Patriotism

pa·tri·ot·ism Pronunciation: 'pA-trE-&-"ti-z&m, chiefly British 'pa-Function: noun: love for or devotion to one's country.

Nothing there about blind devotion or following elected officials without question,or having the unwavering trust that your country can do no wrong. It is our duty to question. It is our right and an responsibility to know the truth. How easy it is to deny the evidence of wrong-doing, to rationalize it away. Put your head back in the sand....

Nobody wants to know the ugly truth in a dysfunctional family. But, in order for the family to heal, there must be someone there to open the blind eyes. They are often dismissed and called names and sometimes don't survive the ones who want to stay in denial for reasons of loyalty or fear of reprisal. But, in order to be whole...you must seek the truth. And the truth will set you free.

"The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naïve and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair."



"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. "