Patriotism

Since I decided to write about patriotism I decided to find out precisely what the word means from the dictionary before I cloud it with emotion, judgment and in general just being mean.

Per the Merriam Webster dictionary:
Patriot: one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests. 
Patriotism: love for or devotion to one's country 

Ok - so if we like (love) our country, show devotion and we support its authority and interest we are patriotic. Awesome. That is a very simple definition. I like it. 

I don't like a lot of things. It is just a general malady I have. It isn't that I don't like something, most the time I just don't care. It takes energy to care, and that my fine friends is a commodity I don't tend to spend to on things that probably won't matter in the end. Much like patriotism.

It won't matter in the end. I will die and most likely some day this civilization that is my country, that yes, I love dearly, will die as well. It is a matter of probabilities. I don't make up the math rules, they exist with or with out me or you. 

With that said, I will go forward with my frivolous take on patriotism and what it means outside of the dictionary. Because remember, in the end it won't matter what I think, or what you think you. 

I want to write a small thank you to my fellow patriots:
Thank you to the overweight, middle aged woman who so loves our country so much that she decided to wear its flag as a bikini. I would never take offense, as I and many others having served our country and its flag with love and care and would have died (and many have died) under its colors. Thank you for putting it on your tits and ass. I appreciate it.


Thank you to the over sized, over powered, over priced, gas guzzling truck driver with lifted cab for the tires that serve no purpose for putting the flag and go country all over your truck while making sure all small children fear you and your driving. Yes, I too love my country and wish to have all the locals fear my driving. That is truly a representative of being a patriot. I would have never thought of it. 


Thank you to the politicians, who if I don't believe as they do, I am no longer a patriot. Their fellow believers don't think I love my country either, especially if I don't believe in their God or their wars or their causes for the poor, hungry or destitute. I pay my taxes fairly, don't bitch about it, and want whats best for everyone, too bad they don't. 


Thank you to the drop out students and the unemployed that believes the country should pay for their higher education, ensure they have jobs, a house, and car. I think you should have all this too. I just don't have to agree with you about how it should be paid for. 


In the end I am a patriot. I honestly love my country. I can write all these things because of my country and its laws and its authority. I have served my country with time, blood, sweat and tears. I gave several years of my life and innocence in the service of my country. 

I don't need to display the flag outside my home, on my car, on my clothing,or  my childrens' clothing to be patriotic. I don't need to believe as you do, and I won't. I can enjoy foreign films, dream of visiting other lands and wish all well (even in countries where are in direct conflict with) and still be patriotic. So don't ask me why I don't have the flag on my car and don't ask me why I don't have the branch I served in on my license plate, because in general it doesn't matter in the end.

Thank you all for your love of our country.