A Different Patriotism

There are indeed two kinds of patriotism.

The healthy kind of patriotism arises within us because the actions and principles of our country align with our personal sense of virtue, goodness and justice. This is a healthy patriotism because our strong sense of right and wrong is incorporated into and reinforced by our government. The government in turn legislates and behaves in a just and moral way, and we take pride in the goodness and strength of our country.

The second kind of patriotism is unhealthy, and depending upon the power of the nation, can be immensely destructive. It is a patriotism which replaces a basic sense of right and wrong with loyalty to one's political party. A people may flee from the basic commands of their conscience for the refuge of a flock mentality, "sticking together" for safety rather than standing for what is right.

When the basic terms of right and wrong, justice and injustice are replaced in public discourse by "democrat and republican," we can be sure that the unhealthy kind of patriotism is near at hand.

True patriotism cares not for political parties but for what is right, in the same way that a true patriot clings not to his friends but inseparably to what is just and true.