Patriotism - My discussion

Richard Harwood's blog this week discusses the bombast being exchanged between the McCain and Obama camps on patriotism. www.theharwoodinstitute.org/ht/d/Blogger/pid/185

I consider myself pretty darn patriotic. And, sometimes people find this a wee bit amusing. Why they laugh do I snap off a salute following the playing of the National Anthem? The looks I get as I stand at Attention while the song is played are sometimes amused, often bemused and maybe even a little on the pleasantly condescending side ("He's old, sometimes they do that.") I am older but for some reason this has been a consistent force in my life. Growing up, it was not only the outer stuff, I believed I lived in the GREATEST country in the world. I believed that my country would and maybe could do no wrong but right or wrong this was my country. Then, I watched people getting beaten by police for staging demonstrations against a war they thought was wrong. Then, I saw news clips of other Americans being plastered with fire hoses and attacked by police dogs for marching and singing and demanding their share of the American dream. Then, I watched as my Marines were killed in a country whose borders were no where near America's and whose political health meant next to nothing for the peace and security of the United States. Yet we fought because we were sent there to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. And, then, there was this photo of a bus being overturned in a town called Lamar, South Carolina, and, though I was an officer of Marines, I cried because guys in my platoon were from that state and others nearby and now their brothers and their sisters were quite literally coming under attack in their own home towns.

So, I still consider myself a patriot and I still love my country. Quite honestly, it doesn't need to be the "grandest on earth" as long as it is my country. My country -- the home of the free -- all citizens with the same rights, the same freedoms, the ability with effort (some needing more than others) to make it. My country, where you can express, in very graphic terms if need be, your disgust with the government in power and not worry they will send you to jail. My country, where you have an expectation of privacy and protection of the law from the law. My country, where you can enlist in the military to help physically defend our land and/or ideals or My country, where you can get others who feel like you and protest in large groups against the government's desire to use that military to invade other lands.

Okay -- Patriots

• Marines and other military people willing to die to keep this country.

• Mothers, friends, those who are concerned willing to stand up and use that freedom of speech and freedom of assembly to protest when they think, feel and know the country is wrong.

• Those people who vote in every election

• Those people who pay their taxes

• Those people willing to give of themselves to right perceived wrongs

And, the list can probably get a lot longer
but how loud someone might sing the Star Spangled Banner, or how many flag decals might be on someone's car or how loud someone might claim to be a patriot does not make a patriot. What is a person doing for his/her country? What is that person doing to help strengthen her/his country? What is that person doing to strengthen her/his community because that strengthens the country too? Patriotism is not symbolism it is action.