Science Saturday: Confronting the Right Wing

[Ray]

Originally Posted by fedorovingtonboop

uh...what? when people use the word "patriotism" today they do not in any way mean "traitor."

Jesus.

That's not what I'm saying, so quit playing obtuse.

The word 'patriot' in American parlance does not have to do necessarily with nationalism or national pride.

It can also mean "someone who places adherence to an ideal above allegiance to his country".

The point is that there is a tradition of American Patriotism that runs directly counter to the commonplace notion of patriotism.

Let try another example to see if we can get this through your knobby skull.

There's a famous toast written by crazy American sailor Stephen Decatur: "Our country. In her intercourse with other nations may she always be right. But our country, right or wrong."

That's the patriotism you're thinking of, the kind you've been imprinted with to the extent that it's now exceedingly difficult to get across to you the idea that words can have more than one meaning.

But they can! And one of the other meanings of the word 'patriotism', especially in the American context, values republicanism (among other things) above national pride or fealty.

I know it will be hard for you to work your way through this complex reality of polysemic words, but it'll be worth it in the end. Good luck!