The Role Of Patriotism In America

Ron Paul once said that “the original American patriots were those individuals brave enough to resist with force the oppressive power of King George…Patriotism is more closely linked to dissent than it is to conformity and a blind desire for safety and security”. Patriotism is not shooting off firework in your backyard on the Fourth of July. Patriotism is not buying American made items in order to “stimulate the economy”. Patriotism does not mean you have to support the incumbent president. Being an American patriot does not mean you always have to support your country, even if it is in the wrong. If anything, showing dissent towards the current state of things is more patriotic than doing nothing about the negative things going on. After all,

Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense as a way to sway the opinions of the unacquainted crowds via mentioning England’s oppression of the colonies and the unjustly monarchy rule. “Oppression is often the consequence, but seldom or never the means of riches; and though avarice will preserve a man from being necessitously poor, it generally makes him too timorous to be wealthy” (Paine p. 94). Paine was also supportive of the idea of the colonies being independent from England, “America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European power taken any notice of her” (Paine p. 96). Ironically, Paine immigrated to the British colonies only two years before he wrote the pamphlet, but nevertheless he made his way towards the “pro-sovereignty”

Although the Declaration of Independence says that all men are created equal, slavery was still very much legal in the southern United States. “What have I […] to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in the Declaration of Independence, extended to us” (Douglas p.228)? Frederick Douglass speaking about the unequal treatment of blacks on the Fourth of July was quite a radical message at the time. “I shall see […] from the slave’s point of view. Standing, there, identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July” (Douglass p 229)! The astonishing thing about Douglass’ speech was how transforming it was, not only because he was being outspoken about the mistreatment of slaves but also because Douglass himself was a former slave; his audience was most likely flabbergasted as to how a former slave could be so articulate and sharp