Memorial Day: Rant of a Patriot

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I'm a bit of a die-hard patriot. I suppose I can't help it; it's in my blood. I come from a long line of patriots, not "in name only", but those who truly meant it. My grandfather and his brothers had a combined 119 years of active duty (and another 31 years of reserve) between the 5 of them! As I said, it's in my blood.

As my brother so aptly stated, "My family has always grasped the fact that somebody's loved one has to put it all on the line. Our mothers do not shrink at the thought that it could be their boy who does not come home, so long as it is either ‘return with honor' or ‘die with valor.'"

Some people spout nonsense about patriotism, calling it "a form of pride", "brainwashing", and "mind-numbing, unquestioning loyalty". Have they ever actually looked up a definition for patriotism?

Others say we are intolerant and "people in other countries are just as precious as people here". That was never the issue! No one is saying that Americans are better PEOPLE. We're saying that America is one of the greatest nations ever. It's not one-upmanship, it's gratitude.

Why is it that celebrities who spout anti-American drivel continue to reside here, work here, and enjoy the freedoms provided here? If they hate it so much, why don't they move elsewhere? (Sean Penn, Alec Baldwin, I'm talking to you! Jane Fonda, I will continue to boycott your films for the rest of my life!) Why do they think that their so-called acting skills qualify them to be political analysts? Of course they're entitled to their opinion, but can any of them even name a Constitutional amendment, or the Secretary of State? I doubt it. In a true debate, these folks would be smeared mightily from one end of the room to the other, because they don't have a grasp of reality.

And if this country is so awful, why are there so many immigrants desperately trying to come here? But I digress...

Memorial Day has had me on this line of thought, and I have always been determined to instill the same sense of pride and responsibility for our nation in the hearts of my children. (Which is why I subject them to these things on days like Memorial Day: "Our Troops" and "If I Die Before You Wake". Also check out fabulous quotes about freedom and America from LDS prophets and a great article by Gordon B. Hinckley "War and Peace"). Support our troops... wherever they are.

Recently, a friend of mine mentioned the book "How To Raise an American: 1776 Fun and Easy Tools, Tips, and Activities to Help Your Child Love This Country". (Thank you, Tricia!) I bought a copy and, though I haven't finished it yet, I'm hooked!! It even mentions one of my favorite orgs, "Soldiers' Angels".

I tried to recall my history classes and, sad to say, most of them were just garbage -- regurgitated for tests and promptly forgotten. I always thought history was BORING... because I didn't know real history. I knew useless dates, faceless names, taught in a confusing context that I couldn't comprehend. I began thinking about powerful historical events that have occurred just in my lifetime – not only 9/11, but even back to the Challenger explosion, the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin wall. Remembering how I felt at those moments made me realize THAT is what history is about - connecting emotions to an event to help us realize why it occurred and what it means.

Most schools aren't going to do that for our children (if they bother to teach history at all). Some even label America "the enemy". Ah, the devil's a sly one! But this book is inspiring me with the ways and means to teach my children the TRUTH.