woodguru

To many the concept of being a patriot is about rhetoric and words, not actions and understanding what a patriot is going to be against.

Too many people going on about how they are a patriot "because I am or did......"

Many think serving the country in the military is an automatic patriot card qualifier...for many who have gone into the military for a variety of reasons, it had nothing to do with wanting to fight or die for our country. There was a draft for Vietnam, people who were drafted typically did not enlist because they felt a patriotic call to fight for their country, being willing is not feeling patriotic calls. WWII saw far more people enlisting because our country and the world was in dire trouble, people literally enlisted because they were willing to fight for their country, they were patriotic in the true sense of the word.

People enlisted because they had no options for college, either financial or scholastically, the military offered a chance to learn a valuable trade or skill, and offered school opportunities after serving a term. It's why I went in the military, never was there a thought about fighting for our country, nor was that much of a consideration for any of the people I served with.

I love this country and it is where I choose to live, but that does not keep me from being involved in trying to do something about the things that are wrong with it.

Alt patriots seem to think there is some associative relationship between Trump and MAGA...he's trying to make our country great again, so if you don't support Trump you hate our country, you are not a patriot... well guess what, supporting Trump does not mean you are a patriot, it's not a qualifier even in a twisted up way.

I show my love for this country in a dozen things I believe in...I care about the environment and it makes me sick to see gutting clean air and rivers laws because that seems to be what Trump is about. The mad rush to sell off parks and public land for oil and coal that we probably will not end up needing or wanting to use is not actions that those who love this country would support. You aren't showing much love for this country if you support the party that refuses to aggressively end the opioid crisis because it would cost pharma billions of dollars.

It doesn't make you a patriot because you "supported the troops" when Bush was president and made it a patriotic rhetorical position to support our troops, which was double speak for support increasing military funding. I happened to be against military waste and fraud, and am 100% convinced that the budget could easily be cut in half if proper oversight were done, and the military would actually have nbetter equipment and facilities as a result. Alt patriots equated not increasing already wasteful amounts of money as not being a patriot...well guess what, supporting waste a fraud doesn't make you a patriot either.

jimpack123 Loc: wisconsin

[quote=woodguru]To many the concept of being a patriot is about rhetoric and words, not actions and understanding what a patriot is going to be against.

Too many people going on about how they are a patriot "because I am or did......"

Many think serving the country in the military is an automatic patriot card qualifier...for many who have gone into the military for a variety of reasons, it had nothing to do with wanting to fight or die for our country. There was a draft for Vietnam, people who were drafted typically did not enlist because they felt a patriotic call to fight for their country, being willing is not feeling patriotic calls. WWII saw far more people enlisting because our country and the world was in dire trouble, people literally enlisted because they were willing to fight for their country, they were patriotic in the true sense of the word.

People enlisted because they had no options for college, either financial or scholastically, the military offered a chance to learn a valuable trade or skill, and offered school opportunities after serving a term. It's why I went in the military, never was there a thought about fighting for our country, nor was that much of a consideration for any of the people I served with.

I love this country and it is where I choose to live, but that does not keep me from being involved in trying to do something about the things that are wrong with it.

Alt patriots seem to think there is some associative relationship between Trump and MAGA...he's trying to make our country great again, so if you don't support Trump you hate our country, you are not a patriot... well guess what, supporting Trump does not mean you are a patriot, it's not a qualifier even in a twisted up way.

I show my love for this country in a dozen things I believe in...I care about the environment and it makes me sick to see gutting clean air and rivers laws because that seems to be what Trump is about. The mad rush to sell off parks and public land for oil and coal that we probably will not end up needing or wanting to use is not actions that those who love this country would support. You aren't showing much love for this country if you support the party that refuses to aggressively end the opioid crisis because it would cost pharma billions of dollars.

Amen There are many things wrong with this country. But here in the good ole USA we are free to agree on things we are free to disagree also. But remember freedom comes with a price . The price is voting my belief is if you don't vote then you have no right to agree with our elected officials or disagree with them. So remember come November of 2020 go vote or just plain shut up about the result of the election

Lonewolf

Liberty Tree

If you are a patriot what do you hate the constitution and support everything that will ultimately destroy this country?

jimpack123 Loc: wisconsin

I believe that you meant why and just because some one don't agree with your views doesn't mean that one hates the constitution and supports everything that will destroy this country. You support Trump and he is destroying our country!

son of witless

I think we could find common ground in dealing with the opioid crisis. What are your suggestions ?

Liberty Tree

Yours is a personal hate of Trump for beating your goddess Hillary therefore nothing he does will ever be right in your eyes.

jimpack123 Loc: wisconsin

I didn't care for Clinton either How ever Trump is our President . It doesn't mean that I have to blindly follow everything that he does

son of witless

You mean you didn't blindly follow President Obama ?

wolffy

How, exactly is Trump ruining our country? I keep forgetting!

Lobo

Beware of anyone who confuses political agendas with patriotism. I don't know that a person who is woefully ignorant of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, with the prohibitions and limitations it places on government, claim to be a patriot... of America anyway!

Louie27 Loc: Peoria, AZ

You progressives are so self righteous and ignorant to the fact that we have the least problem with pollution than any other large country. We are continuing to strive to improve the air and water with environmental friendly innovations by many companies in this nation, without hurting our economy. Which the left cries about, simply because they want total control of our lives.
You ought to complain to the Democrats about waste. Which they accomplished with Trumps first budget, they added many dollars just to pacify the progressives in your party and not support closing the border, which they had been for before Trump became President. So sad.

Blade_Runner Loc: DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

And, with rhetoric and words, you define the concept of being a patriot.

Believing in what should be done won't get it done, so what actions have you taken that make you a patriot?

What the hell is the purpose of a nation's armed forces? Do you think it exists just to provide those who "had no options for college, either financial or scholastically" to learn a trade or skill? (Be interesting to know what you actually learned in the military.)

What have you done to Promote the general welfare or Provide for the Common Defense or Establish Justice? What have you done to Save the Planet? Do you approve of Melania Trump's project to educate Americans about the Opioid crisis?

Have you quit shitting in water?
Have you stopped exhaling CO2?
Do you ride a bicycle or a horse rather than drive a car?
Do you light your home with candles?

What is an American Patriot?

Gabe Rodriguez

With Independence Day approaching it is easy to get caught up in celebration and neglect the true meanings of American ideas. Significant concepts have the tendency to be reduced to political rhetoric. Regrettably, the word patriot is among these great ideas whose meaning has been obscured and stripped of its American distinction.

The general term patriot signifies a person having an attachment to their respective country or regime. It is based on a feeling, sentiment, or passion toward national loyalty. It is not surprising that the classic writer Ambrose Bierce considered that “Patriotism is as fierce as a fever, pitiless as the grave, blind as a stone, and irrational as a headless hen.”

According to the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center, America is rated the most patriotic nation in the world. However, it is imperative to distinguish what it means to be an American patriot. It is not a blind allegiance to land, government, or nation. American patriotism is loyalty in the heart of the founding—grounded in the message of the Declaration:

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. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed . .

It is in the reverence for freedom and principle established in our Declaration that guides the zeal of an American patriot. “To be an American Patriot is to be attached to a certain set of ideas—you can be an American without even being here,” says Joseph Postell of the Center of American Studies. We are the heirs of this idea—that man is given unalienable rights. Recognizing this makes us not merely countrymen, but Americans. This ought not be cheapened, but remembered this holiday.

Do not let the idea of American patriotism fade into meaningless rhetoric. An American patriot is not one who shoots fireworks on the fourth of July, waves an American flag, or wears a lapel pin. The truest patriotic expression is a love, passion, and recognition of freedom. Let us understand, celebrate, revere, and protect it. This is what makes a patriot American.

debeda

Being a patriot is ONLY about actions. Those you take and those you don't

Being self sufficient and ready to stand for country when needed.
Honoring the flag that stands for all those who did for us.
Being a contributing member of society.
Believing in the United states and our constitution.
NOT gaming the system
NOT killing babies
NOT overwhelming the system with illegals
NOT being a dumba$$

JoyV

Very well stated!