Saul Bravo
Dr .
Matzke
The University of Michigan
Patriotism
Patriotism, to many it means devotion or love to one’s country and the quality of being patriotic .
When people refer to something or someone as being
“patriotic” what does it really mean? In today’s times, being patriotic in the southern
United States certainly stands on its own when compared to the Northern feeling of patriotism .
Patriotism originated in Great Britain, during its imperial age and was used to show a man had virtue .
These feelings quickly came to pride in one’s own country when the attacks on The World Trade Center occurred, the United States quickly rallied against their aggressors much like what followed the attacks on Pearl
Harbor .
These examples all seem honorable when compared to the kind of patriotism we see in the south today, confederate rallies followed by an increase in
KKK activity .
Holding your country dear to oneself is something embedded in each of us at birth .
But what really gives an accurate description of what patriotism really looks like?
Patriotism during the time of Great Britain stood as doing what was best for your country .
During a time when Great Britain stood as a dominant world power, it was easy for the inhabitants of Great Britain to show a higher level of devotion towards their country .
This could have been another way for the inhabitants of

Great Britain in order to show more appreciation for their country and as a result it was looked to as a good thing .
Having patriotic qualities in those times meant that you held your country to a higher regard than your own local governing entities .
“ Patriotism must be founded in great Principles, and supported by great Virtues .
”
This is where it all started, but where has it moved to in todays world? When patriotism came to be as a way of rallying others to join your cause, it became apparent that patriotism may or may not be the best quality to have .
Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, the United States quickly went to war .
This agrees with the initial standing on patriotism being a deep sense of devotion towards one’s country .
“If patriotism is morally unacceptable, as some philosophers believe, then also education for patriotism cannot be tolerated, although some other non-moral reasons might be in favor of such education .
However, it seems that not all types of patriotism can be convincingly rejected as morally unacceptable .
” If one took this standing on patriotism, it could lead one to believe that it can be wrong or immoral in some cases .
However, following the events of Pearl Harbor, Americans felt as if it was their moral duty to rally against their aggressors .
What started out as a way of showing extreme devotion to one’s country quickly turned into a manner of rallying others to take on your viewpoint and make it easier to influence their decisions?
Kodelja talks about ethnic conflict and even war being a result of the revival of nationalism .
Nussbaum states in her article, “Compassion for our fellow Americans can all too easily slide over into an attitude that wants America to come out on top,

defeating or subordinating other peoples or nations .
Anger at the terrorists themselves is perfectly appropriate; so is the attempt to bring them to justice .
”
While it is important to have a strong sense of devotion to one’s country, it is important to remember that one’s own country does not stand at the epicenter of the world and there are often times consequences when acting as such .
We as Americans hold a strong sense of patriotism when compared to other countries around the world .
It is important to understand that we must draw a line as to where we will allow our own sense of “patriotism” to impair our judgment .
Dictionary .
com - http://www .
oed .
com .
proxy .
lib .
umich .
edu/view/Entry/138903?redirectedF
rom=Patriotism#eid
Moral issues with patriotism –
Kodelja, Zdenko .
"Is Education for Patriotism Morally Required, Permitted Or
Unacceptable?" Studies in Philosophy and Education 30 .
2 (2011): 127-40 .
ProQuest .
Web .
3 Aug .
2015 .
Can Patriotism be compassionate? – http://www .
thenation .
com/article/can-patriotism-be-compassionate/