First, a few dictionary definitions of patriotism:
Devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty. Dictionary.com
Love of one's country; devotion to the welfare of one's compatriots; passion which inspires one to serve one's country. Wiktionary
The feeling of loving your country more than any others and being proud of it Cambridge
Aside from “love of country”, not even the dictionaries agree on the nature of such love. What is it? A passionate urge to support, serve and defend one’s country? Devotion to the welfare of one’s compatriots? Loving one’s country more than other countries? Being proud? These are not the same things. Plus, they don’t provide much insight into what patriotism means to those who embrace patriotic sentiments without apology. Let’s see what patriotism means to these folks:
America was born—and born of ideas: that all men are created equal, that they have been given by God certain rights that can be taken from them by no man, and that those rights combine to create a thing called freedom. They were free to pursue happiness, free to worship God, free to talk and speak in public of their views, and to choose their leaders. …American patriotism was the repetition, reaffirmation, and celebration of our founding ideas. Peggy Noonan
Patriotism loves country while recognizing its flaws and working to make it better. Patriotism loves country while acknowledging other cultures. What patriotism means: Guardian Readers
To me, patriotism means …loving and believing in a country and especially the people in a country. It means celebrating the five main ideals of the United States: equality, rights, liberty, opportunity, and democracy. Without these ideals, people would divide under their differences. What does patriotism mean to you? Essays from Vail Valley high school students
Patriotism is shown through respect of these values every single day. We believe in the people who surround us, the ones who aren’t like us and the ones who are, because we believe in equality. Standing up for others and standing up for ourselves is a patriotic act which shows that we believe in important rights in our country, such as freedom of speech and religion, and the rights to help others rise above obstacles like discrimination. What does patriotism mean to you? Essays from Vail Valley high school students
Patriotism can mean serving your country as a soldier, but it can also mean serving your country through small deeds such as helping out your community, leading others, and wanting to make your country and your world the best it can be. To me, patriotism means that you love your country, the people in it, and completely participating in every possible experience and opportunity that arises by being associated with that country. Through the expression of patriotism by respecting our country’s ideals, we unite under our similarities instead of dividing under our differences. What does patriotism mean to you? Essays from Vail Valley high school students
Part of our service to our country is having pride in our community and looking beyond our differences. When we learn to celebrate our diversity and freedoms that make our society unique, we are enabled to work together to effectively solve issues that face our country as a whole. Through seeking to connect to others who are different from ourselves in belief, race, background, and culture, we can encourage the rise of patriotism in our country as our differences can unite us. What does patriotism mean to you? Essays from Vail Valley high school students
And here’s what patriotism means to a few of the not-so-patriotic:
Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons. Bertrand Russell
"It is lamentable, that to be a good patriot one must become the enemy of the rest of mankind." Voltaire
“The cheapest sort of pride is national pride; for if a man is proud of his own nation, it argues that he has no qualities of his own of which a person can be proud.” Arthur Schopenhauer
"The working men have no country" Karl Marx.
“As long as they remain deeply patriotic, America’s poor won’t rise up.” The Guardian
“Multiculturalism is the opposite of patriotism.” What patriotism means: Guardian Readers
“Patriotism is a mental association mostly towards a piece of cloth, a catchy tune and the nation's name. It probably was created the first time a tribe needed to expand their territory and - naturally - they had to define the nearby tribes as ‘them’ versus ‘us’.” What patriotism means: Guardian Readers
The USA is built on war and violence, creating it overseas and a daily dose at home. We have the most people in jail. Guns are rampant. Why would I feel proud to be an American? Not one good reason. So to hell with American and idiot Americans who would even consider a mental midget like Donald Trump for president. What patriotism means: Guardian Readers
Takeaway: When it comes to what patriotism means to patriotic Americans, those otherwise inclined tend to be condescending, contemptuous, and totally in the dark.
—
Note: This is a companion piece to Behind the Science: Why do Educated Democrats Misunderstand Republicans So Much?