I love this topic. I also feel a complicated patriotism. I feel frustration at what you could almost call appropriation of the word patriot!
When did being a patriot mean not questioning authority? Standing up for imperfect leaders without criticism? Replacing ‘it takes honesty and hard work to be better’ with ‘whoever is yelling loudest is best’?
Patriots were literally rebels against tyranny! And George Washington himself warned us of falling prey to partisan politics!
It’s extremely frustrating to have a word redefined and reclaimed by people who don’t get it and are so obnoxious. So much so that you can’t claim the word “patriot” as your own without an essay disclaimer explaining you understand the complexities of that word and the sinister flaws in our past “patriotic” movements.
To me, a patriot is an idealist. Someone willing to die for a more perfect country. We haven’t been able to get it right in this messy compromise of American history and human nature... but to me, a patriot is someone who continues to fight for the ideal we haven’t yet been able to reach.
Also, I thought The Floor Is Lava segment had very good advice for life. My favorite part:
“Don’t jump when you can step — Just, see if you can step first, okay?”
I love that idea that a patriot is an idealist, thinking about it now it is also such a thing of love to want to care for the people and land and ideas that make up a country. Maybe a lot of people trying to figure out how to navigate things right now should think about taking some steps before they jump as well. Floor is Lava - rich with joy and wisdom. Who knew?
I love this topic. I also feel a complicated patriotism. I feel frustration at what you could almost call appropriation of the word patriot!
When did being a patriot mean not questioning authority? Standing up for imperfect leaders without criticism? Replacing ‘it takes honesty and hard work to be better’ with ‘whoever is yelling loudest is best’?
Patriots were literally rebels against tyranny! And George Washington himself warned us of falling prey to partisan politics!
It’s extremely frustrating to have a word redefined and reclaimed by people who don’t get it and are so obnoxious. So much so that you can’t claim the word “patriot” as your own without an essay disclaimer explaining you understand the complexities of that word and the sinister flaws in our past “patriotic” movements.
To me, a patriot is an idealist. Someone willing to die for a more perfect country. We haven’t been able to get it right in this messy compromise of American history and human nature... but to me, a patriot is someone who continues to fight for the ideal we haven’t yet been able to reach.
Also, I thought The Floor Is Lava segment had very good advice for life. My favorite part:
“Don’t jump when you can step — Just, see if you can step first, okay?”
I love that idea that a patriot is an idealist, thinking about it now it is also such a thing of love to want to care for the people and land and ideas that make up a country. Maybe a lot of people trying to figure out how to navigate things right now should think about taking some steps before they jump as well. Floor is Lava - rich with joy and wisdom. Who knew?