Fourth of July at the ball game was awesome. We got some gas station hot dogs (3 bucks cheaper a piece!), some sodas and a bunch of candy. Sarah, Brandon, the two baby girls and I had a really nice time watching the game, mingling with people sitting by us and then of course, as the flood lights dimmed to the color of night: the fireworks.
It took us a couple hours to get out of the parking lot. For that reason I probably won’t take the family to do it again. The rest of it was good old fashioned American patriotic spirit, with some fun thrown in.
I’ve got a lot to say: about America and where we are now as a nation. So many people it seems are asleep with regards to patriotism. I had a lot of these thoughts tonight and wanted to blog about them but it’s late . . . it’s been a long day. What do you think about it all? Have our country’s colors all faded into the color of night?
Hi. I'm Damien Riley, MA.
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I don’t think we have “lost” our patriotic spirit. Perhaps, as you say, it’s dormant in some folks. I know that I’ve always been patriotic, but I don’t “fly the flag” literally or figuratively. Patriotism seems to show itself best when there is a “cause” to which people can rally. I think this current war is not that cause. It seems a lot of people are disillusioned with our current government leaders, too. I’ll be curious to see your thoughts on patriotism!
Yes, I’ll be getting into that today. Thanks so much for being you.
I wonder if some people don’t equate patriotism with acceptance of leader’s decisions - and because they disagree, ie., the war, choose not to show it, though they feel patriotism toward America/Americans overall. I have to be honest, though it is hard to put it out there for everyone - but at times, though I know it is not the same, the act of strong patriotism scares me. It reminds me of cults and Hitlers and I picture bodies laying in group suicide or marching with their arm extended.
On the other hand, when I drove through the town beneath us yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted at the line of American flags flying from every light pole, not just for the visual, but because it felt right.
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