Patriotic? ME???

Ok, so perhaps it's my Canadian blood (1/2 of me is Kanuk, did you know?). Or perhaps it's my history of world-travel, or perhaps just my apathy. But I realized something on Friday (Veteran's Day, for all you people who had to work, like me!).

I AM NOT PATRIOTIC.

I think. Well, maybe I am. But not the same way most people around here are. I mean, I don't like parades. I don't have a little flag that I wave with glistening tears of pride in my eyes while singing the Star Spangled Banner. (Side note: What the hell is a Spangle?).

And for that I'm branded as unpatriotic. I have, indeed, heard this from people. Sorry, I've been ACCUSED of this by people. Namely, Republicans. So here's my take on patriotism.

* Patriotism is NOT supporting leaders who are doing the WRONG thing.

* Patriotism is seeing that there is room for improvement.

* Patriotism is believing that maybe, just MAYBE, other countries just MIGHT do things better than we do. And that we should appreciate that fact and learn from them.

* Patriotism is the OPPOSITE of blindly following someone who has power, simply because they have power. We put them there through the voting process and should therefore be able to critique when they do something we don't like. That's their job.

* Patriotism is thinking for ourselves. When we don't think for ourselves and just do what we're told, that's called FASCISM.

* Patriotism is admitting mistakes and actively trying to fix them. This is also called being a Grown-Up.

I am also a little confused by patriotic people who have never traveled outside of the U.S. How can they know that America is so great, when they've never seen or experienced anything else?