a devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty. — patriot, n. — patriotic, adj. Well that’s the descriptive according to an on hand dictionary…but what the hell does that mean? “Devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country.” One’s country meaning what??…the physical earth upon which it sits ?…or are we talking a group of humans bonded by a similar history or past, ideology…or hope for a future and therefore loyal to each other ?….
The other day I read the news and one particular article was about a form of patriotism I would be proud to say was American …..but the article wasn’t about us. The article was in relation to the recent devastation in Japan due to an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and subsequent nuclear power plant leak. The article explained that last week Seventy Eight Million Dollars in cash and valuables found in wallets and small private safes found amidst the debris were returned to the rightful owners……can we as Americans really comprehend what that statement has to say ? ……
Well it says I get to read about the aftermath in Japan. Japan gets to read about our national embarrassment such as the likes of post Katrina New Orleans. When I came out of a shelter after Floridas Hurricane Charley back in 04 I made it home just in time to find a Latino gang from another town attempting to enter my front door to shop for what little I had left. Somehow I doubt many Japanese can relate to that experience.
The Japanese know what patriotism really means….we have to look up the word in a dictionary.
