America is greatest when she overcomes her wrongs.  As she did with emancipation. And with the recognition of worker rights, women’s rights, consumer rights, civil rights, gay rights. But the path to greatness has had switchbacks, and progress has been slow. Today unarmed black Americans are still shot dead by cops. American minorities are still disproportionately thrown in jail. American Hispanics are profiled as ‘illegal’. And Americans with ‘ethnic’ names are turned down for jobs.

Some American NFL players protested by taking a knee during the national anthem.

To this, the President of the United States — a man who is supposed to be the President of all Americans — announced to a crowd of adoring zealots that these players, these “sons of bitches”, should be fired. For what? Exercising their first amendment rights? What if Trump had demanded that the NFL fire all players who owned guns?

Let’s note; the NFL kneelers have not been violent. They haven’t demanded the anthem be silenced. They haven’t asked anyone else do the same. They have picked no pocket, bloodied no nose, nor chanted hate or racism. They haven’t even carried a tiki torch. And yet they are sneered at for exercising their constitutional rights.

Patriotism does not demand indifference when injustice occurs. It doesn’t mandate slavish obeisance to a symbol. Patriotism is an action. It is in service to fellow Americans — as a soldier, a first responder, a teacher. It is contributing to the public weal by working and paying taxes. It is giving charity to the less fortunate.

Patriotism is loving your country so much you want it to be the best it can be. It is caring enough that you want the nation’s faults to be fixed.

Patriotism is quiet. It is not a lapel pin or a bumper sticker. It isn’t expressed in the size — or number – of flags you fly. It isn’t proclaimed with a tweet. And it isn’t thrust into the next guy’s face.

It gets worse. Trump’s slam of Colin Kaepernick and others at a rally in Alabama was racist. The crowd was white. The targets of his ranting scorn all black. He offered no understanding of their position. He made no allowance for “some very fine people on both sides”.

Every American can make their patriotism count – by voting. In 13 months, patriots can go to the ballot box and make America great again. And if they don’t you can bet the racists will make it harder the next time. But that’s another post.

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