Patriotism or Bust

A Story by Sara

essay about patriotism or lack thereof

Patriotism or Bust

“America is a passionate idea or it is nothing. America is a human brotherhood or it is chaos.”- Max Lerner. In our history classes we study great empires, and we see how they fall. We see Rome and countless dynasties in Asia that began as glorious visions for their people but became all but forgotten as the vision was lost. Economic downturns, war, natural disasters, the apathy of their peoples, all of these have led to imminent defeat of nations. Yet in the beginning, hope always abounds. For the people of Rome, nothing was greater than Rome. For the people of Ming dynasty or the Tang dynasty, nothing was a threat. However, as the people turned on their government each great nation fell. History always repeats itself. What makes us think America will be any different than the countless great civilizations that have gone before us?

America began as a “city upon a hill” for the rest of the world, a cornerstone for advanced civilization, a new hope for a new way of life, and a world power throughout modern times. Yet in recent years the enthusiasm and patriotism of its people has begun a steady decline. It can be argued that this is caused by the long term effects of the War on Terror, or perhaps even the economic troubles of recent years, but the vital fact is that something is missing that was at one time imbedded in the hearts of American people, something that has been dwindling away for many years now. Patriotism holds a nation together. Patriotism is what America is missing.

In the years of World War I and II American patriotism was at its height. A flag was to be respected at all costs. A soldier was honored and loved by all. The national anthem brought tears to the eyes of Americans. This is the America I love- the America that was seen as a safe haven, as the best in the world, and as a respectable place. The generation of our grandparents embraced love of country and support of our troops. As we have the War on Terror, they endured World Wars. As we have our economic recession, they endured the Great Depression. There is no excuse for why my generation is reacting differently to the call to be patriotic than did our ancestors other than simple apathy. My generation is bored by the apathy of their parents, who were bored of the mindless patriotism of theirs. But what I wonder is how you can tire of something that holds your whole lifestyle together? How can a person not support that which provides them with the freedoms that they abuse?

Why now do people argue their right not to say the Pledge of Allegiance? Why do people jeer at soldiers and vote to cut funding in Iraq? Why do people burn the flag- the same flag that soldiers are dying so that we can hang? With each generation, patriotism is lost! People are forgetting how our freedoms were won and using them instead as an excuse to destroy our country. 30 years ago, “Chicago Cubs centerfielder Ricky Monday, a former Marine Corps Reservist, made one of the greatest plays in baseball history.” And it had nothing to do with the game. When two men on field attempted to burn an American flag, Monday ran toward them and “snatched it away.” Unwittingly, he became a patriotic hero for millions of Americans and is now a symbol of the humble patriotism, respectfulness, and all-American attitude that is fading in today’s society.

“To enjoy freedom, one must be willing to accept the responsibility that comes with freedom.” Through “the so-called right of Abortion”, flag mutilation, burning draft cards, and other countless acts of disrespect and manipulation of the 1^st amendment, Americans are becoming bolder in abusing their rights. It’s as though these laws and this government were founded on nothing. No one remembers why things came to be the way they are. No one understands that America was founded as a haven from religious persecution and the overwhelming control of tyrannical governments.

The first amendment was written to make America a better place, not to provide an excuse for those who would see its destruction. Just because a law allows something doesn’t make it right. Just because the Constitution provides for freedom of speech doesn’t mean that chaos is the answer or that you can go around shouting vulgarities in public and expect not to be stopped. For Christians, God offers us free will, but that doesn’t mean that sinning is okay. Because you can sin doesn’t mean that you should, and it is the same with our government and our amendments. Our forefathers purposefully wrote the Constitution to be flexible, expecting evolution of the society and culture of its people, but it was written so that people would use it for the good of America, not so that it could be taken advantage of. Like Rome and civilizations of years past. America was meant to be great and designed so that its people could continue to make it great. However, in lieu of patriotism, the constitution is being manipulated for personal benefit rather than the benefit of the country.

True patriotism is to love your country even when it is not chic to do so. After the September 11 attacks, there was a resurgence of patriotic pins and posters and songs, but these are all empty patriotism and classic cases of not knowing what you’ve got till it’s gone. “Patriots who love their country only because somebody else hates it, patriots out of pride, competitiveness, arrogance, the need to be a part of the crowd, the thrill of a good fight, the warmth of righteous indignation” are not what this country needs. Rather, it needs people who love the very foundation of the country itself and want the best for their children and the same freedoms they enjoy to be those that future generations will benefit from as well.

When the War on Terror began, I remember thinking about the threat of nuclear warfare and how I would never feel safe in my country again. Everyone can remember feeling that they had been violated by the terrorist attacks. They came as a shock to idle Americans who had become comfortable in their safety nets. I was scared and I wanted reassurance that the people in charge would set things right so I could go on living they way I had always planned. But when people in charge are scared as well and don’t know what the right move is, it becomes the responsibility of the people to pull their country together in unity and common goals of peace and safety for years to come. When I realized that the war was not going to end itself I decided that I didn’t want to sit back and watch my country, my America that I love so dearly, fall to heinous acts of terrorism just because no one would stand up in defense. I’ve decided to go into the military so that I can help my country to regain its status as a world power and to regain its safety and its confidence. I want people to love the freedoms they are blessed with and to know that those freedoms were never and will never be free. I want them to realize that America is still the best out there and that people are willing to die to keep it that way.

If this generation allows my country to fall like Rome and so many others, it will not be because people have not died trying. If this generation does not stand up and take action and discard their apathy then surely America will fall, because it is patriotism that holds a nation together. It is proven that a united nation will last longer than one that cannot discard its differences for the common good. Without patriotism, people would not feel connected with one another in such a large nation as America. Without patriotism, people would not feel compelled to donate blood, donate their money, or to donate time after tragedies. We have seen the ill effects of poorly united officials in the aftermath of Katrina, yet we have also seen how well a fortified nation works in the aftermath of Gustav and in the responses to 911 and the brave New York firefighters that worked for months and months to restore what people who hate America brought to the ground.

Because America is a country built on hope and change, it has lasted as a continued source of new ideas and freedoms that other countries have strived for throughout their entire existence. Yet, corruption can affect the best of us. An apathetic, unpatriotic, naïve leader at this decisive point in American history would surely be a wrong move. And this is why the American people need to band together and show their unity, patriotism, and ability to uphold what America is based on in this generation especially. If ever there was a time when the people’s vote would decide the fate of our country, this is it. Choose wisely.

If enough people try, America can regain its patriotism. We can relive the Ricky Monday days of patriotic glory and pride and uphold the honor of what it is to be an American today. It is possible to enjoy our freedom while simultaneously respecting where it came from and ensuring that it is never taken away. It is possible to be free while realizing how much it costs, and being willing to pay the price. It is possible to be adamant about the superiority of your country without being blind to its faults. What separates America from Rome and other fallen empires is that we do have freedom. This freedom, however, is a dangerous gift and can be used for either the betterment or the destruction of our great nation.

Unless there is a resurgence of American patriotism, the image of America as a city upon a hill as our forefathers envisioned it will be forever tainted. America was intended to be a place of change and new frontiers. Therefore we must discard our apathy and take a stance against old politics and worn out theories and pick up our patriotism and fundamental love of the opportunities we as Americans are offered to ensure that America will always remain “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

To quote Ani DiFranco:
"We have to be able to criticize what we love,
say what we have to say-
If you're not trying to make something better
then as far as I can tell you are just in the way.”