Welcome To The Lost and Found
America’s belief in patriotism is in decline, which in itself is a sort of collapse in self-confidence that you might expect to find in a country that has suffered defeat in war, or after a catastrophic economic crisis. Then why is this loss of self-belief in the greatest republic on earth?
We tend to take our country for granted, focusing on its problems, rather than its blessings. Compared to “dysfunctional” “hot spots” around the globe, our problems that sometimes seem insurmountable, are still quite manageable. Our people are much bigger than any presidency, and despite the hardships we face every day — we will endure, but only by the will of our people.
We’ve also seen a swift decline in significant views about religion, and children’s involvement in the community. Without the connection of community, we must face loneliness and social isolation by ourselves—something that is totally unnecessary.
The biggest drop is clearly a result of polarization and our resistance to accepting each other as equals, unable to solve our problems peacefully. There are times when we are a nation of adults acting like children, expecting children to act like adults.
A nation cannot survive if too many of its people don’t love it.
Patriotism is not always easy to define although a large number of Americans still consider themselves patriotic.
Let’s take a closer look. First, patriotism raises questions of the sort that philosophers characteristically discuss:
• How is it defined?
• How is it related to similar attitudes, let’s say, like nationalism?
• What is its moral standing? Is it morally valuable or perhaps even mandatory, or is it a stance we should avoid at all costs?
To me, patriotism is:
• A specific affection for my country
• A deep sense of personal identification with my country
• A special concern for its well-being, in particular its children, the disabled, the lonely, and its elderly
• My willingness to sacrifice what’s necessary for promoting the country’s “good”
Patriotism, as well as love, trust, equality, and truth, sometimes feel like they have been lost forever. But like most things in life worth saving, the action and answers lie within each of us.
Nothing in life is lost forever as long as we seek the wisdom of the ages by looking through the eyes of our children and our creator. Don’t try to go it alone, we need community and we are stronger together. We need to put away the fears of physical and social distancing behind us once and for all.
We must teach our children that patriotism is not about arrogance, superiority, or disdain for others. It’s not about racism, xenophobia, or exclusivism, and it certainly doesn’t mean to ostracize those who are not like them.
It’s about pride, principles, humanism, and spiritualism. It’s about the future of our country. But most of all it’s about connection and community with God.
Blessings dear friends,
-Drake
