Patriotism in the Age of Trump.

America’s 250th anniversary is only a few weeks away and with it brings discussions of patriotism and what it means to be American. This country has seen many changes over the course of 250 years, but Americans have never lost their belief in fundamental human rights that belong to every person by virtue of being human and exist independent of any government. The founders believed that governments should derive their powers from the people for the purpose of protecting the rights of the people.
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When representatives of the thirteen American colonies signed the Declaration of Independence, they severed ties with Great Britain and declared themselves to be free and independent states. At the time of the signing, the colonies had been in rebellion against King George III for several years and the Revolutionary War had been underway for over a year.

The odds of a rag tag army of militia men defeating the world’s most formattable army and navy were slim, but the signers of the Declaration of Independence risked their lives and fortunes for the cause of liberty. The bloody war took eight long years of struggle and sacrifice before the American colonies gained independence from Great Britain and for the new country to be recognized as the “United States of America”. 

Patriotism: To the men and women of the America Revolution who set the course for self-government on this continent, patriotism was not an abstract notion.  Patriotism was placing common cause over self-interest, the willingness to sacrifice everything to throw off the yoke of oppression, and an allegiance to principled ideals rather than to the corruption and arbitrary rules of a monarch.

The patriotic cause did not end with the surrender of the British Army at Yorktown in 1781, or with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The forging of a new nation out of thirteen disparate colonies and the passage of a new constitution required great sacrifices and subordination of the interests of individual colonies and citizens, for the greater good. 

The success of the “American Experiment” in self-government was never assured, and throughout the history of our country there have been forces, both internal and external, threatening to bring it down. If not for great patriots such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and countless others, we would not be celebrating our 250th anniversary this July 4th.

The original moto of the United States was “e pluribus unum”, meaning “out of many, one”. This country would never have come into being if not for the thirteen American colonies joining together to resist British rule. Washington knew that America’s greatest strength was in the unity of all her colonies and dedicated his presidency to preserving the union.

​Lincoln knew that “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. His overarching goal during the Civil War was to preserve the union at all costs. These patriots held this country together during times of great peril to themselves and fellow citizens. 

Patriotism During the 21st Century: Patriotism in America has always ebbed and flowed, particularly around monumental events such as world wars, and great achievements, such as landing a man on the moon. But patriotism is felt and expressed very differently today than at the founding of our country. We fly American flags on the 4th of July and Memorial Day, express our appreciation to the troops and military families, and are proud of the achievements of our athletes and scientists. But most of us sacrifice little for the greater good. The spirit of unity and self-sacrifice which gave rise to this great country and galvanized patriotic fervor during the highs and lows of our history have been overshadowed by divisiveness and exclusion.
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In recent years patriotism has come to be defined by whether you pledge loyalty to a particular elected official or whether you adhere to the “correct” political ideology. This form of patriotism has been thrust upon the populace by elected officials and their surrogates in the media in a warped attempt to coerce citizens for political advantage. Subjugating principles to party politics and pledging loyalty to elected leaders rather than to our country and Constitution is an affront to our founding principles and a perversion of patriotism.    

Patriotism has nothing to do with how many flags you fly, what color cap you wear, attending military parades on the president’s birthday, or pledging loyalty to a particular person or party. But that is precisely how patriotism is measured by too many Americans who believe the political rhetoric coming from the Trump Administration. Even more corrosive are the policies that marginalize whole groups of people based on their race, religion, country of origin or sexual orientation. These people apparently don’t meet the image of the idealized American. Trump has embraced Project 2025 and filled his government with its adherents.

​Project 2025 is fundamentally rooted in white Christian nationalism which is the belief that national identity should be built around white ethnicity, and that white people should therefore maintain both a demographic majority and a dominance of the nation’s culture and public life.

Trump’s preference for White immigrants over Black and Muslim immigrants, his “anti-DEI” policies that stripped away aid and protections for marginalized groups and minorities, and his crusade to end birthright citizenship are an attempt by Trump to realize his vision of a real American. What Trump doesn’t seem to understand is that there is no race of Americans, no American religion, and there could be no America without the immigrants who have populated these shores. 

Spirit of the American Revolution Must Live On: The Declaration of Independence spells out the “injuries and usurpations” inflicted on the American colonies by the British Crown. As I wrote in last year’s 4th of July blog, many of those injuries hold parallels to how our federal government operates today.

I believe that the citizens of America should revolt; not against a foreign power or oppressive monarch, but against a political party that has betrayed the spirit of the American Revolution. The Republicans have propped up their leader above all others, to a place where the rule of law and the Constitution hold no constraints over his actions. The Republican controlled Congress has abdicated much of its executive oversight responsibility and effectively seceded its authority to the President. The Supreme Court has ruled that presidents have broad and absolute immunity against criminal prosecution for actions while carrying out their official duties.  The party of Trump has allowed this to happen.  

Unchecked authoritarian rule is what sparked the American revolution over 250 years ago. This country has come too far to forsake the ideals of the revolution and revert back to authoritarianism. I’m not advocating for the forcible removal of the current administration, but for a return to a balanced government which is accountable to the people.
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The United States of America is unique among nations in that it was not formed by a people of common ancestry, or unified by a common religion. It was built around philosophical principles, many of which are articulated in the Declaration of Independence.  Ours is not a perfect union but it always strives to be a more perfect union. For our experiment in self-government to survive we must continue to invoke the spirit of the revolution.

​Today’s revolution will not be fought with muskets, but with the most powerful tool of a democracy, our votes. Thomas Jefferson believed that a well-informed electorate is a prerequisite for democracy. If we want elected officials to be accountable to the people, it is incumbent upon the citizens to be engaged, informed about the policies and actions of the government, and to vote.

Donald Trump will not be on the ballot this November, but his political party will be. The same party that has been complicit in his corruption, turned its head to his lawlessness, and forsaken its constitutional duties. When the party in power has elevated its needs over the needs of the American people, they must be voted out of office. It is patriotic to question your government and to demand accountability of your elected officials. It is patriotic to demand transparency, to demand adherence to the rule of law, and to demand constitutional order. An informed and engaged electorate is the best weapon against tyranny.

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Thanks,
Armchair American