They are not patriots

There seems to be some confusion about patriotism in America today.

Quite simply, patriotism is love for one’s country.

Let us say that again: Patriotism is love for one’s country. It should not be mistaken for idealism.

Because we have a constitution — the greatest the world has ever known — American patriots today obey the laws of the land, even when they disagree with them. If they disagree with them strongly enough, they take legal steps to effect change. They vote for people who support their ideas of good laws. Maybe they donate to their campaigns. Maybe they run for office themselves. Or maybe they protest the way things are and call for change. Patriots protest legally, according to the laws that society has agreed upon to protect individuals’ rights while keeping this republic free.

Idealism is subjective because it involves an individual’s notion of what’s good and what’s right. Idealism reflects personal beliefs and standards, forged by religious and other influences which may or may not represent the majority in a democracy. Idealism drives terrorists like ISIS and peacemakers like Gandhi and Martin Luther King. What’s noble or honorable to one might be abhorrent to another.

People who love this country abide by the law and work within the framework established by our founding fathers for change. To do anything else shows love for oneself and one’s ideals at the expense of others. No amount of justification can negate the fact that idealists acting illegally are undermining the principles that brought us freedom in the first place. We are a society built upon the rule of law. Forfeit that and we’ve lost everything.