Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?

I have been contemplating this prompt for several days now. It is an important set of questions but one which unfortunately has become something of a controversial topic these days. And that just makes me sad.

Those of you who already read my blog already know I enlisted in the Marine Corps out of high school. Seems so long ago now but was really only a little over 30 years….

I consider myself patriotic in the truest sense of the word. Not only do I love my country but I feel I owed it a debt of gratitude. I paid that debt with five years of my life during which I made a commitment to give as much of myself, up to and including my life, doing whatever my country needed done. I served with honor (I like to think) and was rewarded for my service not only with a heartfelt thanks but many benefits allowed only to those willing to put on a uniform.

I am also patriotic in a more figurative and comprehensive way (and this is where I think my country has strayed too far) in that I understand that I fought for the defense of my rights and yours.

I understand that the way you express and enjoy your rights does not have anything to do with the way I express and enjoy mine.

I understand that my freedom of speech (one of several rights guaranteed by the First Amendment) does not mean I can say anything I want in a public setting and that it does not guarantee me not to be offended by the things someone else says in the expression of their First Amendment rights. In fact this right gives the citizens of this country not just the right to disagree but encourages it, because without disagreement there can be no progress.

I understand that some people believe their rights are more important than other people’s rights and that is something my country really needs to work on. The opening line of the Declaration of Independence states clearly that all men are created equal, not some men are created equal.

I understand that my country has a history of misogyny (as my last sentence exemplifies) and racism and that the only way to move forward from that past is to make amends for our past and to codify the protection of equality by ratifying the equal rights amendment or something along that lines.

I worry about where my country is right now and where we are going. I hope we can get ourselves together before it is too late.

I think that makes me only more patriotic.

I believe in the ideals upon which my country was founded and while I respect the past and the times at which my country was not living up to those ideals, I expect it to constantly be striving to regain the proper ethical ground and to work toward being the shining example of what people can do when government serves the people and not the other way around.

I dream of a day when we as a nation care more about each other than profits or power. We aren’t there yet and maybe we won’t be anytime soon but I believe we will get there as soon as we decide as a collective that we want to.