Patriotism not thoughtless nationalism: Column

James S. Robbins

America's 237th birthday arrives with the country deeply divided. Whether over politics, policies or lifestyles, Americans seem to be gravitating into distinct and irreconcilable camps. In Washington, partisanship in the halls of Congress has grown to levels not seen since the decades following the Civil War. Public confidence in national institutions such as the government, the news media, big business and big labor is at a historic low. Common ground is vanishing. Civility is in short supply. The country is hanging together, but who knows for how long.

However, divisiveness is not destiny. A core set of American values remains, rooted in freedom and the experience of generations of self-government. They encompass the American dream of a better life for our children. They are an expression of life and liberty of a free people. July 4 should be a time to join together and focus on the commonalities of life in this country. It is a day to celebrate freedom and reflect on the future of the American experiment.

90% 'very patriotic'

Independence Day is our patriotic holiday. For some, the word patriot has become a rallying cry. For others it is a dirty word, implying thoughtless nationalism. But most Americans believe it accurately describes them. The American values poll taken annually by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press shows that the percentage of people who agree with the statement "I am very patriotic" has been right around 90% in every poll since the center began asking the question in 1987.

Granted, patriot can mean different things to different people, but that has always been the case. The word is far older than the United States. Today, we associate the word patriot with the American revolutionaries, but various parties in the British Parliament also referred to themselves as patriots. And King George III had long been known as "the patriot king," a title he inherited from his father. Thus, every side in the American Revolution claimed to be patriotic, except the Hessian mercenaries hired by Britain.

In finding a way to unite around the patriotic feeling that is common across that 90% of Americans, it is tempting to look to political leaders, but they might be more the cause of division than its cure. Campaign pledges of post-partisanship and bridge-building have foundered on the hard rocks of power politics. This is a bipartisan problem and has grown more severe in the 21st century. According to Gallup surveys, nine of the 10 most polarized years took place during the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, even as both men ran on the idea of uniting a divided nation.

Reaching out, not preaching

But reaching out to the other side, not just preaching, entails risk. Contemporary politicians have found it easier not to lead. They would rather press wedge issues than forge solutions. The Constitution put compromise at the center of every aspect of government. And the inability to establish meaningful ties across the aisle is the principle reason for the dysfunction in government today.

If that is to change, the people, not politicians, must be the ones to do the work. They can recapture the American spirit, consciously embrace the American identity and seek common ground. Accept a shared history and common vision for the future based on American principles. Tone down the disputes that ravage the body politic. Heat up the melting pot and stop drawing lines that divide people. End the fighting over the supposed moral high ground that has left it a burned over hill. Rediscover the positive virtues and harness the natural optimism of a free people.

Patriotism is not a thoughtless glorification of all things American, whether good or ill. It is the recognition of American ideals, and a belief in seeking the best for the country as a whole. It is a reaffirmation of the aspects of Americanism that speak to the best in everyone.

Patriotism is a commendable sentiment. It is only through nurturing this sense of goodness and recognizing it in each other, even those with whom we disagree, that the country can survive, if it is meant to. There is nothing wrong with the USA that couldn't be fixed if the country had more American patriots.

James S. Robbins, author of Native Americans: Patriotism, Exceptionalism and the New American Identity, is deputy editor of Rare.us.

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