America is a deeply patriotic country —  pride is evident across state lines and coasts, whether expressed through star-spangled flags waving proudly or through the expression of politically passionate views held by Americans across the country. One could say this is due to the relatively binary nature of the American government when compared with European governments’ parliamentary organization, which are more complex institutions that don’t quite invite salacious controversy. Regardless of where American patriotism stems, recent events in politics have led me to wonder what patriotism truly is. Though America holds high amounts of patriotism compared to other countries, this “free-bred American” attitude has been decreasing in recent years. This fall coincides with a sharp increase in hyperpartisanship within and outside of our government. The very institutions that were meant to encourage compromise, bipartisanship and deliberation are instead rewarding wealth, power and greed. As American democracy seems to be disintegrating, many have never been less proud to be American. On the other hand, many proclaim that America is on her way to greatness. As our government becomes more controversial and Americans become less unified, I can’t help but wonder––what is patriotism, anyway?

Though patriotism is very clearly defined in most dictionaries — according to Merriam-Webster it’s characterized as “a deep sense of love and devotion to one’s country” — there is a lot of room for interpretation. How does one demonstrate love for their country? How does one show devotion and loyalty to their country? Some say there is nothing more noble or patriotic than serving in your country’s military. Others denounce this and declare that love for your country is shown through your behavior, whether it be an exercise of free speech, voting, or something else. Though Ronald Reagan was a questionable president in many ways, his final presidential address observed what many, including myself, optimistically believe to be a guiding principle in American policy: Anyone can become an American. The same is not true of other countries. As Reagan stated, you can live in France, but that does not make you a Frenchman. You can live in Germany, but that does not make you German. If you live in America, Reagan declared, you can become an American. This sentiment has not been reflected in recent American policies, if in any, but this does not make it less true. Patriotism, for many, simply consists of extending a welcoming, compassionate and firm hand to your neighbors and your neighbors’ neighbors. This attitude, however, does not reflect how America has operated domestically or internationally. America is a nationalist country composed of political actors and leaders determined to situate her existence as one that prioritizes nationalism, sovereignty and — above all — power. Though any country is composed of the people that live in it, the introduction of mass media and its manipulation has posed a threat to a functional democracy. The political buzzword of today, “political polarization,” has become all too popular in news articles. This overuse doesn’t take away from the truthfulness of the term. We are not a community all united towards one common goal. We are split into the same factions our founding fathers warned us about, creating a climate where no one can agree on what a true American looks like. 

Though America wasn’t founded with truly pure intentions to save a disenfranchised people from a tyrannical government — its founding was more so predicated on acquiring wealth and power — American history seems to prioritize the working man. Our founding documents proclaim our natural rights and give us protection. They organize our government in fragmented ways so as to discourage despotism and give power to the people in precise structures in order to discourage mob rule. Through this delicate balance of power, America seems to have all the tools it needs to empower the people while empowering the actors at the helm of our political institutions. Looking at our political environment today, it is clear that this is not the case. Through a variety of modern issues that Thomas Jefferson and his colleagues could’ve never foreseen — the internet, mass media conglomerates and hyperpartisanship to name a few — our government is composed of hyperpartisan officers carrying out their goals, often ignoring the wider good of the people in the process. Those same factors also encourage the split we see today between Democrats and Republicans. Republican-leaning populations prioritize the traditional values of an American conservative legislative body — small government with an ideologically-based policy methodology, small amounts of welfare programs, etc. Democrat-leaning ones, on the other hand, favor heavy involvement in social justice initiatives, welfare programs and policy-based methodology. Though this may seem self explanatory, these party trends have only become more emphasized over the years, and combined with an unstable economy, more advanced technology and wide-reaching social media, experts agree that political divides have become far more drastic than ever before. 

Regardless of who you vote for or where you stand on the political ideological spectrum, patriotism in America is undeniably a through line that Americans, young and old, have an opinion on. Though this sense of love for America that seemed to characterize older generations has been decreasing, the immense amount of activism that younger generations have been showing serves as a confirmation that though America has never been the nation we deserve, there is still time to make it so. Love for your country can mean supporting your political leaders, or it can mean rebelling against them. It can mean following the rule of law, or it can mean rising up against systemic oppression, old and new. Statistics say that patriotism is decreasing, and though this may be true, perhaps we should consider that it is simply taking a new form. Love for America can be synonymous with anger with our current environment and fear for where we are going. As long as young generations keep abreast of what their leaders are doing, stay involved and protest against oppression, America will always be a land of opportunity and a country of patriots.