by Will Koz

Created on: January 11, 2007   Last Updated: April 19, 2007

Patriotism, what is it? In the wake of September 11 and the foreign conflicts that followed, our country has been awash with what many people would call patriotism. To show their support of our nation and its troops after the attacks on the World Trade Center, people displayed United States flags on numerous pieces of property, hung yellow ribbons from millions of trees across the U.S.A, and the country stood united behind our president, determined to do whatever he thought it would take to prevent another such attack. This was called, by most, being patriotic. Also, people who didn't do these things, and especially people who criticized supporters of reprisal against Al Qaeda and its allies, were called, by many, unpatriotic. Patriotism, though, is not following blindly the decisions made by your government, but can be defined as questioning the resolutions and motives of the current administration.

After September 11, a man named Micah Wright created posters by writing new text on old World War II signs. One reads "Stop Asking Questions! You're Either With US, or You're With the TERRORISTS!" This statement shows the sentiments of many US citizens after September 11. They had the idea that our government had the right notion with immediately taking action against the people responsible, or partly responsible, for the attacks on the Twin Towers. The big idea behind Mr. Wright's poster, though, is that people who didn't agree with the administrations stance on immediate action were called unpatriotic. They were unpatriotic because their opinions were not consistent with the opinions of the government and because their stance seemed to advocate not attacking the terrorists at all and letting them get away with their aggressive actions. Essentially, People were branded as unpatriotic because they went against our government and questioned their decisions.

Are people who disagree with the actions and beliefs of the government and popular opinion not patriots? If the president decides we are going to war and I actively oppose this action, even if it is in reprisal to an aggressive attack, am I being unpatriotic? Not at all.

Patriotism is being loyal to one's country and, more importantly, the ideals and beliefs of that country. In a democracy, patriotism is also participating in the politics of your country. It is the responsibility of the people to vote and to be informed of what is happening in their local, state, and national governments.

Our country was founded on certain principles and ideals. It is the responsibility of the people to assure that our country clings to these ideals. They are the backbone of America. The U.S.A. is doomed when it starts to deviate from the beliefs it has stood behind since it's founding. Many of the people who opposed action in the Middle East believed that the government in fact was deviating from these American values when it decided to attack Iraq and Afghanistan.

So, in fact, by questioning the decisions of ones government to see if they conflict with your countries ideals, you are being more of a patriot than someone who blindly trusts and follows what the government says is right. By making sure that your country maintains its values, you are being a true patriot.

Learn more about this author, Will Koz.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.