Every day I read news items that I think deserve to be shared when I get time and then there are the days when I find something that demands my immediate attention. This article by “Matthew Alexander” in the Washington Post on November 30th is one of those items.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/28/AR2008112802242.html
As a nation, our behavior (or the behavior of our agents) in the world can define us to our friends and adversaries alike. Just as importantly, how we citizens respond to this behavior reflects on us individually. Is it not our duty to ensure our government reflects our values?
I believe patriotism is not wearing flag pins or all the other accoutrements one is supposed to wear or participating in the obvious ceremonies, it is about standing up, often in opposition to authority or public opinion, to uphold the vital principles of our nation. I realize that we may disagree on exactly what those principles are or their relative priority, but for me, Matthew Alexander’s efforts exemplify patriotism.
I think President Bill Clinton summed it up best during the 2008 Democratic Convention: “People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.”
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