What Patriotism Requires: An ode to a disappearing America - Robert Reich

[justaprogressive]

Friends,

Today I want to talk about the real meaning of patriotism.

It’s the exact opposite of the version peddled by Trump and his white Christian nationalists — that the nation is losing its whiteness or its dominant religion, that too many foreigners are crossing our borders, that men are competing in women’s sports or children are using school bathrooms inconsistent with their sex at birth, or that teachers are not celebrating the nation’s history.

To the contrary:

True patriots don’t fuel racist, religious, or ethnic divisions.

Patriots aren’t homophobic or sexist.

They aren’t blind to social injustices, whether ongoing or embedded in American history. They don’t ban books or prevent teaching about the sins of the nation’s past.

They don’t abduct hard-working people and put them in prison camps in the Everglades.

They don’t rob from the poor to reward the rich. They don’t cut Medicaid and food stamps so the wealthiest Americans get a tax cut.

True patriots are not uncritically devoted to America. They are devoted instead to the ideals of America — the rule of law, equal justice, voting rights and civil rights, freedom of speech and assembly, freedom from fear, and democracy.

True patriots don’t have to express patriotism in symbolic displays of loyalty like standing for the national anthem, waving the American flag, and shouting “USA! USA!” They express patriotism in taking a fair share of the burdens of keeping the nation going, sacrificing for the common good.

This means paying their fair share of taxes rather than lobbying for lower taxes or seeking tax loopholes.

It means refraining from making large political contributions that corrupt American democracy.

It means blowing the whistle on abuses of power even at the risk of losing one’s job.

It means volunteering time and energy to improving one’s community and country.

It means standing up to tyranny — protesting, boycotting, organizing, engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience.

And never, ever losing hope.

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-patriotism-requires

[eppur_se_muova]

1. You've all heard the quote -- but really it's **FALSE** patriotism that is the "last refuge of scoundrels". nt

[Kid Berwyn]

2. Thank you, Dr. Reich!

"True patriots are not uncritically devoted to America. They are devoted instead to the ideals of America — the rule of law, equal justice, voting rights and civil rights, freedom of speech and assembly, freedom from fear, and democracy."