As a military wife, the word “patriot” is a part of my daily life: on a military base, the day begins with waking up and ends with evacuation; there’s the red, white, and blue uniforms, military drills and ceremonies, overseas deployments, and desserts decorated with American flags.
For us, patriotism means daily sacrificing our own beliefs for the ideals of our nation.
But in recent times, hatred, racism and bullying have recast patriots as people who care more about political affiliation and partisan beliefs than people.
No political party has a monopoly on patriotism.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a patriot as someone who loves and supports his or her country. Patriotism is not a term reserved only for military personnel, police officers, or people with “I Love America” bumper stickers. Patriotism does not belong to any particular political party or ideology. Patriot is a term that can be applied to anyone who loves and supports their country and its people.
Over our country’s 248-year history, millions of service members have joined the United States military. Some did so because they loved and wanted to protect their country. Others did so for the benefits of a higher education or the security of employment. And in some cases, joining the military was the only path to becoming a productive member of society, and that’s OK, too.
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Who do you think of when you hear the words “American patriot”?
These include civil rights leader Melanie L. Campbell, Native American leader Charlie Amaya Scott, retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, Barack and Michelle Obama, Admiral Rachel L. Levin, and comedian Jon Stewart.
They are patriots who defend life, fight for equality, and advocate for less fortunate citizens.
But we don’t hear about them enough. Why? Because our country doesn’t focus so much on the individuals who uplift our communities. Our focus is on the noisemakers.
The noise is those who promote divisive ideals, gaslight and misinform people, pit Americans against one another, and incite violence in our communities. That noise drowns out the voices of those who are fighting for equality, offering solutions to our nation’s most critical problems, and making sacrifices for the good of all.
Patriotism is about making sacrifices for others
True American patriots are the men and women who sacrifice more for our rights, our communities, and the lives of other human beings than we could ever imagine.
Why is patriotism so important in our country? Our country can only survive through the power of community.
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Redefining patriotism is simple, but not easy. We all need to embrace and advocate for fairness and equality. We need to use our resources to support communities in need and stand up for division.
Redefining patriotism means allowing rehabilitated felons to have a full place in society without restrictions and giving them the American Dream they deserve. It means giving a hand, not a handout, and an opportunity to build something from nothing. It means giving kids who have nothing the support of a community that believes in them. It means bringing resources into impoverished areas and using them to educate, to build and sustain something greater than it was before. It means speaking out against racism, injustice and hatred in all its forms.
So let’s redefine patriotism. How? By doing service that improves underserved communities. By educating and strengthening our communities, which in turn improves our country.
But before we redefine patriotism, we must introspect. We must be honest with ourselves and ask: Was the patriotism we once showed an expression of love for all our people and country, or did we withhold love from those with different ideals, religions, and abilities? Were we content to ignore the pleas of the less fortunate; from homeless children in the foster care system to innocent protesters being gunned down for calling for equality? Are we content with the state of unrest and chaos in which we live?
Let us lead by example and demonstrate true patriotism by embracing, teaching and demonstrating the love, kindness and compassion of our people. This is an opportunity to build, redefine and reshape our families, communities and nations. Justice for all.
Mara Bautista is a military columnist for USA TODAY Opinion.
