What is a Patriot?

I believe a patriot to be a nationalist. Someone that beats the drum for their country without hesitation or discovering all the facts.

Let's have some discussion.

 

Well, if you take the word literally, I think it means someone who is their country as a father is to a child. Working, fighting, sacrificing, that sort of thing.

 

That's certainly the definition of many who call themselves patriots. I think Daybreaker has a better definition though.

 

An American Patriot is one who defends the constitution of the United States, against all enemies, foreign....and domestic.

The word changes in every country you go, I am only concerned about what it means to be an American Patriot.

 

A person that wants independence.

 

The OP pretty much nailed the definition. A patriot is one who believes in nationalism.

 

I believe a patriot is someone who doesn't want to worry about overthinking an issue.

 

I'm a patriot in the truest sense of the word.
Al Sharpton

Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/patriot.html#ixzz1leQPg648

 

Do you really feel bound to your country as you would a child to a parent? I don't. Or vice versa as a parent to a child?

In my everyday life, I feel bound to family, friends, neighbors then community THEN country. In that order.

 

Removed because it may derail the thread.

 

I'm sorry, but a guy who can't decide whether he's a Christian or a Zionist probably would have the same trouble deciding whether he's an American or a Frog.

 

One who loves their country and would fight to protect it against any enemy. One who follows the rules of his/ her country and not just the ones they like.

 

I am just a Christian.

You can ignore the avatar....

I am probably an Israeli Jew's worst nightmare....

I tell them things they don't want to hear........

 

I've heard the differences between patriotism and nationalism described as such:

Patriots take pride in the history and culture of their nation, and wish to uphold the fine traditions, while not necessarily believing that their beliefs and form of governance/culture should be forced on others.

Nationalists take extreme pride, basically a supremist/ethnocentric view of their nation, traditions/morals/form of governance, and wish to force this on others.

Therefore, nationalists are actually world-conquering globalists like the neo-cons and progressive liberals who are always pushing "(mob rule) democracy" on other nations.

 

Yeah, I do kind of feel bound to my country in a similar fashion as a parent to a child. The country -- which isn't necessarily a national government, but rather the land and its people -- is something that we all create. We are, in a true sense, the parents of our country. We build it, we keep it alive, we shape it and guide it and try to make it a force for what we believe to be good in the world. We give our lives for it in terms of blood, sweat and tears ... we take very real bullets for it, if necessary. We work to keep it alive and healthy and happy. And maybe we get a bit bossy with it, but only for its own good.

And sure, family and friends and neighbors are all probably more important than countrymen on the other side of a continent ... but then again, fathers have given up the lives of their children for the good of their country since before we had a word for it.

 

Nicely stated!

 

Okay, I'll ignore the avatar. I'm a Christian (sort of) too.

 

Is it a cool thing to say one is a christian?

You sort of accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior? You sort of are grateful that his blood covered all of your sins? Be real, accept or reject.........

 

Also nicely stated!

 

Not true. Take world war 1 for example. Many of the countries getting involved in that war had huge surges of nationalism at the time yet they had no goals of world domination.

 

Christianity is not just believing in Christ. It's also accepting the church. I just ain't there.

 

Not true. Church according the Jesus is literally a gathering of 2 or more in his name. Could be you and your friends getting together at your house for bible study, not necessarily a church although that is obviously the easiest and most convenient way to go about it...

 

Nationalist: My country is always right no matter what and it doesn't do anything wrong under any circumstances and you should obey its leaders blindly.

Patriot: believes in the ideals of the country, not necessarily the leaders or their institutions, and will strive to make the society a better place according to the dictates of those ideals for the people.

By their actions ye shall know them.

My personal definitions anyhoo.

 

pa•tri•ot   /ˈpeɪtriət, -ˌɒt or, especially Brit., ˈpætriət/ Show Spelled[pey-tree-uht, -ot or, especially Brit., pa-tree-uht] Show IPA
noun
1. a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.
2. a person who regards himself or herself as a defender, especially of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Patriot​

No person on the Left (Democrats, Socialists, Communists, and the like) could EVER be a “patriot” of this country, the US of A. We are a country defined by our history and Constitution; a direct result of that history and our (mostly) shared cultural values. Therefore, someone living in this country that openly rejects those values (enshrined in the Constitution) can never “defend… his or her country and its interests with devotion.” Those on the Left believe they have a better idea than individual liberty so they could never support “individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.”


There is a more appropriate word that describes those on the Left.

trai•tor   /ˈtreɪtər/ Show Spelled[trey-ter] Show IPA
noun
1. a person who betrays another, a cause, or any trust.
2. a person who commits treason by betraying his or her country.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Traitor?o=100084&qsrc=2894&l=dir​

 

I think a patriot is someone who not only loves his country and who is willing to do most anything to not only protect it, but to help it become a better nation. Who sees what his/her country needs and tries to help her achieve it. Much like I see America needing jobs and will do there best to support American business. I think a true patriot puts country over political Party.

I think a true patriot is someone who not only gets on these boards and (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)es about what is wrong with America, but gets on the phone, computer or fax and tells his representative what he doesn't like about what's going on and tries to bring about real change. A true patriot know his country isn't always good, but he doesn't keep pointing out just the bad, without also pointing out the good. To me, that is what a true patriot is.