On Patriotism

Time Magazine ran an article on patriotism. Part of the article included a statement by both political candidates on what they thought patriotism meant. Barack Obama wrote that patriotism was faith in simple dreams that would allow all people to pursue their lives in freedom. McCain wrote that patriotism was more than holding your hand over your heart during the national anthem. Love of country was giving back and being a good citizen.

I am a child of the sixties and can remember when I was very much against the Viet Nam war. It was a very difficult time in the history of our country. I even demonstrated against that war in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. I was very angry over what happened to our country during that time. Now, many years later, I am walking down the main street of Mamaroneck Avenue seeing that giant flag waving and dominating the street. It is something to behold. When I first saw it 30 years ago I felt I was in a small town in Illinois or Indiana.

Many years ago our church sponsored a refugee family from Laos. The Sayasaks … we found them a place to live, painted their apartment, found them jobs, gave them food, and gave money to start a new live. I remember they bought a car, an old taxi cab with well over 100,000 miles. It was a wreck and what I felt was a bad purchase. One day they stopped at my house to give me a gift and we noticed that the beat up old cab had no oil. It was burning oil and lots of it. I had a few quarts in my garage that I gave them. As I said goodbye to them, I notice a bumper sticker on the back of the car. It said: “I love America” with a big heart on it.

Not long after 9/11 had happened, Kathy and I traveled to the heart of Ground Zero wearing gas masks. The rubble was still smoking – we met firefighters who were friendly and worked for hours. We also visited with workers at St. Paul’s Church, very close to the site, who were passing out food and helping workers take naps on the pews. As we walked back to the site with tears in our eyes, I looked at a dusty old fire truck with a bumper sticker on it that said: “Proud to be an American”.

As I walked in this year’s Memorial Day parade I noticed that big flag over the center of the street. Wow…A big flag for a country with a big heart. It is big enough to say that civil disobedience could be an act of patriotism and to provide a sanctuary for those oppressed and in need.