What Does It Mean to Be a Patriot?

With such a diverse group it is worth taking the time asking and answering the question, what does it mean to be a Patriot? I hope to outline what I believe it means with the objective of starting a wider conversation that will bring clarity to what it means to be a Patriot.

Authors Note: I am talking about what it means to be an American Patriot in particular. While there will be overlap with Patriots around the world some of these points will apply specifically to American Patriotism.

Love of Country

This is the first and foremost principle of what it means to be a Patriot. This is not a blind love that demands submission but a humble love. Part of what makes this love humble is the understanding that both you and your country are not perfect.

A Patriot will love and respect their country. In order to avoid the dangerous hyper-nationalism a Patriot understands that his country can be flawed or wrong. The love of country a Patriot feels is not a blind slavish kind of love, but more like a love between a husband and wife.

You will have fights and disagreements but if you both remember that you love each other and respect each other than you can come together, solve those problems and come out stronger. In order to do this both the government and the Patriot must be able to talk to and listen to one another.

This is why a Patriot values freedom of speech, the right to peaceable assemble as well as the right to petition the government for a redress of their grievances. This is the mechanism that allows the Patriot and the country to communicate with each other and move forward.

The American author Mark Twain said it best when he wrote, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” Just because there are individuals in government that operate in a way you do not like does not mean you do not love your country.

Individualism

Patriotism knows no party, race, religion, or any other individual distinction. Instead a Patriot accepts people from all different walks of life and backgrounds that share in a common love of country and the liberty and freedom for which it stands.

Patriotic individualism means you are free to have any individual distinction but that you are able to set that distinction aside and share in a common respect for each person as an individual and a love of country.

This is not the unbridled individualism that results in the Hobbesian Nightmare of everyone against everyone one, but an individualism set within a very wide set of limits. Philosopher Adam Ferguson was right when he said “Liberty or Freedom is not, as the origin of the name may seem to imply, an exemption from all restraints, but rather the most effectual applications of every just restraint to all members of a free society whether they be magistrates or subjects.”

Patriotic individualism is tempered with responsibility. The responsibility that comes with loving your country and taking care of yourself and your family. It means doing your civic duty to the best of your ability, even if all you can do is vote.

Opposes Collectivism in All Forms

Patriots reject collectivist ideology in all its forms. This means that Patriots are opposed to any sort of ideology that puts the group ahead of the individual. These ideologies include Socialism, Communism, Fascism, Nazism and any sort of racial or ethnic supremacy.

This rejection of collectivism does not mean a Patriot cannot associate with people in a group because there is a difference between collectivism and association. Collectivism is “The practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it” while association is “a group of [individuals] organized for a joint purpose.” (Definitions drawn from Google).

This rejection of collectivism is not as easy as it may seem because at the core it means treating everyone, yes even members of groups like Antifa and Neo-Nazi’s, as if they are individuals. Just because you treat someone as an individual does not mean you agree with or respect them, but that you respect their individuality.

Respecting individuality means that you do not apply the actions of certain members of the group to other members of that group. With groups like Antifa this is especially difficult because they purposefully hide their individuality.

Defenders of Liberty

A Patriot does not go looking for or praying for a fight, but is ready to defend themselves if attacked. They do not go out seeking confrontation, but will fight to defend liberty. This is a fine but important distinction that each Patriot must make and reflect on.

A Patriot will not take a stand to try and exert influence over someone else nor to force people to their side but must stand to protect fragile freedom and liberty.

A Patriot does not just defend their own liberty but will stand for those who cannot stand themselves. They do not do this expecting thanks or reward but do so because protecting freedom and liberty is the right thing to do.

A Patriot understands that fighting does not always mean violent or physical altercations. MLK Jr and Gandhi, Patriots both, made valiant and courageous stands out of a love for their countries using non-violence. In Matthew 5:5 it says “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Meek in this context does not mean “weak, tame, or deficient in courage” but rather “power under control.” (Quotes from Theology of Work)

A Higher Standard

A Patriot holds themselves to a higher standard. We need to make sure we do not become the thing we oppose. We need to make sure we do not resort to the sort of tactics or behaviors that are being used against us. It is these sort of behaviors and tactics that, among many other things, we have a problem with, and if we engage in the same sort of tactics and behaviors then what we are really saying is that we do not actually have a problem with these methods but only have a problem with the targets they choose.

This does not mean a Patriot should simply roll over or let those who oppose us run over us because they are willing to be more horrible. Instead it means we need to determine acceptable behaviors and find ways to protect against unacceptable behavior.

Doxing is part of the risk when you stand up. It sucks and is hard and frightening but a Patriot is strong and able to withstand this sort of behavior. If a Patriot holds themselves to a higher standard they are not afraid to have people know what they stand for.

Part of this higher standard is telling the truth, being honest and doing what is right no matter how hard it is or how much criticism you will get for doing it. You do not do the right thing because you expect praise but do it because it is the correct thing to do.

Yes people will try to use lies and slander against the Patriot. Others will use these lies and slander to try and get a Patriot fired or to ostracize a Patriot from your friends and family. Those who seek the truth will be able to see through these lies and only those who want the lies to be true will believe them. It might be rough at first but in the long run it will be for the best.

Yes holding yourself to a higher standard will be a tough responsibility and take a lot of discipline and self-control and we all will have times where we slip up but if we all stand together we will be able to accomplish great things by maintaining this standard. I am reminded of the words of Thomas Paine when in 1776 he wrote,

“THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”

These words are an echo from the past reminding us that while it is a struggle to be a Patriot it is a worthy struggle. One we accept because of the high value of freedom and the importance it has for each individual. Humbly love your country, support individualism over collectivism, defend liberty and hold yourself to a higher standard. This, in my opinion, is what it means to be a Patriot.