The recent terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have caused confusion on the topic of Patriotism. The best way to start understanding patriotism is to simply define it. Patriotism is a persons level of loyalty toward their country. Displays of true patriotism are prominent in times of despair, such as wars and terrorist attacks. However, many people have discrepancies on what displays of patriotism really are.
Some people believe that showing patriotism can be accomplished by waving the flag and singing the national anthem. Others believe that a person must be much more involved in a cause to show patriotism. It is true that waving a flag doesn’t accomplish much. Although this action displays good intentions, it can be done with little effort or thought. Patriotism is much more than waving the flag and singing the national anthem. Admittedly, waving the flag and singing the national anthem are not wrong things to do.
These actions promote unity and raise moral. However, love for the country can be focused in ways that are much more productive. “Patriotism can no longer be defined by whether you think this is the greatest country in the world” (Gesford, 1). An act of patriotism must accomplish something.
Making a personal sacrifice is an example. Donating money or joining the army would certainly benefit the country more than waving a flag. Furthermore, many people have failed to realize how blind their actions are. Patrick Henry’s speech to the Virginia Convention can be related to this fact. No man thinks more highly than I do of patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights (Henry, 88).
The people that believe they have done enough by waving a flag and singing the national anthem have failed to form their own opinions of patriotism. If the United States has a government controlled by the people, then the strength of the country depends on the level of loyalty among the people. So by performing only the easiest tasks to show support for the country, these people are causing the country to become less powerful. Basing a country on laziness could be paralleled to basing a document on lies. Finally, the most obvious fault on the side that claims waving a flag is patriotism is the fact that very few people actually did this before the terrorist attacks.
This so called patriotism transformed from a dormant state into a state of overabundance in only a few days time. This observation alone is evidence of the invalidity of waving a flag and singing the national anthem. Additionally, some people have enough disrespect for our country to take advantage of fellow citizens during this time of confusion by selling cheap American flags at twenty dollars each. These people are playing jump rope with the line between patriotism and treason as if patriotism isnt a serious subject. Sadly, the people who failed to realize their own false patriotism were also the ones being scammed by companies.
Clearly, Patriotism cant be expressed by simply waving the flag or singing the national anthem. Patriotism is a commitment by a person to their country. The corrupted vision of patriotism by many American citizens needs to be corrected soon. A prolonged misunderstanding of this single word could be the beginning of the end for our country.
