Download Does Patriotism Still Matter?

Does Patriotism Still Matter?
By: Camila Gomez
Patriotism has always been a fundamental part of America’s social fabric.
Without it, our way of life could not exist. Those we call “patriots” are individuals
who have faith and through their actions demonstrate their belief in our nation. These
are the citizens our country depends on. However, in these modern times, the question
is still provoked; does patriotism still matter?
If it weren’t for those who believed in, and committed their lives to the notion
of a nation founded on the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as
so eloquently stated by Thomas Jefferson, the United States, as we know it, may not
exist today. While the patriots of Valley Forge and Bunker Hill have faded with
time, patriotism is timeless and transcends our history.
Historically, patriotism has been demonstrated through several pivotal events in
the United States. The women’s suffrage movement was fought in the interests of the
Constitution and the rights that come with being an American citizen, whether male or
female. This same interest and belief in the philosophy that our forefathers used in the
creation of our great country motivated the civil war, and later, the civil rights
movement.
Though these monumentally historic events do exhibit patriotism, it is a
primary part of everyday life. Patriotism is demonstrated in courts of law daily, when
lawyers and prosecutors fight to guarantee that the constitution is being upheld,
whether it is assuring that a person’s rights are not violated, or that the law is not
broken.
Patriotism is the single force that drives our nation; drives it to seek justice,
create equality, promote freedom, and provide opportunity. Life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness are the values that make up the American dream, and that dream
encourages us succeed, and to thrive.
This is why patriotism still matters, and why it will always be vital to society.
As long as the United States stands and the philosophy of the original patriots are still
represented, then there will always be patriotism in the United States. Patriotism is the
committed love, support, and loyalty to one’s country. So isn’t the real question: How
could patriotism not matter?