Category
The Progressive Patriot label stands for our sense of the urgent need to rally political progressives to stand up and fight for the values of our democratic republic in the wake of the election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States. The series of posts grouped under The Progressive Patriot is meant to be a rallying cry. We write this sincere rallying cry to fellow progressives on the 240th anniversary of these famous lines from The Crisis, by Thomas Paine:
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
In the founding myth of America, patriots were commoners (compatriots) who loved their country, who were willing to oppose British monarchical rule; their rebellion was based on the political philosophy of republicanism, which insisted on popular sovereignty, representative self-government, an uncompromising commitment to individual rights as inalienable, liberty, protection of minority rights, political checks and balances, and an anti-aristocratic insistence on equality before the law. You can find this spirit reflected in the writings of the founding fathers, in the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Gettysburg Address. It’s our fucking way of life, people. It’s more than just leave me the fuck alone and the right to bear arms.
It’s no accident, therefore, that American patriotism has historically been something qualitatively different than mere love of country, or loyalty to a ruling party or establishment, or even defense of the nation. American patriots are dissenters. American patriots are freedom fighters. American patriotism is about defending the ideals of the American Revolution. This is why, it turns out, that most of the major artifacts of our patriotism, including America the Beautiful, the Pledge of Allegiance, the famous lines written on the Statue of Liberty, Fanfare for the Common Man, and This Land is Your Land, were all written by people whom today we would call progressives.
Today we also find ourselves in dark times. These are not times suited to summer soldiers and sunshine patriots. There will be no tote bag or coffee mug in exchange for your generous donation. It’s time to resist. It’s time to fight.
Our antagonists on the right have insisted that patriotism means “loyalty to country, right or wrong” and public displays of devotion to national symbols. But the progressive patriot insists that American patriotism is loyalty to a set of principles enshrined in our political institutions, principles that are both imperfectly and only partially realized in our history and national life. An unshakable commitment to the promise of a more perfect union is the core value of the progressive patriot.
Today we also find ourselves in dark times. These are not times suited to summer soldiers and sunshine patriots. There will be no tote bag or coffee mug in exchange for your generous donation. It’s time to resist. It’s time to fight.
In 1973 Hannah Arendt made a profound observation: America is not a nation. American neo-nationalism is thus little more than a racist, intolerant attempt to recreate what never was.
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With the current rise of neo-nationalism and right-wing populism in America, much of what passes as American patriotism today is–in fact–quite illiberal.
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The birthday of Benedict Arnold today reminds us of why the framers of the Constitution were obsessed with the risks associated with mixing government service with private business, especially where it had to do with foreign powers.
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O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath—America will be!
From Let America Be America Again, by Langston Hughes, 1938.
