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By Jay Schmidt
(ret. Methodist minister)
Who is a True Patriot?
Especially during war time volumes are spoken and written about being a patriot. This all gets very emotional and we need to have some working understanding of the basic nature of patriotism. My dictionary defines patriotism as "love and loyalty to one's own country…." This broad definition is rather useful if we are to seriously think about patriotism. Those in power (not just Washington but also corporate heads where the greater power resides) like to tell us that to be patriotic we must follow them. So what are they doing? What according to them is patriotic to believe and follow? And does this really show a love for our country and its people?
First there is the war. War always seems to be the litmus test. If you don't support the war you are not patriotic. Three years ago 70% of Americans supported the war in Iraq. Today a majority oppose it. Does this mean that a majority of Americans are now unpatriotic? Or is support of war a poor indicator of one's patriotism? We were told that Iraq had WMD's, and was gearing up for nuclear weapons so we must have a preemptive war to protect us from immanent danger. We know this wasn't true. But we're still asked to support this war. If we love the young people of this nation do we send them off to kill and die in a war based on a lie? Or does the love of country include the love of our youth and seeking to keep them from being used in unnecessary wars? Now it seems that these questions must be asked concerning Iran as well.
We are constantly called to privatize. This is a holy mantra. It's claimed to be more efficient. There have been attempts to have private corporations run our public schools. These didn't work very well so now the powers that be are out to promote a voucher system so that our public tax funds can go to private schools. But our public schools need more funds not less if we are to have a lower student-teacher ratio which is a crucial part of quality education. There are numerous corporate for profit prisons. The profit motive has a great impact on an institution. Are prisons run for profit really in the best interest of our society? The real reason for seeking privatization is that it allows for more profits for wealthy owners. Is this drive for more personal profits a real love of country or self interest? Wouldn't true patriotism mean insuring that our institutions, our parks, public lands, water, and utilities serve the people rather than simply make the rich richer? Does a true patriot love profit or the nation with its people and streams, lakes and land?
Now let's consider the "tax cut" theme and what that means in the frame work of patriotism. There is no doubt about it that the tax cuts have been skewed toward the richest people. A great media blitz propaganda told us that the inheritance tax was a death tax and it was unfair, but in reality only a small minority of people receiving wealth by virtue of nothing other than being born into it are so taxed. This tax has helped our nation's financial health. The tax cuts have not helped the bottom 20%; they have only cut services for them. If we are over $25,000 in debt per person how will we ever pay this down if we keep cutting taxes? Yes, our tax dollars should be spent efficiently for the services our people need. Is it patriotic to sink us deeper into debt or to have a just tax system that taxes according to ability to pay (including corporations)?
A threat to our democracy that seems of no concerned to the power elete is the growing gap between the poorest and richest. While top executives get income increases of 50% many of the workers get cuts in income. Our government refuses to raise the minimum wage, which ought to be a living wage and that would give a boost to our economy.
The direction in which our leaders are steering us seems to be harmful to America. The ability to inflict such damage may be the envy of our professed enemies. A true patriot would it seems care about all of our people. Are we not in this all together; isn't that what it means to be a nation? This is not only true in the economic area but in matters of race and sex discrimination. Love of country must surely include all peoples. In this Memorial Day/Independence Day season and the possibility of yet more military action let's have a discussion on the nature of true patriotism.
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