Defining Patriotism
With tomorrow being Independence Day, a “patriotic” post is in order.
Today I read two OpEd pieces, one from John McCain and the other written by Barack Obama where each puts to paper his own definition of Patriotism. I enjoyed reading both and appreciated the sentiments articulated on the whole and I recommend both as good food for thought. I believe there is tremendous value to be reminded of the bigger picture now and then. It is just human tendency to get so bogged down in arguing over the details that we sometimes forget we’re working on the same thing, a better America.
There is probably only one issue that I would say misses the mark with the two editorials and it comes from Mr. McCain.
“It [patriotism] is putting the country first, before party or personal ambition, before anything.”
If McCain had stopped before the “before anything” comment I think his editorial would have been perfect. But I think we enter dangerous territory when country/king/state comes before all else. There is a great scene in Chariots of Fire where Eric Liddell and a English duke where they debated priority of allegiance: king or God first. The duke remarked that in his day it was king first–God second, to which his colleague retorted that the war to end all wars [WW1] bitterly proved the duke’s point noting the consequence of misplaced allegiance priority.
I love my country, but not above all else. I am sorry Mr. McCain, but my allegiance to my God and my family come before my allegiance to my country. And to me this allows me to be more patriotic not less.
Enjoy the editorials and have a great Independence Day! It’s great to be an American.
Reach Upward said,
July 3, 2008 @ 6:12 pm
Both essays are great. But Sen. Obama’s book makes it clear that his brand of patriotism is quite complicated. Sen. McCain’s brand is far less ambiguous. This may or may not say anything about how well either man would serve as president. However, from a campaigning viewpoint, it is far easier to convey to voters a straightforward love of country as opposed to a more complex sentiment.
Mackenzie said,
July 8, 2008 @ 8:09 am
McCain’s speech sticks to the focus on patriotism, and echoes the famous sentiment in on of John F Kennedy’s speeches, i.e “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”. Obama’s speech is a mix of the ideals of sacrificing for one’s country and what our country does for the individual, and thereby wanders off the topic of patriotism. Both men recognize military service as patriotic and while McCain’s speech introduces his personal expereinces only in relation to military service, Obama’s speech is laden with his own personal history which includes a reminder that his grandfather served in the military.