The Omnibus

Issue date: 10/24/02 Section: The Forum

Media Credit: George Smith President Bush recently held a rally in support of Rebpublican senatorial candidate Jim Talent on the campus of Southwest Missouri State University.

Sept. 11, 2001, a day which will "live in infamy" (to quote Franklin D. Roosevelt), changed the lives of Americans nationwide. Shortly following these tragic events, patriotism throughout the nation soared to a high unseen since World War II. Police officers and firefighters were finally recognized for the heroic efforts they had performed for years. "United We Stand" and "God Bless America" became the rallying cries of both the government and the people. American flags became popular decorations and hood ornaments, and people said that through this tragic event, America would emerge stronger than before. But in light of these events, patriotism seems to be faltering. So what is patriotism, and why is it important for us to be patriotic?

Merriam-Webster's New World Dictionary defines patriotism as "love and loyal or zealous support of one's own country." Many traits of patriotism are plainly visible in this definition and probably come as little surprise to most people. Obviously, a patriot is someone who supports his or her country, being willing to die to protect it if necessary. The words "hero" and "patriot" are often used as synonyms, especially when referring to a soldier performing his or her duty. But the definition of patriotism goes much deeper than these (important and valuable) traits. To break it down to the shortest possible definition, patriotism is love. A husband loves his wife, holds dear to what pleases her and is willing to do anything to protect her. The same thing holds true for a patriot who loves and is willing to protect his or her country.

Patriotic duty, like all other duties, starts at home before a person ever reaches the battlefield. One of the commonly overlooked forms of patriotism is affection: an embrace or a comforting hand when someone needs it. This is something we saw a great amount of on television on Sept. 11, which is indeed understandable. A true patriot is someone who is willing to show love toward people, even at times when nobody is watching. According to John 15:13, the ultimate display of love is when a person willfully sacrifices his life for another person. Therefore, I believe the Bible calls us all to be patriots. I also believe that, based upon John 15:13, the armed forces are an extremely integral part of our society because they play a vital role in protecting the American people and their freedoms. I have great respect for any person who is willing to serve his or her country through the military; that person is exhibiting true patriotism.

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