As a young child I developed a strong sense of patriotism. Several of my family members have served in the military, and over the years I have been exposed to a great amount of love for this country. To me patriotism doesn’t only mean that you love your country, and that you appreciate the freedoms you have. Patriotism means that you take pride in your country. It is a strong sense of belief in the government, and in the people. I believe that patriotism is something that should be present in every US citizen. Being patriotic means that you understand the sacrifice that has been made for you, and you appreciate and respect those who have suffered for your freedom. Being patriotic is not something you can claim to be, it's something that should …show more content…
A few years ago I got the chance to visit Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C, words can not describe the feeling that washed over me the moment I took my first step amongst the rows and rows of soldiers who had paid the ultimate sacrifice for me. Overall, the experience was very humbling. It was really eye opening, it was the first time in my life that I flt privileged. It was the first time in my life that I truly understood how blessed I was to live in such a fantastic country. Growing up I loved the song God Bless The USA, but as a young adult hearing the national anthem, God bless the usa, and America the beautiful gives me a sense of pride that I only get during those moments. It allows me to feel grateful for people that I never even got the change me. As recently as the past year I watched an in depth video that discuss how the national anthem was written, and the tragic events that caused the words to come to life. It really changed my perspective on the national anthem.However nothing can beat the feeling I get when I am reciting the pledge of allegiance. In middle and elementary school we were told that recite the pledge and that was all that was said about
Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers to the United States, was not a patriot but a mere loyalist to England before the dissolution between England and the colonies occurred. Sheila L. Skemp's The Making of a Patriot explores how Benjamin Franklin tried to stay loyal to the crown while taking interest in the colonies perception and their own representation in Parliament. While Ms. Skemp alludes to Franklin's loyalty, her main illustration is how the attack by Alexander Wedderburn during the Privy Council led to Franklin's disillusionment with the British crown and the greater interest in making the Thirteen Colonies their own nation. Her analysis of Franklin's history in Parliament and what occurred on the night that the council convened proves the change behind Franklin's beliefs and what lead to his involvement in the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution.
An appeal to patriotism is one in which emotions are used to show loyalty towards something. To engage patriotism in the audience, one should point out to the audience the opponent’s success. This helps the audience to feel like they are a part of something important. Patriotism should not be tied to idealism. Ideas are not a part of emotional appeal, rather a part of logical appeal. Patriotism is associated with pathos as idealism is associated with logos.
Patriotism is defines as love and devotion to one's country, usually out of self devotion. Nationalism is an adulterated version of patriotism where aspirations for national independence in a country under foreign domination is forced upon the people by society, or an authoritative figure.
“I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” As Americans, we say this to honor our state and because we are proud of what we as a citizen of America have done to make it the America that is today. Americans weren’t the only ones that helped; veterans were a big part of the success that made our country the America that I believe in.
Americans are born and raised to be patriotic. But does everyone agree that patriotism is positive?
All over the world and in history, countries and nations have expressed pride towards their nations through spirit and have unified together as one. Nationalism is the force behind the unification, strength, and cooperation of these nations. First, nationalism is a powerful force that helps to unite all different people into a single nation. It is also important for nations to use nationalism to claim justified independence from one another. Finally, nationalism can be taken too far if it is used unjustly or incorrectly. Nationalism is important and necessary for beneficial political changes, but can become harmful and unproductive when used for a country’s personal agenda and lust for power.
I myself feel like I fall under the "soft universalist", where I can recognize the fact that patriotism has the ability to act as a vice for one's country but at the same time I could also act as strength building factor for the country. It may act as a vice when the patriotism is so strong that the patriots are blind to their loyalties just for the fact of fallowing their country.
When patriotism becomes the daily reciting of the Pledge, waving the flag and never looking beyond your own small piece of the world, we do harm to our own country and the cause of true liberty and true peace in the world.
Outline the growth of nationalism and militarism in Japan in the 1930s and how it manifested itself. How significant was this in Japan going to war with USA in 1941?
The exploration of what patriotism is and what represents patriotism is an important one more people should embark upon. If Americans are to examine patriotisms true meaning, we will be able to abolish this faux patriotism, which is represented by intimidation, censorship, and majority rules attitudes or actions. This can be replaced by feelings and actions of caring, compassion, acceptance, rationality, and nonviolence, or in other words, patriotism.
Beginning with America, there is a strong sense of nationalism. Being called patriotic would signify you support America and the ideals the flag stands for. It has many meanings to every individual, either learned through school or something they may have had happen and symbolize it with the flag. For instance, after September 11 happened, people talked to more strangers, donated large amounts of money to relief organizations or even signed up as firefighters. This is a great boon for a country when something devastating can happen and the people ban together to help each other out, but every coin has two sides. Many convenience store clerks where murdered because of their descent. Ignorant patriotism perpetuated when individuals thought they would kill “terrorists” because they were Muslim. The notion that every Muslim is a terrorist may be outrageous on its own, but those who aren’t Muslim even got murdered. It was based off skin color. It made those that weren’t Muslim, but appeared to be, to wear badges on their shirts, and every other article of clothing or accessory they have claiming they are an American Sikh. Even displaying flags in their windows to help symbolize the...
Nationalism is extreme loyalty and devotion to one particular nation, and many Americans are nationalistic about their country. But even though they are loyal to America, defining what it means to be a true American is tricky. Being American is one complex thing, but the concept of being American can not be fully grasped. What it means to be American may in fact be one of the biggest mysteries of all time. Indeed, discovering what it means to be a true American could possibly take an entire lifetime. One thing, however about all true Americans is certain: we are all alike in that each one of us is different from the Americans in important ways. We are diverse in our backgrounds, races, and religions. Nevertheless, we are exactly identical in the we feel toward our country, even though we express our pride in a million different ways.
One way to define patriotism is to look at an example of my enlistment in the Army and the training that I received in Basic. I decided to join the Army in 1996 after an unsuccessful attempt at college. I decided I wanted to serve my country by defending our freedom in the event that a war should happen and help other countries abroad defend their freedom also. It was in Basic Training that I was taught hand-to-hand combat, how to accurately fire a M16 machine gun, ground tactics and camouflage. The training I received prepared me to be ready to defend America. I was committed to serve and protect the country where I lived. I was displaying my patriotism for America by defending the freedoms that I and other Americans have in this country.
Americans need to know the history of America and understand the laws of the land. With the knowledge of Americans and Patriotism it will ensure us that we can trust our nation and understand the importance of it. Several people come to the United States to seek freedom. I think that Americans take advantage of the freedom we have and turn it into a disadvantage anymore by all the negative influences in the world. Patriotism isn’t just about embracing our beliefs, it also about sharing our beliefs with everyone.