What kind of reaction do you have when you hear the word, "patriot"?
To me, it has become another form of nationalism.
I used to think a "patriot" was someone who loved his/her country and was proud to be a part of it, and would do things to make it better.
Now, I'm not so proud of our country, but I still have hope, and all we can do at this point to save ourselves is to take it upon ourselves personally to do what we can to prevent the spread of this virus and vote in November.
As some would say, wearing our masks and social distancing is "patriotic" at this point. For some, it's all we can do at this time. I'm glad I don't attend functions where I need to "pledge allegiance" to the flag, because I'm just not feeling all that proud right now, but hopefully I will again in the new year.
My immediate thought is ...“Last refuge of the scoundrel”....from the quote on Patriotism made by Samuel Johnson in 1775. Joking apart though, I think it’s a word that has been hijacked by the political Right, along with a lot of other things!
I was thinking the same thing.
I think of the Patriot missile. You program a target and launch, it follows its instructions blindly and later on it detonates without regard for the damage it does or the reason for it. Perfect allegory for the flag waving "Patriots" we have in America.
When I think of patriots, I think of those idiots in congress with their flag pins and their bibles and tiny little pocket constitutions. Meanwhile, they're shredding the actual constitution with their partisan legislation and screwing the American Public every chance they get. People who wrap themselves in flags generally do it only to convince others that they're true patriots.
Or they are lousy dressers.
Patriot is to nationalism as believer is to religion.
Nationalism requires obedient patriots and religion requires obedient believers.
I took too much math to understand that.
Can you convert that to a formula? P over n equals b over r?
@PondartIncbendog I like it better that way too.
Deep, and delicious ~
Which is exactly why Adolph Hitler's Germany and Pope Pious XII's Vatican City was a marriage made in Hell!