rumitoid

That is a troubling and highly complex question. If we want to see patriotism as a good thing, than we have to see that all patriotism, even that of our enemies or any others, as equally good. This is the book definition of Patriotism: "the quality of being patriotic; devotion to and vigorous support for one's country." Yet "devotion and vigorous support" means what? Or the simple definition of patriotism as "love of country" means what?

Patriotism is to me a sham; it does not come close to t***h on the matter. Samuel Johnson said that it was the last refuge of the scoundrel, yet Boswell, his biographical commentator, gave no context. Let me provide one, my own.

Basically, there is absolutely no need for patriotism. America has ideals and principles and values that we honor and protect. Why? Because if we have integrity those same ideals and principles and values reflect what we stand for as individuals. It is not a dedication to borders or a f**g but to the heart and spirit of liberty. If America strayed from these things, as much as another country threatened them, we would be equally zealous, "dev**ed and vigorous," in rooting out the corrupting influence. This is something the Right does not seem to understand.

Patriotism appears to mean to the Right lock-step loyalty to Trump and abject hatred for the Left. This is what is so totally bad about patriotism. It has no parameters. Such thoughts as those are not for the country or its principles but for party or a man. The word patriotism or patriot should be forever banned as being anything more than a poor and shaky description of multiple and perhaps conflicting feelings regarding a nation.

PeterS

Simple, someone who placed the country above their own needs. That leaves out every conservative in this nation...

son of witless

No need for Patriotism. Of course you see no need for it.

rumitoid

Maybe not all....

proud republican Loc: RED CALIFORNIA

vernon

Im a conservative and dam proud of it.I was in the army before you were born so don't come on with your lying bulls**t,your a c****e freak.

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

To me Patriotism means defending the American way of life. Another thing is defending the constitutional rights of ALL Americans weather you agree with them or not.

Ricktloml

Great way to sum it up.

JW

It is a very simple question. Better stated, do you want your country, your culture, to survive and persist?

If you do, then you are obliged to stand up for your country. You "father" your country, as it were.

"Root of Patriot
Patriotism. The word patriot comes from Latin; the root is the same as that of "father": pater; also French patrie . "

A good father is willing to die for his family but is not in haste to do so. A patriot is willing to die for his country but is equally unwilling to rush to it.

Those chauvinists who glory in the idea of a heroic death, usually someone else's, sometimes called super-patriots, are as dangerous to the survival of a nation as are those who condemn patriotism or see no need for it.

BTW - It was Ambrose Bierce who coined the phrase you attribute to Samuel Johnson.

badbob85037

There are no patriots any more. When the 3 branches of government fail to police each other it is no longer out right but duty to preform the checks and balances. Being able to count on one hand the number in Congress that have honored their oath to the Constitution that leaves 430 our duty is to d**g them from their perch and set up citizen courts to try them for their crimes and I don't see nobody d**gging.

No matter what your party told you having an EBT card in your back pocket that don't make you a patriot. Nor does wanting open borders as no nation last with open borders. If a patriot doesn't support any part of the Constitution he should just keep his liberal lips shut about it and not whine, snivel, and through a little b***h about it. A patriot doesn't v**e for t*****rs, criminals and f*ggots. But if some one did you could redeem your self by swallowing a gun barrel.

Liberty Tree

You say that while having lock step opposition to Trump and hatred for him and the right. You are right in that you are no patriot because you stand against the Constitution and especially the Bill of Rights as the founders intended. Today's liberals are the corrupting influence that will destroy America id ever given full power.

crazylibertarian Loc: Florida by way of New York & Rhode Island

Speak for yourself. It's the liberals who've admired Hitler, Mao, Stalin, Castro, etc. You can't claim we ever did. Respond to this with FACTS. You won't because you can't.

TrueAmerican

One things for damned sure you wouldn't know

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

All I have seen on this thread is people bashing Liberals and people bashing conservatives. We can't win a war like that. Patriotism demands that we pay attention to who the real enemies are and band together as Americans and keep America forever free.

Morgan

This is when patriotism gets twisted and morphed into Nationalism. Love for country is still a good thing, blind loyalty to a person is not.