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"The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher standard."
- George McGovern

What powerful words those are. Yet these days patriotism has become synonymous with blindly supporting one's government regardless of its course. It hasn't always been this way. In fact patriotism used to refer to an individual who stood up against domestic tyranny. Such were the men who fought and died for this country's independence from Great Britain. No one would doubt these men were great patriots. What a difference time makes.

These labels have become a strong and effective way to control the populace by turning one group of people against the other. After all, nobody wants to be labeled a traitor. As long as both major parties can continue to label the other as such, the populace will continue arguing over this distinction and not pay attention to the federal government's real usurpation of power. The people have become marionettes for the great puppet master that is government. Because of this, it is important for one to realize government's actual function is to serve the people. That's right, contrary to what one has been raised to believe, the federal government is their servant, not their master.

Since the true purpose of government is to secure an individual's liberty, and liberty is the ability to choose and live one's life as he or she sees fit, as long as it does not infringe upon these same rights of their neighbor, there can be no expectation of blind patriotism. However, this is exactly what the bulk of the American populace does today. They have become lazy in their vigilance and have succumbed to supporting one party or the other because of issues that they are goaded into believing are the most important. They lose sight of what truly matters. And, at the end of the day, the only thing that changes is the size and scope of government; it continues to grow larger and more encompassing. Unfortunately, as government grows it takes from the people the very liberty it was created to protect. Therefore, to blindly follow is for one to give up their own liberty and live their life in servitude.

This servitude, however, clearly goes against human nature. If it did not there would never have been an American Revolution. People would not have given their lives for their liberty. There would never have been laws outlawing slavery and today's culture would be much like that of society a hundred and fifty years ago. But the reality of the situation is that there has been change. People have stood up and demanded their freedom from oppression. And here we sit a better people because of it. So before one blindly follows their government in the name of patriotism just remember that the true patriot is the one who stands up to domestic tyranny before it can oppress his neighbor.

Learn more about this author, Christopher Inks.
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