Websters defines it like this:
PATRIOTISM
: love for or devotion to one’s country
Most citizens of every country are patriots using this definition. But is that all there is to it? No! One must be very careful when using the designation of patriot.
Using this very broad definition given by Websters, it can be easily said that the members of the Nazi Party in WWII Germany were patriots. But in actuality they were National Socialists. Did they love their country? I think all would respond yes they did. But did they have the best interest of their country in mind? Again they would no doubt say yes, and we are all familiar with the results of their “patriotism”.
National Socialism attempted to reconcile conservative, nationalist ideology with a socially radical doctrine. In so doing, it became a profoundly revolutionary movement—albeit a largely negative one. Rejecting rationalism, liberalism, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and all movements of international cooperation and peace, it stressed the subordination of the individual to the state, and the necessity of blind and unswerving obedience to leaders appointed from above. It also emphasized the inequality of men and races and the right of the strong to rule the weak. This is what I call BLIND patriotism. The Communists of the cold war era and present day China who were and are faithful to the death to their various countries and politburos are little different, and there are many, many, examples of “patriotism” to be found that have turned the world upside down in very bad ways. The problem with using the broad definition of patriotism is that it is usually very blind to the actions of ones own government and can make the patriot complicit in the horrors and atrocities governments and nations commit upon millions of people.
Then we have Islam. A very unique belief system of 1.7 billion people encompassing about 47 countries. In some cases Islam is a government, in others it is a belief system within a country. Most people think Islam is a religion, and it is. But it is also much more than that. Islam includes religion, government, strict guidelines for how to live, a cultural ideology, a war machine, and much more. The leadership of Islam are zealots, and force their precepts on the masses of followers with ferocity. Their stated goal is take over the entire world and force everyone into submission. We have had zealots in the past such as Hitler and his Nazi party, Stalin and the other communists, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao and other assorted powerful men who have sought to dominate people, but civilization has never faced such a serious threat as Islam.
As soon as any man says of the affairs of the State ‘What does it matter to me?’ the State may be given up for lost.
“People deserve the government they get, and they deserve to get it good and hard.” H.L. Mencken
I believe what Rousseau and Mencken are saying is that if you as a citizen do not involve yourself in the governance of your country, you government will do as it pleases. In the Untied States voter turn out is usually very low and most people know little to nothing of the way the government works or how it should work. Most people are not familiar with the contents of the Bill of Rights or Declaration of Independence. They do not know who the Vice President is, the Secretary of State, the Speaker of the House, or who their elected representatives are from their state.
Love and support of one’s country without knowing what your country is doing and what your country is doing to you is not patriotism, it is wearing rose colored glasses and is stupid. In my mind you can not call yourself a “Patriot” unless you are informed, active to the best of your ability, and call your government to task when they step out of line. Without this attitude, our country will slip into totalitarianism so fast it will make your head spin. Which is EXACTLY what is happening each and every day.
“A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever”. John Adams
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