Catching Up
It's been a while since I've had time to blog. I actually wrote this over a week ago but never published it; but I wanted to contrast it with the post above about John Adams...something about how deeds matter more than words, and how real patriotism isn't a fashion that the self-righteous get to wear.

There's something about the prose in this essay that really irritates me, even though I agree with many of the points the writer is trying to make. It's the hectoring arrogance of the tone, I think - the ways the author seeks to cut off possible arguments an imaginary reader might make instead of just making his point, as if he's worried his argument won't stand up on its own.

I also like being lectured about patriotism by someone who I suspect never actually served their country about as much as I like being lectured on morality by, say, William Bennett. Self-righteousness always strikes me as a particularly unattractive character trait. Patriotism isn't about what you say. Displaying the flag doesn't make you a patriot any more than attending church on Sunday makes you a true Christian. Serving your country - in any of the myriad of ways that you can render service - makes you a patriot. Deeds, not words, not acts done strictly for show, are the real measure of patriotism.