I WAS ASKED TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION ON QUORA.COM: HOW CAN WE CREATE A MORE PATRIOTIC CITIZENRY?

MY ANSWER:

I have avoided answering any question regarding “PATRIOTISM.” Why? It’s a word that cannot really be defined in a way that is truly descriptive of a specific type of citizen.

How many people would agree that the following would be expected of a Patriot.

• Love of Country.

Do you love your country if you violate its Constitution?

Do you love your country if you are against its foreign policy?

Do you love your country if you cheat on your taxes?

Do you love your country if you choose to Abuse or Take advantage

of other citizens?

…and so on.

Guess what, we would find individuals claiming to be DIE HARD PATRIOTS,

who would say the opposition does not truly love their country, on all sides

of each issue.

To me, and it’s my opinion, a TRUE PATRIOT STANDS BACK, AND SAYS:

“I BELIEVE MY COUNTRY MUST COME FIRST, AND IT MAY MEAN THAT I MUST MAKE A SACRIFICE THAT WOULD ALLOW IT TO THRIVE. THIS MEANS CONSIDERING THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF OTHER CITIZENS WHICH ARE CONTRARY TO MY BELIEFS AND/OR MY DESIRES. HOWEVER, IF MY GOVERNMENT WANTS ME TO ALLOW THIS TO OCCUR, I EXPECT MY GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO THE SAME FOR ME. IF I EXPECT GOVERNMENT TO BE THERE FOR ME IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP, I WILL SUPPORT IT DOING THE SAME FOR OTHERS.

I REALIZE THAT GOVERNMENT MAY PASS OR ENACT LAWS THAT MAY BE CONTRARY TO WHAT I WANT, BUT I WILL CONSIDER THIS: IS IT DONE TO VICTIMIZE ME, OR IS IT DONE TO MAKE SOCIETY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL TO LIVE IN. FREEDOM DOES NOT MEAN DOING ANYTHING I WANT, TO WHOMEVER I WANT, AND EXPECTING GOVERNMENT TO TURN A BLIND EYE.

HOWEVER, MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: WE ARE NOT AMERICANS, CHRISTIANS, MOSLEMS, EUROPEANS, ASIANS.etc.,…FIRST…WE ARE HUMANITY FIRST AND FOREMOST, ALL THE REST IS JUST CATEGORIZING US. A TRUE PATRIOT REALIZES THAT THEY ARE CITIZENS OF THE HUMAN RACE FIRST, AND CITIZENS OF A COUNTRY SECOND. START WITH DEFINING HUMAN RIGHTS, AND GO FROM THERE.”