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“The people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several branches of government hold their power, is derived.“
– James Madison
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I haven’t spent much time on the idea that means so much to me that sent me to the Army; sent me to war; made me create this site: Patriotism. Being a Patriot is defined as someone that has a sense of meaning in their life, a sense of purpose for their country, but a Patriot is someone that will speak up if his rights are being trampled on or the rights are being threatened. This whole site is about Patriotism. I am a Patriot. You, who is reading this, are probably a Patriot. You probably have a deep sense of pride in your country, too!
I ran across an old poem that I had written in one of my college courses, which I am going to share here that completely epitomizes my belief system.
The Flag
I think of the colors of the flag,
and I truly know the meaning of each of the colors,
even if others do not.
I think about the reds:
The blood that is spilled to spoil the undeserved.
I think of the blues:
The feeling of despair that comes away from home.
I think of the white:
The purity that comes from honoring your country.
I think of the colors of the flag,
and I truly know the feeling of each of the colors,
even if others do not.
Red, Blue, and White –
Old Glory fails me not.
I have seen the blood,
I have felt despair,
I have received the honor of my country.
Others will not,
and they will not acknowledge their true heroes.
They will spit in their direction –
they will spit in my direction.
I will beat them if they spit on my Flag.
The colors of the Flag are my burden that I carry.
Being a Patriot means to know who you are. Who are you? What do you stand for? Do you really know what you believe? Do you know what it means to be proud of something that is bigger than you? Do you have convictions? Do you have the ability to stand by your convictio
ns?
If you can answer any or all of these questions with “yes” then you too are a Patriot. The biggest thing that you need to realize though is that to be a Patriot you need to stand by your convictions. To quote a Mellencamp song, “You got to stand for something or you will fall for anything!”
Back to the poem: The poem symbolizes and epitomizes what I believe in. The flag symbolizes what the American soldier goes through on a daily basis. Red for blood, white for saving the innocent, and the blues for the desperation of those who suffer, all-in-all an American Patriot’s symbol.
Remember being a Patriot doesn’t mean that you actually have to actively participate in anything. Being a Patriot means that you have to believe in the power of your country and believe that it can be changed from within. Is that power coming from you? Most likely! The power of the people is not to be underestimated! Freedom is not free, but by the work of our many can make our country ours once again!
Until next time PEACE!
