What is Patriotism?

As we celebrate this 235^th Anniversary of our Nation’s birth I wanted to take time to reflect on what Patriotism really is.  I am sure that dictionaries and scholars will have many definitions for the word.  I know that you can get different definitions from commentators on CNN, FOX and CNBC.  But what does it really mean to an individual?

I believe US Patriotism is a 100% devotion to our Country, our values and our way of life.  I believe that a soldier who fights for our nation because they feel it is important to stand up for our values or protect our way of life is a patriot.  I believe that a person who serves our nation as an elected official because they believe in our democracy and wish to represent all of our citizens and their values is a patriot.  I believe that those people who peacefully fight for the values of equality and justice that our nation was founded on are patriots. 

Our Nation was founded with the words “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain Unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. “ It is the duty then of every patriot then to support, defend and promote these values. It is also the duty of every patriot to not allow politics to sway them from these American Values.  I say this because too often in our history we have spoken those words at the same time our actions are in conflict with them, Slavery is just one example. As today we battle terrorism around this world, argue about illegal immigration, talk about securing our borders, let us keep those values in mind. As we look at our own communities, meet people from other nations or other religions let us remember those values and freedoms we enjoy in these United States.  We need to always defend and protect our Nation and our system of American Values, however we must always do so with respect to what those values say and mean.  We must remember those last words our Founding Fathers placed on that Declaration of Independence 235 years ago: “ And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”