What makes a patriot?

Throughout my adult years hints of this very question have come to mind but I don’t think it was until the past six months that the various aspects of this seemingly simple question have coalesced in my little brain. Behaviors, politics, military issues and other factors have nudged at my beliefs.  I could either dismiss such questions outright in blind comfortable denial or if I were truly honest with myself it would give me cause to think, question or even change my position.

Which has led me to the heart of this question – What makes a patriot? What does it mean to be patriotic? Is simply putting a flag outside your door or a magnetic ribbon on your SUV good enough? Is someone who wears a t-shirt emblazoned with “USA #1” also a patriot or jingoist? Where is the line between being patriotic and being overly nationalistic? Xenophobic? Is a person patriotic if they think “This is America, love it or leave it!” Or is the person who thinks “There are some problems here that really need changed” more patriotic?  I ask these questions because at the heart of it I have ideas of what a patriot is but I’m not sure where the line in the sand really is. Who is the patriot and who is just along for the ride?

Recently I have heard something like “You can be one of us if you’re a true patriot”. But now what does that mean? Does that infer untrue patriots are lurking? Aren’t those called traitors?

I could give you the definition copied and pasted straight from a dictionary website but A) you’re a big enough person to look it up on your own, and B) I don’t think it covers all the bases. But what does it mean to you?

Pull your pants up!

I know, I am veering dangerously away from my stated purpose of this blog originally. Soon I will get back to it. No, really. I'll do it, honest. But for now other thoughts tickle my fancy (and who knew I had a fancy to tickle or that one could tickle a fancy?).

It starts with the idea of telling these kids to pull up their stupid pants. Yeah, I know homie, it's all the style and stuff. Phht. Whatever. What I know is this "style" stems from a group of people who find it necessary from time to time to run from, oh, other gang members or the cops. Guess what? If your belt is below your hips and the crotch of your trousers is at your knees simple physics tells us that you won't run very fast or effective. You're slowing yourself down! Oh, yeah... right. Physics wasn't your best subject. In fact, none of the subjects was your best subject. But I digress (again).

Please keep in mind that I'm not saying that every knucklehead who doesn't have enough pride or sense of self-esteem is going to be chased by the cops or fellow gangbangers. I just feel that the origins need to be brought to the fore. Nonetheless, pull up your damn pants and wear them like a man.

As I type this I realize that this makes me sound like an old man. All you droopy-drawers out there will be glad to point it out to me and that I just don't understand. Number one; I understand you look stupid regardless of how old I am. Number two; Sure enough I'm getting older. But I still recall my youth.

In my younger days I grew my hair out for a short time. It got pretty long. I thought I was going to be cool like Ted Nugent. All the "older" folks on my paper route used to tell me that they thought I was a girl with the long hair. Sure, I thought they "didn't understand". But recently I looked at some photos of myself from that era. Guess what? I was the one that didn't understand. I really *did* look like a girl. No wonder why I had such a hard time getting a date!

Understand?

Pull up them damn pants before I get the stapler.