Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.<\/p>\n
A patriot according to my Webster\u2019s dictionary, is a person \u201c\u2026 who loves his country and zealously supports its authority and interests\u201d.\u00a0 History shows repeatedly that no country can continue to exist without the majority of its citizens being true patriots.\u00a0 Things have changed, and not for the better.\u00a0 For example, President John Kennedy stated in his inaugural address, \u201cAsk not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.\u201d By contrast, President Obama stated after his election that \u201c\u2026we are days away from fundamentally transforming this country.\u201d\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t sound like love of country to me.\u00a0 The question becomes, \u201chow do citizens become patriots?\u201d\u00a0 Let\u2019s take a look at how well America is succeeding in developing patriotism in the year 2025.<\/p>\n
As with most important characteristics, patriotism must be learned.\u00a0In the past, the family has traditionally been the bedrock of American society, and love and respect for country was learned around the dining room table listening to parents and grandparents.\u00a0 With fewer intact families and the hectic fast paced modern life style, many children do not have the opportunity to learn patriotism and other positive values from their elders as they once did.\u00a0 Similarly, there was a time when public schools could be relied upon to teach the positive aspects of America and to respect and value our country.\u00a0 With the continued infusion of leftist instruction in all levels of education, that is no longer the case.\u00a0 Since. the introduction of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), social equity learning, and the 1619 Project, instruction and curricula increasingly focus on what is wrong with this country and not what is right and unique.\u00a0 We need to correct this.\u00a0 No country is or has always been perfect.\u00a0 But historically, America has been on the right side of critical issues, supporting freedom and fighting tyranny worldwide, as well as correcting mistakes that were made including slavery.<\/p>\n
Local Boards of Education, and other elected officials need to focus on ensuring that instruction and learning materials in schools are pro-American and focus on the positive things we have achieved\u00a0 A system needs to be put in place that is capable of monitoring what teachers say to their students, and anti-American instruction and attitudes eliminated.\u00a0 A school classroom is not the place for teachers to exercise their free speech rights, when they area espousing anti-American propaganda.\u00a0 Parents should be able to monitor what goes on in the classroom.<\/p>\n
It is crucial, however, that we do not just rely on schools to teach patriotism.\u00a0 It is our responsibility also; we must do our part.\u00a0 Children learn from what they are told and what they observe.\u00a0 As far as the family is concerned, parents and grandparents need to take it upon themselves to relate the history of America as they know it and have lived it.\u00a0 When is the last time you spoke to your family about the founding of America, the wars we have fought to protect other countries, your military service if appropriate, etc.?\u00a0 When doing this, it is critical that you use the term \u201cwe\u201d when referring to America so that the children see how your identity is connected to this country.\u00a0 Also, it is important that they observe your involvement in politics so they learn that you are committed (and they eventually will also be), to taking actions necessary to preserve this country for future generations.<\/p>\n
The destructive flood of illegal aliens during the Biden administration makes the issue of teaching patriotism even more critical.\u00a0 European countries are on a path to lose their identity by a combination of out-of-control immigration and the declining birthrate of their traditional citizens.\u00a0 The immigrants are having large numbers of children while traditional citizens are way below replacement levels.\u00a0 We cannot allow this to happen in our country.\u00a0 It should be remembered, that in the mid-1920\u2019s the Republican Congress and President, placed severe restrictions on immigration due to growing concern that our cultural values and heritage could not survive with mass immigration.\u00a0 This effort worked until the 1960s when Senator Ted Kennedy sponsored legislation approved by a Democrat Congress and President, to remove most immigration restrictions.<\/p>\n
President Trump is doing his part to try to go back to a sensible immigration policy, now we must do our part to ensure that our children learn to love this country and act to protect it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D. A patriot according to my Webster\u2019s dictionary, is a person \u201c\u2026 who loves his country and zealously supports its authority and interests\u201d.\u00a0 History shows repeatedly that no country can continue to exist without the majority … Continue reading