The term "patriotic" has started to get under my skin. Since not long after 9/11, I began (as many Kossacks did) to notice the marked ramping-up of nationalism. Perhaps it was an understandable response to the horrifying events of that day, but it has not abated or evolved, as I think it should.
The US government responded to 9/11 in part by stoking both our fear and our nationalism, especially when Bush drew a line in the sand, declaring himself on one side and the "terrorists" on the other. Since then, it's become crystal clear that if you're not with him, 100% on "his" side, then you're by default on the side of the terrorists.
He has gotten away with making such hate-filled racist comments by cloaking them with patriotism. Patriotism is noble, and unassailable. If you do something out of patriotism, the implication seems to be, any and all ill effects are forgiven. In essence, Patriotism means never having to say you're say.
The unassailability of this concept is bugging me.
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