Patriotism

                When did being patriotic become a bad thing? A little while ago I mentioned to my friend Sam that I didn’t like the movie “V for Vendetta” because I thought it was too political. Sam replied, “Well, that’s just because you’re a patriot.” I told him that I was guilty as charged, but I was disturbed. Not because I had been accused of patriotism, but because of the way Sam said it. He had said it with such a tone of disgust, as though he was accusing me of selling crack to 5^th graders or something. And my friends always laughed at my mom when she cried when they sang the “Star Spangled Banner” at football games (“what’s wrong with her?”) When did this first begin?

                 Perhaps the startling decline in patriotism began in the 60’s, when hating soldiers and hating America first came into fashion. My dad once told me, “The 1960’s was a really terrible decade.” But why would this sentiment continue into the 21’s century? Patriotism fell back into fashion briefly with the “Reagan Revolution” in the 1980’s. Say what you like about Ronald Reagan’s foreign and economic policy, no one can deny that he loved America. Still, even at the time the spirit of American pride and hope was nothing compared to what it was during World War II. During the war people jumped at the opportunity to plant victory gardens, join scrap drives, and buy war bonds. “Victory for America” was the word of the day not “Peace” or “Equality.” (Maybe people back then realized that victory for America would lead to greater peace and equality)

                Some might argue that today we don’t have a government we can’t trust (I would question why people insist on making an untrustworthy institution bigger every year, but I’ll save that for another day.)But honestly, let’s face it things here in America aren’t that terrible. The housing market is beginning to turnaround (it takes a little longer here in California), the economy will bounce back (despite what the media tells you we are not in the middle of a depression or even recession, all things fluctuate from time to time), we are on the brink of several new energy sources and stores of domestic oil that will lower gas prices and cut our dependence on the middle east, and we are only a short time away from winning the war in Iraq (yes, that’s right, not just leaving, winning.) So, with everything looking ok around here, why aren’t people proud of their country? Why is America still made out to be the cause of all evil in the world? Why does Saint Obama refuse to wear his flag pin, and why does his wife say she has “never before been proud of her country”?

                I think this situation comes not from anything happening in the world, from our economy, or high gas prices, but from the trend in society’s thinking today. The word of the day is “ME.” People take “ME time” they have a “ME day” they say things like “I had to do it for ME.” They want to help people as long as it doesn’t inter fear with their plans, their lifestyle, and their busy, busy, schedule. People are much more self- centered now than they were 50 years ago. This explains so much. The high divorce rates (“That marriage wasn’t right for ME.”) The decline in family life (“Working full time and putting my kids in daycare is right for ME”) The insane credit card dept (“buying the new car, and boat, and pool, and TV, were all what was right for ME.”) people don’t think about what is right for their spouse, their kids, their community, or their country anymore; they only care about what make them feel good. Saying “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” ring hollow to the busy people of today. They don’t have time to do things for their country; they need their country to take care of them so they can have some ME time. Having Big Brother babysit you is not the answer. If it was would you be proud of your country? Of course not. Because being proud of your country means being proud of the people who are the country. You can be proud of people who work hard to overcome hard times, but who can be proud of a nation of whiners and crybabies?