Daily Kos: "Me-Firstism" and the Death of Patriotism. How Selfish Americans are Killing Other Americans.
By THECRITICALMIND
“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”― John F. Kennedy (Inaugural speech 1/20/61)
“I have always found it quaint and rather touching that there is a movement [Libertarians] in the US that thinks Americans are not yet selfish enough.” ― Christopher Hitchens
Patriotism is not a declaration - it is an action. All the flags and lapel pins in the world do not make you a patriot. Nor does reciting the Pledge of Allegiance or standing, hand over heart, listening to the National Anthem. Soldiers are the most evident patriots. But Americans who help other Americans are also patriots. Bearing that in mind, let us consider what COVID has revealed about the so-called patriots, aka “great Americans” celebrated by right-wing media.