I am a Patriot and You're not

Webster defines Patriotism as Love for or devotion to one's Country. Webster, or any other number of sources make no mention of Patriotism being confined to one political ideology or another. In other words, I may have a significantly different political ideology from someone else, yet we both might regard ourselves as patriots. Love and devotion to Country does not limit itself along partisan lines, devotion to one man or adherence to a prescribed set of opinions. Patriotism is reflected in support for goals, objectives, actions and ideas that promote the public welfare and the survival of the nation state. There may be disagreement on how goals and objectives are reached but differences of execution should not be characterized as unpatriotic or those holding divergent opinions as enemies of the state.

Educators make it a point for their students to understand and embrace the idea that every problem has multiple solutions and that there is no problem that cannot be solved. Another popular truism is as follows: get a bunch of doctors into a room and one will get as many different opinions as there are doctors. The point is that differences in ideas and solutions are common place, they are all meant to address common problems and may all reflect individual love and devotion to one's country, hence they can all be patriotic.

Fast forward to todays disagreement on how to deal with the current pandemic. Some deny its existence, others rail against any type of restrictions as impingement on individual freedoms, some cite their opposition to any public health mandates as patriotic, and still others maintain that not following public health guidelines is selfish and unpatriotic.

Who is right and who is wrong? Nobody! If indeed we are "our brothers' keeper", then would it not be reasonable to engage in behavior that assures the safety of all? Is it really patriotic to put our self interest ahead of what is best for the country? If we, as Patriots love and are devoted to our country, would our goal not be to ensure that the population of our Country has the best possible chance for well being and in some cases survival? Or has Patriotism become so twisted as to mean "my way or the highway"?

Is Trump a patriot because he declares himself such or is that young man and women who leaves his wife, his children, a lucrative professional situation to defend his country on foreign soil, (remember love and devotion), a Patriot, knowing that such action could cost him or her their lives?

Let us not confuse patriotism with nationalism and let us not be guided by the disingenuous pronouncements of propagandists who fill the airwaves with lies until they are no longer lies but a well orchestrated alternative reality.

Devotion and love for Country. That is something we can all agree on, right? If so we can all call ourselves Patriots.