The Patriot Post® · Are We Allowed to Love Our Country?

Have you seen the incredible, impressive increase in patriotism? It’s enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Men, women, and children are breaking out into spontaneous singing of the national anthem, like the chanteuse at Rick’s American Café in Casablanca. The song spreads among the crowd into a mighty chorus.

The flag is once again recognized everywhere and hailed as a symbol of our independence and courage. It’s impossible not to notice.

Even in the legislature, every elected official stands as one and sings the national anthem with vigor and resolve. Opera houses, everyone from the professional sopranos and tenors to the ushers and the well-dressed audience in the balconies, burst forth with the same song. In far-flung cities, in the ragged remains of apartments and city squares, the voices rise to the sky — ringing with love of country and the yearning for freedom.

No longer do the people doubt who they are and that, irrespective of their history and political differences, they have a common creed and shared aspirations. Men as young as 17 and in their 60s or older line up to join the military and defend the country.

I know you share my joy at seeing such an outburst of patriotism and seeing the media celebrating the end of national self-hatred. You’ve seen it, right? The return of a spirited nationalism grounded in eternal beliefs.

What, you’re not seeing it?

Well, maybe you have already figured out I am not talking about a rebirth of patriotism in America. The scenes I am describing are from Ukraine. They are inspirational. The American media is emotional describing and praising this patriotism.

But, here’s my question. Why do the same leftists in the media and the popular culture who love Ukrainian patriotism condemn every manifestation of American patriotism?

“Nationalist” has been the worst slur you could utter about a fellow citizen. National anthem kneelers are praised. Our national newspaper of record spent the last July 4 celebration publishing a columnist complaining how the very sight of our flag disturbed her. The contempt for deplorables and their flag-bedecked pick-up trucks was palpable.

Do some of these media voices and political elites now sense the contradiction? Do they know the Ukrainian people we rightfully honor now have their own checkered history to reckon with, including the crimes of Ukrainian collaborators with Nazi Germany at Babi Yar?

We pray for peace and the survival of Ukraine. But let’s not forget to pray for forces in our own country who can see the heroism in other nations but ignore it in ours. Maybe even they will come to see that while no nation is perfect, America is extraordinary and teaching our children to cherish it is the only way we endure.

“We’ll not spare either our souls or our bodies to get freedom.” The words of that Ukrainian poem are what they sang at the Metropolitan Opera and Royal Albert Hall. Isn’t that the essence of our anthem too?