Patriotism

By Mary Louise Beardsley, a director of SD59

On past Fourth of July holidays, I enjoyed the flag-waving, red, white and blue bunting, parades, and, especially, the fireworks.  (I love fireworks!)  This year, however, I’m conflicted about celebrating Independence Day.  I’m reminding myself that it’s very important to recognize the difference between patriotism and nationalism.  “Patriotism and nationalism are distinct but related concepts, often confused. Patriotism is a love and devotion to one's country, while nationalism is a belief in the superiority of one's nation and its interests.”  (This quote is from Google AI.)  Nationalists often try to justify their actions as being “patriotic.”  They call anyone who disagrees with them as “unpatriotic.” 

What is true patriotism and what is nationalism disguised as false patriotism?  The following quotes sum it up for me:

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." – Mark Twain

“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” – Samuel Johnson

So, please go ahead and enjoy the holiday (and especially the fireworks)!  But do so as a true patriot. 

 The opinions expressed in the SD59 Blog are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent a consensus of thought or position of the DFL.