Musings of a Patriot

Tag: patriotism

  • Please Don’t Vote

    Voting is no panacea. If we don’t do the work that needs to be the foundation of voting it can do more harm than good.

  • Happy Fireworks Day

    photo credit: Camera Slayer Regardless of how much some people may talk about the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States during their celebrations on the fourth day of July each year, and despite reports suggesting that participation in such celebrations makes children more likely to identify politically as Republicans, it seems…

  • Re-Founding Requires Renewed Statesmanship

    photo credit: mharrsch Bob Henline strikes again, but this time there is nothing he said that I would argue with. . . . all we end up doing is enacting more ridiculous laws that only spin the problems, never really resulting in any tangible effects. That leads us to ask the question of why this…

  • Re-Founding America

    photo credit: Why Tuesday? I don’t pay attention to talk radio because even though I am very conservative I find that the conservative perspective shared on talk radio is generally laced with too much thoughtless and inflammatory perspective that is designed to stir reactions rather than provide information. Despite that general disinterest I was intrigued…

  • The Star Spangled Banner

    Francis Scott Key witnessed a battle in 1814 during the War of 1812 as a captive on a British naval ship. He was so inspired by what he witnessed that he wrote the Star Spangled Banner which was eventually be adopted as our national anthem. Today the song is often sung as an artistic piece…

  • Loving America

    It’s been a long time since I stumbled across something that belongs in my personal perspectives series, but I could not pass this up when someone I’ve long interacted with describes his love for America (which love I share): I too love America. I love her for the ideals and principles of liberty upon which…

  • Loyalty . . . Right or Wrong

    I have been thinking about the sentiment “my country, right or wrong” as well as many potential variations (e.g. “my party, right or wrong,” “my parents, right or wrong,” or “my company, right or wrong”). What I have been thinking is that such a statement of unquestioning loyalty is ripe for abuse and manipulation. I…

  • The Other Side of the Sentiment

    As I was walking to the bus stop this morning I saw an image attached to the garage door of one of my neighbors. I’ve heard/seen that sentiment before, but with all my thinking about the flag and the meaning of patriotism lately it struck me differently. I appreciate the sentiment that we are not…

  • Patriot Day

    I appreciate the idea of Patriot Day as a way to mark our modern “day of infamy.” It is unfortunate that the event has been used so effectively to manipulate our politics. Once upon a time, America represented more to the world than simply a big bully who was allowed, because of might and wealth,…

  • Patriotic Rivals

    I really enjoyed Lyall pointing out the Op-Ed articles on patriotism from McCain and Obama yesterday. I think he was quite right to point out a major flaw in McCain’s statement that patriotism should come “before anything” but I don’t agree that without that flaw the editorial would have been perfect. I really liked McCain’s…