Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?

Being patriotic means having support for one’s home country. The definition I first read included the words devotion and vigorous.

I’m American by birth and America is where I have always lived. It’s a good country. Is it the best? I dunno…I haven’t traveled very extensively to others, or tried to study their forms of government or how their ways of living might really compare to ours. But I do like it here. So, I guess I’m patriotic. If the question were “are you a patriot”, I might have a different answer. I’m not sure.

I find it odd that our people bicker so much about the national anthem, and whether it’s patriotic to stand, kneel, salute etc. when it’s played. The definition I read gave this sentence for an example of patriotism: “today’s game will be played before a fiercely patriotic crowd”. I still wonder why the National Anthem is played at sporting events, when people are there to cheer for their favorite team – rah sport ball! What does this have to do with patriotism? If it were specifically an American sports team playing against players from some other nation, then I could see more reason for both anthems being played.

I also wonder why the pledge of allegiance is a thing, and if people really believe it. And does it somehow make them better or worse as human beings if they do or do not believe or recite it?

The American flag is pretty great. I personally like it better than flags I’ve seen from other countries. I am affectionate for the red, white and blue. I took the photo above from my own yard. That’s my flag pole, my flag. My rose bushes, too. At least, they were mine before we moved. I’m pretty proud of that photo!

I have looked into our form of government, in comparison to other forms. At its core, I believe ours is pretty good and even superior to that of other nations. I think our current political climate is poor. I don’t really have much belief that it will get better. Sure would be nice, though.

Doing a search on the interwebs, I’m told people in other countries are happier, healthier, kinder, and any number of other things that seem better than we are here in the ‘ol Land of the Free, Home of the Brave. But I enjoy being an American. I don’t know if I can say I vigorously enjoy it, or am entirely devoted. So, again… I guess I’m fairly patriotic. Or maybe patriot-ish?