Here are a few thoughts on a recent Crosstalk about the topic of patriotism. In the wrong hands, patriotism can definitely be aimed in a negative direction. Political leaders across history have used patriotism to whip up support for illegitimate wars, and to wrap bigoted or authoritarian attitudes in the flag.
We should be especially wary of anyone who thinks that the best way to love your country is to demonize particular kinds of people — socialists, atheists, Muslims, etc. — because history is rife with examples of very ugly consequences in that regard.
On the other hand, patriotism can also be a monumental force for progress and human justice. As Ms. Ricarte pointed out, self-sacrifice for the common good and a sense of civic duty are as American of a tradition as apple pie. Love of country necessarily implies that you are willing to speak out for change, if you feel the nation is seriously on the wrong track. And yes, this might mean going to war if the survival of your nation is under imminent danger.
The abolitionist movement, the suffrage movement, the labor movement, the civil rights movement, and the environmental movement all exemplified this brand of patriotism beautifully.
Thousands of brave souls risked their jobs and reputations, and many were demonized, ironically, as being “unpatriotic.” Yet their sacrifices paid off in the end. One of the great early figureheads of American patriotism was the author of our Pledge of Allegiance. Many people are unaware of the fact that Francis Bellamy was a proud socialist.
He felt that the excesses and injustices of late 19th-century capitalism were destroying the nation’s sense of unity and cohesion. Bellamy originally wanted to include the phrase “liberty, equality and fraternity for all” in his Pledge, but feared it would be regarded as too radical. The phrase “liberty and justice for all” was, in fact, a compromise.
We are once again living through an era of rampant inequality, unjust wars, and corruption of politics by big money. Now is no time to sit idly by and accept a status quo that is slowly devouring our sense of community, and ultimately democracy itself.
The time has come to speak out for fundamental and systemic change. And patriotism — the positive kind of patriotism — is a vital tool for winning that change.
Commented