I’ll never forget an experience I had with a good friend of mine a few months ago. We were walking down the street when a huge RAM 3500 with two American flags propped up in the bed came barreling past us, blaring “God’s Country” by Blake Shelton. My friend looked at me, rolled his eyes, and said, “Geez, I wonder who he voted for in 2020.” The implication was obvious—he must have voted for Trump.
I’m sure some of this assessment could have come from the lifted truck and the country music, but it was clear that part of it came from the strong displays of patriotism, especially the proud (or some might say obnoxious) waving of multiple American flags. In modern American culture, something about aggressive, explicit displays of patriotism is increasingly associated with conservatism and the Republican Party.
If anecdotes aren’t enough to convince you, consider a 2018 poll from FiveThirtyEight, which shows that while 72% of Republicans describe themselves as “very patriotic,” just 29% of Democrats do [1]. It seems like patriotism really is associated more with the political right. And Republicans love statistics like this, by this way—anything to get another excuse to say “Democrats hate America.” [2]
It kind of makes sense when you think about the basic underlying ideologies of the two parties. Conservatism, by definition, values tradition and established institutions, resisting calls for major social change. Progressivism, on the other hand, values social change, tries to reform existing institutions, and is much more willing to challenge authority. Naturally, progressives are more reluctant to celebrate a society that they might see as having serious problems that need to be addressed, while conservatives would be quicker to celebrate and aggressively protect the traditions they already value.
But just because it makes sense doesn’t mean it’s good. In fact, I think it’s one of the great tragedies of modern politics that so many people think you have to be conservative to be patriotic. Patriotism, in its most fundamental form, can be defined as “love for your country.” Consider that word, “love.” Most people, especially conservatives, would probably admit that loving someone does not mean giving unconditional support to everything they have ever done or ever will do regardless of context. It does not mean ignoring obvious past and present issues that could be addressed with a little effort. In fact, it seems to me that a genuine desire to help that person become the best person they can be, especially when that is hard, is a much deeper expression of love. This kind of love requires honesty, even harsh honesty—pointing out areas for improvement, especially serious ones.
Similarly, in my view, true patriotism does not come from waving the flag off the back of your pickup, blowing up thousands of dollars in fireworks, or wearing a “1776” cap (not that any of that is inherently bad—I enjoy a classic Fourth of July barbecue as much as anyone). True patriotism means having the courage to identify serious problems in our country and striving to do everything we can to improve them, thus making our country the best it can be—dare I say “a more perfect Union.” This might mean studying history honestly so we can learn from the mistakes of our past—even those of our Founding Fathers, as wise as they were. It might mean participating in protests against unjust laws and systems. It almost certainly means electing leaders who respect American democracy and have never tried to overturn a legitimate election.
The term “un-American” is often thrown around as an insult against people who exhibit behavior that is perceived to go against the founding principles of our republic. People who criticize the United States, whether that’s for its history of racism, its imperialist foreign policy, or its shocking economic inequality, often get it the worst. But consider this—what is more “un-American?” Spirited debate and disagreement, or forced conformity? Which is more in line with the spirit of the Constitution—taking decisive action to fix a broken society, or clinging to tradition in the name of patriotism? When the Founding Fathers saw serious societal problems, how did they respond?
Modern-day progressives can win over many people who are turned off by the perceived anti-American sentiment on the left by openly displaying this deeper form of patriotism and re-framing the debate around social change. So if you’re a progressive, don’t let others convince you that you can’t be patriotic. In fact, I’d dare to say you’re more patriotic than you think.
