In a polarized US, how to define a patriot increasingly depends on who's being asked

[Marthe48]

1. A lot of us going home for the 4th

No matter how old we get, going back to our roots makes the celebration more meaningful, and maybe more satisfying. Part of going home is nostalgia, part of going home is affection for home. We can see where we were and where we are. Some of us who go home might not have the whole-hearted enthusiam that others have, but we go. We might feel duty to family and friends, hope that something is different, or resolved, enduring loyalty, even love, to that place. I don't know anyone who doesn't have mixed feelings about home, but we return, in person, in memories, in spirit. However we think of home, if we don't feel about our country as we feel about our home, we are missing the point of patriotism and we are risking a loss of identity, belonging and purpose. No true patriot would burn down their home. No true patriot would burn down their country.