This article first appeared on RobertReich.org. Freedom—understanding it, living it, teaching it, and supporting those who are educating others about its principles—is what patriotism should mean to each of us today. Patriotism is not something that can be simply defined. Second: Real patriotism is not cheap. Freedom—understanding it, living it, teaching it, and supporting those who are educating others about its principles—is what patriotism … ", and I promise you, you will not get one standard, clear answer. Those conditions being that our nation is serving ALL of our interests - and when that isn't the case, dissent is so very patriotic. Visit the state elections site. Government must be committed and bound to protecting the peace and preserving our individual liberties, and doing so through the informed consent of the people. NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr … It's the inalienable right of a free people to rid themselves of a government that becomes destructive of those liberties, just as our Founders did in a supreme act of courage and defiance more than two hundred years ago. Sure, you're going to be told how we live in the greatest country on earth, and how we're the free and the brave, and you'll certainly hear about the military, and all the sacrifices that go along with service to our nation. He is also a founding editor of The American Prospect magazine, chairman of Common Cause, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and co-creator of the award-winning documentary Inequality for All. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Patriotism is an extension of politics and its expressions and meanings are not easily agreed upon. It requires being willing to pay taxes in full rather than seeking tax loopholes and squirreling away money abroad. There are so many ways in which people feel patriotism, and there are so many differing ideas of what it means to be patriotic. We talk a lot about patriotism, especially around July 4, but we need also to take to heart its five basic principles. Each state has its own rules for mail-in absentee voting. It means defending the right to vote and ensuring more Americans are heard, not fewer. Merriam-Webster defines it as the love for or devotion to one’s country. To most, being patriotic is all about the military and the exaltation of our troops. I don't know precisely when sporting events became synonymous with American patriotism, but I do find it very interesting that you don't see these grand exaltations of our flag and anthem in very many places besides sports arenas and ball fields What is particularly interesting, is that during the World Wars, fans turned to sports to escape politics and now it is so woven into the fabric of sporting events that when an athlete quietly declines participation, he is called out and shamed, his jerseys burned because of his dissent. First: True patriotism isn't simply about waving the American flag. It's all laid out beautifully for you. The concept of patriotism is a very complex one. I am deeply disturbed by the assertion that, because a sports figure refuses to participate in the singing of the National Anthem, he is then un-American and a disgrace. To continue reading login or create an account. But true patriots work to improve our government, not destroy it. For myself -- and I suspect, people such as Colin Kaepernick, true patriotism means standing up for those in society who aren't given the same opportunities, those who aren't being treated with the same respect and given the same individual liberty that others are. We made it easy for you to exercise your right to vote. President Bush has announced that surge troops will be home by the end of July. All men are created equal. But your state may let you vote during a designated early voting period. First: True patriotism isn't simply about waving the American flag. They are endowed not by government, but by birth, with certain unalienable rights. And it's not mostly about securing our borders, putting up walls and keeping others out. Patriotism is an extension of politics and its expressions and meanings are not easily agreed upon. It's about coming together for the common good. He served as secretary of labor in the Clinton administration, and Time magazine named him one of the 10 most effective Cabinet secretaries of the 20th century. ©2020 Verizon Media. Patriotism, by simple definition, is the exaltation of national eminence, typically expressed as power over other nations, and an emotional attachment to the nation that one originates from. Third: Patriotism is about preserving, fortifying and protecting our democracy, not inundating it with big money and buying off politicians. Today is National Voter Registration Day! So, what is real patriotism? People watch fireworks during the 4th of July Independence Day celebrations at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Monday. Visit your state election office website to find out whether they offer early voting. You have 4 free articles remaining this month, Sign-up to our daily newsletter for more articles like this + access to 5 extra articles. Read or re-read the Declaration of Independence. To the contrary, true patriots seek to confirm and strengthen and celebrate the "we" in "we the people of the United States.". Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. Robert Reich: What's the True Meaning of Patriotism? Not just voting but becoming politically active, volunteering time and energy to improving this country.

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