Kyle Macfarlan: "What Patriotism Means to Me"
During World War One, Lieutenant Samuel Woodfill led his men through the German lines during one of the great offenses of the war. They pushed two hundred yards farther than any other group, in a war where every foot was contested.
Jack Mathis was a lead bombardier in a B-17 during World War Two. His job was to find the target and hit it so that the other bombers knew where to drop their bombs. As they reached the target his plane was hit. His arm was shattered above the elbow, and he received a mortal wound in his side. Having been thrown across the planer he managed to crawl forward and drop the bombs, and then died at his post. By doing this he managed to successfully complete the mission.
William Adams volunteered during the Vietnam War to pilot a lightly armed helicopter into an area to evacuate three wounded men, knowing full well that the enemy had many anti-aircraft weapons. After picking the men up, he flew out, only to be hit with a variety of weapons. He attempted to make a controlled landing, but the helicopter exploded.
Three different men, from three different generations, fighting in three different wars. But all three embody what real patriotism is. When the time came for them to be tested by the fires of war, they went willingly, knowing that they were fighting for freedom.
Freedom. That was what these men were willing to fight and even die for. It prompted peasants to stand against the king and force him to sign the Magna Carta. It prompted American Patriots to rise up against English rule. It was what prompted slaves to travel the Underground Railroad. American soldiers have died to give it to people that they never knew. Our country has been called the "great experiment." It was an experiment in freedom.
Freedom. These men show us what real patriotism is. By fighting and dying, they ensured that freedom would exist for future generations, even if they would not be alive to enjoy it themselves. Because of what they have done for us, we owe them a debt of gratitude. But gratitude is not enough. In order to fully thank them, we must demonstrate genuine patriotism. The baton has been passed to our generation. In order to finish the race there are three things that we must do. First, we must be informed. Second, we must be influential. And third, we must be involved.
True patriotism requires that we be informed. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them." If we do not know what they did, then how can we appreciate the freedom that we, so often, take for granted here in the United States? If we know what they did, then we can realize how precious freedom is. And when we realize how precious it is, we will be prompted to hold onto it with passion and tenacity. By being informed, we renew our gratitude to those who gave us freedom, and we renew our conviction that freedom is precious and was purchased at a great price.
Freedom is like a candle. It loses none of its potency when we give it to others. And when all those candles of freedom are placed together, the light is greater than if the one had not spread it. By being influential as a country, we can spread the light of freedom around the globe. Our country has been dedicated to fanning the flames of freedom throughout our history. From the Revolutionary war to this recent war in Iraq, we have shown the world that when we give freedom to others, it makes us stronger as a nation. A true American patriot seeks to influence the world around him for the good of the United States.
Last, but certainly not least, patriotism requires that we be involved. Whether serving on a jury, running for public office, serving in the military, or even just voting, being involved is the most important, and most neglected responsibility as citizens. Alan Keyes said that " ... freedom is not just a choice, it's not just an opportunity, it can be a burden and a sacrifice, and an obligation." In order for a democracy to work its citizens must be involved. Our government would cease to exist without regular people getting involved. Imagine our country with no one running for president, Congress or governor. Imagine that no one went to the polls to vote. Imagine Congress declaring war but there being no army to fight. It is obvious that without the ordinary person our government cannot exist. And when our government ceases to exist, our freedom will cease, as well. By being involved, we can ensure that this will never happen. Patriotism is not passive, but active. Patriotism, for me, means that on my eighteenth birthday, I will do two things: register to vote and register for the draft. I will take these two actions seriously and with great honor.
On January 20, 1961 John F. Kennedy delivered what is perhaps the most famous phrase from an inaugural address: "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country".
What can we do for our country? JFK knew that in order for a republic to work, the people must work for their country. We must accept the responsibilities that come with the privileges. We are one link in a chain that connects the founding fathers to future generations. May we not be the weak link.
Informed, influential, and involved-- three things that would make John F. Kennedy and the framers of our Constitution proud. These three embody what patriotism means to me. By being informed, influential, and involved, we show our gratitude to the people who have paid with their blood for the freedom that we enjoy today.
Being informed, influential, and involved is the means by which we simultaneously honor men from our past like Samuel Woodfill, Jack Mathis, and William Adams who have given us freedom and also pass on the gift to future generations. Freedom is the greatest gift that we can leave to our posterity. By being informed,. influential, and involved we ensure that we pass on this legacy. When the question is asked, "What does patriotism mean?" we'll have the answer: True patriotism requires sacrifice and a dedication to be informed, to be influential! and to be involved.
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