriotic are simply afraid of what striving for a more perfect union might mean.
The United States has never arrived, and the arrogance and narrative of exceptionalism that claims otherwise has only helped mask the most important idea about who we are destined to be. We are destined to be the country that forever toils for something better. The country of ideas and principles that never allow us to be satisfied with who we are, but drive us to stay hungry to be something more.
The founders didn’t create the perfect government. They created the foundation for something great to grow and evolve.
Only the most rigid Originalists or conservative political opportunists could argue that the United States somehow peaked in thought when the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791.
No, that’s when the real work of living these ideas began. And when you take ideas from paper to practice that’s when the work becomes messy and difficult. That’s when you have to dig a little deeper to take pride in what you’re working toward versus what you see in the mirror today.
If you listen to the other party, you’d think we peaked decades ago. And while they are busy fighting to drag us into the past, they’re equally passionate about labeling those of us looking to the future as ungrateful. Somehow, because we won’t kick back and revel in the perceived might and superiority of our country, we don’t love our country.
The truth is, real love for country is fighting for its future. People mention patriotism in the same breath as courage, sacrifice, respect, and responsibility. But these words aren’t badges that label one a patriot. They’re words that demand action.
But what kind of courage? How much sacrifice? A respect for what or who? A responsibility to what?
We are not entitled to be called patriots simply because we are Americans. We are patriots when we put these ideas to work. When we find the courage to lift others up. When we sacrifice for the greater good. When we respect all people. When we take responsibility for our actions.
As Democrats we strive to do all these things, yet in the past few decades we have allowed ourselves to be railroaded by blustery claims about our lack of patriotism. We’ve listened to the other party discount our love of country. And when they did it, in many cases we just accepted it.
We allowed them to assume the identity of a patriot because we didn’t offer an easily recognizable alternative. Rather than fight to redefine it, we walked away when they dumbed it down to parades and red, white, and blue bunting.
They said America was perfect. We said it wasn’t. And similar to many truths in life, being right was not enough to wrestle the flag from them.
We can be disappointed in our country for what it is and still love it very much. But we have to show that, say it, and repeat it, even as we fight to change it.
The current leadership in this country is dismantling every principle Americans have always hung their hats on. But each time they assault a freedom they wave the flag, say a prayer and point at those resisting and claim we’re tearing down America. It’s a ridiculously simple, but frighteningly effective strategy that shouldn’t be working, but it is.
The truth is, it works because our versions of courage, sacrifice, respect, and responsibility terrify them and demand much more of us as Americans than they’re willing to give.
Talk to friends and neighbors, block walk, campaign, put up signs, fight for change. Fly your flag, and tell people you love this country, and that’s why you will not stop fighting for it. Make sure no one has a chance to question your love of country as you do it. Don’t give them the easy out to dodge the tough conversations and questions by discounting your patriotism.
“July 4th” by sashikag is licensed under CC BY 2.0.