Patriotic American: Those Willing To Stand Up For America

In all the recent debate about the Unites States going to war in Iraq, we hear a lot of people saying: "I am as patriotic as anybody, but I am against the war." We hear entertainers say they were ashamed of President Bush, but for the troops. We saw anti-war protesters who claimed what they were doing on the streets of America was just as patriotic as any stand taken by anyone for the war. They insisted what they were doing was patriotic.

Let me say I will fight to the death for these folks to say whatever they want to say, and to peaceably assemble to support their stand. But I also reserve the right to call them to task when they claim to be patriotic. Webster's Dictionary defines a "patriot" as "one who loves his country and zealously supports its authority and interests." America is a democracy and we went through all the steps required by the Constitution before going to war. We even went through the United Nations. Throughout history in countries throughout the world, the people who zealously supported their government were said to be patriotic ... were called patriots. As Webster says: a patriot is "one who loves his country and zealously supports its authority and interests."

In no way am I suggesting that the anti-war people are bias people or even bias Americans. Where I part company with them is when they claim to be "patriotic Americans", or imply they are patriotic when they claim to "support the troops." The term "patriotic American" stands only for those who are willing to stand up for America.

This is Gordon Sawyer, and may the wins always be at your back.