I had published this essay a few months ago on a less popular blogging site.  This is one thoery that should never die and one that every real American should take to heart.

What is patriotism? Well, the text book, boring clinical definition of patriotism as espoused by Miriam-Webster’s online dictionary say that it is, “love for or devotion to one’s country.” But what does that entail or more accurately how does one go about showing love for or devotion to one’s country?

A bumper sticker that was attached to the overgrown golf cart that was parked out in front of my apartment building today seems to think that it is protesting one’s government that is going to show the most love and/or devotion for one’s country. While it would be easy for me to place such a claim, which was situated right next to the bumper sticker telling me how evil America is, as the zombie minded ramblings of an ill-educated student of the local university, it actually got me thinking.

Is protesting actually the most patriotic thing that one can do? My answer is a resounding sometimes. When our Founding Fathers protested the unfair treatment of the American colonists by their British oppressors this was done out of a legitimate love or devotion for one’s country. They were protesting a progressive taxation of the American colonies for the military presence that was required to tighten the screws on them. The British were preventing free trade and taxing the hell out commerce involving American goods basically making their profitability next to nothing. Furthermore, one could not practice their religion in public, or complain about the government period. Fire arms were strictly limited and the colonists could have their land taken from them for the “good of the crown” (aka Government) and their sovereignty was non-existent.

Fast forward a couple of centuries and we have people protesting, using the founders cause (as well as the causes of people like Dr. King, and Gandhi) to promote their agenda. They claim that this protesting is patriotic, but is it? Well, we first have to see if their protests are showing love for the country.

One of the more frequent protests topics is against the US defending itself against Islamic fundamentalists whose core mission is seeing America destroyed. Another big headline grabbing protest in recent weeks is for allowing people who want to see the “reconquista” or conquering of America to overwhelm the country. These are people, mind you, whose sole mission is also to collapse America. They are responsible for some of the most brutal rapes and other assaults that I have ever heard of. Now I ask, are either of these causes showing love or devotion for one’s country?

Both of these protests are for the destruction of the country, so I do not see how they are showing love. This is much like the abusive husband who comes to the hospital with flowers after kicking the crap out of his wife and telling her that he really does lover her. And much like the abused wife, we really need to wake up and get away from this “love” as quickly as possible before we are really shown the love.