Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
First and foremost
Upcoming video “2020: The Year in Review”, will be coming out on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2021. The focus is personal and not political, so much.
There are so many urgent issues at hand, and many are interconnected, such as Black Lives Matter, problems with policing, media disinformation, and white supremacy.
First of all, it seems like now I’m hearing people use the word patriot every day, and it’s mostly misused. The rioters who violently attacked our Capitol on January 6, 2021, were definitely not patriots.
Meaning of Patriot
High school memories
In the Eighties, in Albemarle County, Charlottesville, Virginia, cheering for my high school, The Albemarle Patriots, gave me a connection to our school mascot the patriot. I always thought a patriot represented something positive, but does it?
“P-A-T-R-I-O-T-S, We’re the Patriots, oh yes, and we are the best!” I still remember the pride of being in front of the crowd, cheering for my school.
Patriotism in 2020
Some have said that patriotism in 2020 has become a synonym for nationalism. That saddened me because I want patriotism to be something I believe in.
At my high school, I used to sing the National Anthem at the beginning of the games. I have always been very proud of it, however, I do believe our country deserves a new national anthem that represents everyone. Recently I began to really wonder, who is this “Patriot” I had associated myself with all these years?
I began researching the words patriot, and patriotism.
Defining patriot and patriotism
Patriotism defined by Wikipedia: Patriotism or national pride is the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to a homeland and alliance with other citizens who share the same sentiment.
Most definitions said: a patriot is someone who loves and supports their country. Then I found someone who said a patriot doesn’t have to be a moral person, they just have to love their country, and therefore Hitler could be a patriot. That’s not good. Wait a minute, what exactly is the history of this word?
History of the word patriot
Patriot word history by Merriam-Webster: Ultimately derived from Greek patrios, meaning “of one’s father,” patriot comes from the French patriote—meaning “fellow countryman” or “compatriot“—during a time of political unrest in Western Europe that was characterized by infighting among fellow countrymen—especially among those of the Protestant and Catholic faiths.
Changes in the meaning of the word patriot
Over the years, the meaning of patriot has been used both favorably and unfavorably(it also depended on which side you were on). In the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, a patriot was considered a seditious rebel against the Monarchy.
But once the colonists took action against British control, 18th-century American writers brought a new meaning of patriot: “a person who advocates or promotes the independence of his native soil or people from the country or union of countries of which it is a colony.”1
Burgoyne’s surrender was a turning point in the Revolutionary War
Reconciling with past and present
How do we reconcile that these “patriots”-our own ancestors-brought us this life on stolen land? How can we continue to ignore and disrespect the rights of Indigenous Americans who love and protect their country? Those who have been ignored, neglected and left behind need a voice in our government. It’s time we, as Americans, take accountability for our past and recognize that, if we want to reach our country’s full potential, we need equitable leadership for all.
Rooted in white privilege
Rooted in white privilege, the US has mainly focused on the success and progress of white people. While we can try to understand each other and make changes today, nothing can make up for the horrific way our country treated and killed Indigenous Americans and African Americans, separating families and destroying their ways of life forever.
In fact, white privilege continues to protect and favor the success of white people in our country while shutting minorities out. The sooner we acknowledge this, the sooner we can change.
A country of immigrants
Today many people are leaving their homelands with the need to find safety, to find a new home, and start again. Where is our empathy? Parker Deighan of No More Deaths/No Mas Muertes, and Human Rights Coalition reported that the remains of 227 migrants were found on the border in 2020.3
To risk the journey through the harsh Arizona desert with the understanding that their survival was not guaranteed, the lives of these migrants must have already been threatened. How soon we forget our own roots.
I often wonder what made my ancestors choose to leave their friends and family, taking so many risks for a life in a new world. For some, the trip was about having the freedom of religion. No one was without a struggle and most people had little power. Everyone was just trying to survive. They must have had a lot of hope. I am grateful my ancestors had the choice.
Patriotism, by definition, isn’t inherently good or bad
In a 2017 article for Boulder Weekly, “The Dark Side of Patriotism,” Joel Dyer writes, “Patriotism, by definition, isn’t inherently good or bad. It all depends on what exactly is being vigorously supported.” He suggests that if we support a country that believes it’s ok to imprison or kill those who disagree, then that’s not good. But if you live in a country that supports equal rights and freedom, this is good.
Dyer also says, “In our increasingly dysfunctional political system, wherein party politics has made getting reelected more important than governance, and a media landscape where sensational tweets and telling us what we want to hear has replaced a true commitment to making sure we are a well-informed citizenry, our understanding of what ‘country’ means has become lost.”2
I agree with Dyer, many of us could be better informed about our country, including myself.
I am grateful to be a part of it, but sometimes there are times when I haven’t even wanted to be American because of inhumane choices made by those in power. It’s hard to love your country when it is hurting others. I do not wish to represent that violence. Many of us now, even many who lived long ago, believe in and support real equality.
The negative side of patriotism
Unfortunately, patriotism is sometimes confused with nationalism since they both promote the interest of a nation and its population. The Capitol attacks on January 6, 2021, showed that misplaced patriotism (prefaced with a whole lot of disinformation) can lead to trauma, loss of limb or eye, and even death.
The negative side of patriotism can:
- lead to radical movements
- give justification to start a conflict
- promote superiority that everyone should be like them
Patriotism may also prevent people from valuing other cultures, forgetting that the whole world is our family. If people aren’t recognizing, including, and appreciating each other’s differences, patriotism can lead to the exclusion of minorities and immigrants.
So, if patriotism is risky in a country of immigrants, why keep it around?
Patriot positivity
Patriotism is usually taught by schools, media, and movies. Some people might be turned off today at the idea of schools creating little patriots, who repeat the pledge of allegiance and sing the national anthem.
Even with all the misuse of the word, Patriotism can be about having hope. Over the years during hard times, patriotism has helped promote common national values and has sometimes really helped people become motivated to support and help each other get through.
Many of us have a feeling of pride as we stand together to sing the National Anthem before a football game. Patriotic traditions can bring unity.
Patriotism also supports loving your country enough that when people are not being treated fairly one can use this time to peacefully take a knee in protest, in order to bring light to the problem.
Patriotism must be a choice. It’s best to form your own belief system so you don’t run the risk of being manipulated and become blind to your own beliefs.
Redefining patriot for 2021
Is the patriot just another symbol we have outgrown? Perhaps. But to understand our present we must understand our history. We must be informed.
The search for freedom and the search for connection is something we all share. Be empathetic toward each other and ask questions. Imagine the power of a country working together, focused on loving each other instead of living in fear. Now, that’s what I call patriotic.
Here are my definitions for 2021, and although it really doesn’t matter what we call it, our country is about understanding that we are all a family: caring, connected, and united.
Patriot: One who loves, respects, protects their country, stands by its principles, and protests peacefully for change when necessary.
Patriotism: An inner feeling of belonging, an emotion from within which encourages people to want to work together to give back to their country in gratitude, to provide constructive growth of all.
Uniting under a higher goal
Patriotism does the most good when we can use it to unite under a higher goal to achieve something great for the country(think vaccine). This unity also teaches people to act as responsible citizens who recognize a debt owed and want to give back to their communities.
Another positive for patriotism is simply being able to acknowledge a country as your own. It feels good to be a part of something, to belong. We must remember the need to belong when we have the opportunity to help immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees.
The Great Mosaic
To be a part of this Great Mosaic we acknowledge that being a country of immigrants together is what makes us great. If we recognize the sacrifices made by those who came before us, we can be grateful.
History classes must teach an accurate account of what really happened, including the history of people of color and women. Acknowledging only white men leaves out important pieces of our history.
Only with an understanding of the truth can we understand the need for change. As we evolve, it will also be important that white history be rewritten where necessary.
When we walk through a springtime meadow, do we not stop to rejoice in the diversity of every wildflower? Is this colorful collaboration coexisting not precisely what makes a meadow so beautiful?
-Kate Bryant Whitfield Hart
From the heart
The United States of America is no place for an ungrateful heart. We must all appreciate the opportunity to belong to such a great nation and continue the fight for equality and freedom for all.
Additionally, we must begin to unite as a world, together under a higher goal, recognizing our entire earth as family. We can share Mr. Estes’ vision of a world where we are all welcome, where outside the birds are chirping and we can hear the voices of happy children.
References
- Merriam-Webster, Word History, Patriot hasn’t Always Been Positive
- Boulder Weekly, The Dark Side of Patriotism, by Joel Dyer
- Democracy Now, Top U.S. & World Headlines, February 4, 2021, 13 minutes in.
Peer
Poetry
Winter-Time by Robert Louis Stevenson Late lies the wintry sun a-bed, A frosty, fiery sleepy-head; Blinks but an hour or two; and then, A blood-red orange, sets again.
Before the stars have left the skies, At morning in the dark I rise; And shivering in my nakedness, By the cold candle, bathe and dress.
Close by the jolly fire I sit To warm my frozen bones a bit; Or with a reindeer-sled, explore The colder countries round the door.
When to go out, my nurse doth wrap Me in my comforter and cap; The cold wind burns my face, and blows Its frosty pepper up my nose.
Black are my steps on silver sod;
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;
And tree and house, and hill and lake,
Are frosted like a wedding-cake.
-Look for a Valentine's Day Post coming this weekend-
Love, Kate
This is great Kate! Love the message and love the flashbacks to AHS!