Shafts of Justice

When a country is established, its citizens have a new and special  responsibility. Before their country was formed, they had ties to other countries, governments, and people. Founders who are establishing new countries must take care to sever the ties with their mother country. After a nation is newly born it must rely on its own resources and citizens to survive, let alone flourish. Before our republic was founded, there were no patriots in America. Patriots are people who have an intense love for their country, because it stands for something virtuous and wholesome. Patriotism means devoting oneself wholeheartedly to the protection and welfare of one’s country. And for a nation to have devoted, patriotic citizens, it must be founded on fundamental principles which are worth the citizens’ promoting and protecting. This is what the American Founding Fathers did. They established a country that was worth being patriotic for. They gave us the principles through the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, etc. They built a country, and it was the citizens’ job to preserve it. But how are the citizens supposed to fulfill this task? Patriotism! First, we must see examples of Patriots, so that we can better understand what it means to be one. 

There are many different kinds of patriots. There are those who have completely sacrificed their lives fighting to form this country. Some  mentally labored to form the documents which confirm  our freedom and enunciate the  principles of our country. A patriot’s motto should always be: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. And that is why anyone can be a patriot. It does not necessarily mean standing up to tyranny, or fighting those who would destroy our freedom. It means looking at one’s country and honestly assessing what it needs from you. This is what all the American patriots have done. George Washington is an example of a  patriot who saw that it was time for him to serve his country somehow. He knew that he was a skilled soldier and commander, so he offered that, along with his undying commitment to his new commonwealth. Under his command, a minuscule, ragged army triumphed over one of the world’s greatest armies.

 We can look to Abraham Lincoln as a second example. He was a successful lawyer with a growing family. He risked his own career by going in to politics because he felt the importance of preserving his country and ending slavery. What did he have to offer his fellow citizens? His oratorical and mental skills which he used to communicate the need to end slavery and preserve the union.  

Susan B. Anthony was another Patriot of our country. One might ask how? In fact, she saw a form of tyranny and sought to destroy it. She had the courage to use her skills and steer the country towards the decision to unbind the limited right to vote. She devoted her life to securing the right for women to participate in  free elections. Tirelessly, she worked until America was rid of this archaic form of tyranny.  

Another example is in the person of  Martin Luther King Jr. He saw how segregation in America directly contradicts the equality of the Declaration of America. So he, too, in the spirit of a true American Patriot, answered the call to serve his country and did the utmost in his power to end segregation. He never stopped, pursuing his goal even though it led to jail and eventually death.

 These people are just a few examples of patriots who throughout the life of our American republic have tirelessly labored for the good of their country. They all had one thing in common: they saw that their country needed them. They honestly assessed what their talents were and how their country could multiply those talents. Their undying dedication is another outstanding quality of a true patriot. We can see that in order to accomplish anything worthwhile, we must be diligent in pursuing it. 

I would like to now dive into more of the principle of patriotism and share the American Founding Fathers view of patriotism. The Founders believed that patriots were people who loved what their country had to offer. Here in America, the people have especially prized the liberty that was given to all citizens. And those who truly valued this freedom, in return, freely gave themselves to patriotic deeds. These patriot-minded citizens wanted their fellow countrymen to genuinely embrace liberty wholeheartedly so that they too would become dedicated patriots. Having devoted citizens is how a country can expect peace. In many cases, however, patriots sacrificed their own peaceful life in order to protect their country, preserving the greater good of the people.  James Madison sums it up quite beautifully: “Every man who loves peace, every man who loves his country, every man who loves liberty ought to have it ever before his eyes that he may cherish in his heart a due attachment to the Union of America and be able to set a due value on the means of preserving it.” Alexander Hamilton succinctly expresses how a patriot should feel and act: “There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.”  The Farmer Refuted, February 23, 1775.

  Patriotism is observed when one pushes beyond one’s normal limits out of intense love of liberty, thus enabling one to “do great things”.  All of us are meant to do great things for our country, in our own way. “The truth is, all might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they ought.”—Samuel Adams.

But we should ask ourselves, “Do I really love my country? Do I really appreciate the freedom that America gives me? Do I really cherish this country that so many people have laid down their lives for?” If you sincerely love your country then you will be willing to make sacrifices as a patriotic citizen.  Our country needs more people who are utterly devoted to its welfare.  I believe that the reason why America has become the greatest country in the world, is that American citizens have always properly appreciated their rights and freedoms. In gratitude for our great country, Americans have sacrificed to sustain greatness. 

Sadly, I also believe our country is now declining, due to the fact that there are so few patriots left. Many people might grumble, “Is this country worth preserving? Can I trust the legitimacy of my vote? Will I lose my freedom and rights? What is there to safeguard?”   Some think that America is at its peak, while others believe that it is rapidly declining. And it all leads to the question “Why should I be a patriot  for my country?” And the answer is, that it is worthwhile fighting for something that is good.  For as true patriots of America we are not preserving or protecting the so-called freedom or secular values of our country. We, in fact, as patriots are standing up to preserve the fundamental principle of which this country was founded on. Patriots are here to restore the common good to all of America. Patriots of America are required to be just, moral, citizens. In short, they must be upstanding citizens. So for those who do not honor the Founders, revere the Declaration of Independence, and respect the Constitution, they will never be able to be patriots of the United States. 

For those naysayers who believe that America is past saving or think that there is nothing worth preserving in this country, they are wrong. I, for one, believe that our country can still be rescued. But it will take patriots to rescue and restore it. For those who think that there is nothing left preserving, then I say, create something worth preserving! Whether it’s a beautiful life lived by your own family,  or in your own community. You will find that there is still much good in this country that is worth fighting for. In fact, we should double our sacrifice to preserve this republic. We need dedicated patriots all the more so that this republic will not fail. For if we fail, who will hold up the beacon of freedom to the world? 

“The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican model of government, are justly considered deeply, perhaps as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people. -George Washington: First Inaugural Address, April 30, 1789. 

It is up to us patriots of America whether or not this country will still guarantee us our rights and freedom. We fight not just for ourselves, but for the future generations of this country so that they may experience the rights and freedom that  America has to offer.  “If ever the time should come, when vain & aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.”—Samuel Adams.

 So we need experienced patriots to ward off the attacks of the crafty politicians.  Even though many are divided, those who are true patriots must unite together so that we may preserve this republic and restore it to its former days of glory. Citizens must be vigilant! They must always be prepared to guard this country. As Thomas Jefferson said,  “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” You must know that to be a patriot means being fully committed to finding ways of assisting and defending the country. We must be ready to ward off the attack of any that would do harm to our republic. Patriots must always be willing to pay the price for freedom.  Countless people will remain immobile and silent, for their own safety or for the sake of convenience.  Benjamin Franklin puts to shame those who would remain silent: “They who give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” 

The emblem of all true patriots in America is the United States Flag. First of all, it represents our country and tells the history of its beginnings. The stars on the flag represent the different states. But it also has a much deeper meaning. It stands for a nation that is based on liberty, justice, virtue, and wisdom. It also represents all the patriots who have given their life for this nation. The US flag is our pride and joy, and it behooves every patriot to fly the flag with pride. For when the American flag is flown, it does not represent the degenerate culture that may be present, but our greatest qualities as a nation.  Ronald Reagan boldly stated, “When we honor our flag, we honor what we stand for as a Nation — freedom, equality, justice, and hope.” Calvin Coolidge’s remark about the flag is also quite inspiring: “We identify the flag with almost everything we hold dear on earth, peace, security, liberty, our family, our friends, our home… But when we look at our flag and behold it emblazoned with all our rights we must remember that it is equally a symbol of our duties. Every glory that we associate with it is the result of duty done.” Patriotic citizens are what the flag stands for. So as long as there is an upright patriot who is dedicated to serving their country, we can fly the flag! When there are no longer any patriots in America, the flag will cease to have a meaning. For it is the patriotic citizens who form the country.

 “O say,​does that star spangled banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!” Let us all become true patriots of America and do the utmost in our power to preserve this country, so that our flag always flies over the land of free, brave, citizens.