False patriotism

A while back I wrote:

Let that be one dead giveaway to wing nuttiness: a propensity to bandy about the term "patriot" as if it were a club.

Cue the Oregon protesters, or rather, their supporters, responding to a sizable protest demanding that the seditionists go home:

The supporters, most of them from out of state, shouted back that freedom for all Americans was under threat no matter where you lived, and that patriotism was on their side. “Where are your flags?” they shouted. “Where are your flags?”

This is what patriotism means to the seditionists and their supporters: showing the flag. They think wearing a flag pin, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and carrying a pocket Constitution (along with a rifle) makes them patriotic.

Their patriotism is as empty as their heads.

Patriotism is not about showing the colors: any fool (or traitor) can do that. It's about giving a shit about your country. It's about giving a shit about your fellow countrymen (and -women), even if you disagree with them. And if there's one thing that is abundantly clear about these ranchers, it's that they do not give a shit about anyone but themselves.

The trouble with false patriots is, they shoot their mouths off — a lot. They exploit the human propensity to believe something if it is repeated often enough. So tune these yahoos out and do the hard work of making this country better by being a smart, engaged citizen. That's true patriotism.