Tom what branch did you serve in? I'm a liberal army vet that gets sick of draft dodgers defining patriotism for me.

To conservatives patriotism is chants and mantras. To this liberal its actions and deeds.

I supported our military with my life. I pay taxes and I don't whine about it not being fair. The army taugh me life isn't fair. We make choices. You can feel blessed for signing a 400 million dollar contract to spread hatred or you can whine about taxes.

I serve on juries and I have faith that, not perfect, American has the best system of justice on earth.

I never while about actifist judges. I'm blassed America has a system of checks and balances.

I revere our consitution and I don't seek to have it modifier when things don't go my way.

"Traditional Republican" and the Founding Fathers were anti-war "non-interventionist" the new Republicrats have changed what it means to be republican.
Read how Robert Taft (Mr. Republican) and Barry Goldwater felt about foreign intervention.

Or the Founding Fathers...
"I am for free commerce with all nations, political connection with none, and little or no diplomatic establishment. And I am not for linking ourselves by new treaties with the quarrels of Europe, entering that field of slaughter to preserve their balance, or joining in the confederacy of Kings to war against the principles of liberty." --Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 1799. ME 10:77

"Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations--entangling alliances with none, I deem [one of] the essential principles of our government, and consequently [one of] those which ought to shape its administration." --Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural Address, 1801. ME 3:321

"The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith:—here let us stop." George Washington’s farewell address.

The purpose of this seems to be to make patriotism equivalent to jingoistic nationalism. Buyer beware!

Is this a "War on Christmas" type rant to just get the wingnut base stirred up? Patriotism is not blindly following an administration into a war of choice. Fight to defend the United States: YES. Fight for Big Oil: NO.

Once again, a nationalistic stance is being presented as patriotism. Frankly, I've had it with so-called "patriots" who say we should gladly give up our civil rights and back our government - even when it's wrong. That's not patriotism. What they’re promoting is blind obedience to government – just the opposite scenario the Founding Fathers envisioned.

It's reached the point for me that when someone tells me they're a patriot, I brace myself for the inevitable diatribe from them about how dissent is un-patriotic and how the rest of us don't care enough about our country. It's insulting and arrogant.

The Libertarian seems to have hit the nail on the head, with a healthy dose of the CT Yankee. (Couldn't resist that one.)

The concept of American nationalism is really summed up by the Jefferson/Washington quotes. To our very roots the concenpt is individual liberty and inalienable rights, not football style worship of our government. (Footbal style in that our team is better than yours and I'm willing to get drunk and insult old ladies to prove it.) I will be the first to admit that the modern definition of nationalism is problematice. The American ideal of nationalism is quite the opposite. It is not pacifist by any means though it is certainly not in the modern vein of nation-building and eternal squabbles leading to deployment of troops in over 100 nations of the world.

I dare say America will be great when we get back to the non-pacifist, American style nationalism espoused by our Founding Fathers. Individual rights, liberty and inalienable rights. Now to get rid of the Big Brother state having been created by George Bush and his Neo-conservative American nationalists.

on the 4th America should be remembered for what we really were, not revisionist dogma.

Your blog suggests that Tom Sowell is a draft dodger. I suggest you dig a little deeper before you hurl that accusation. Tom Sowell is a USMC vet. Let's drop the labels as listen to the message. Whether your leanings are conservative or liberal, those of us who served did so to preserve the right of all to speak their mind. As for myself I have 26 years of service with the Navy, most recently including a rotation in Iraq

About 35% of the time Sowell says something that is intelligent and reasonable. Today's piece is part of the 65%. Simply put, it's a bunch of drivel. Guys like Sowell have a hard time understanding that we live in an international world, which has to be reflected in what our school children read and learn. If he had his way we'd go back to pre-WWII isolationism where a bunch of jingoistic lunatics waved flags extolling the virtues of their country while the rest of the world was moving with the times.

Our world has become far too interdependent to entertain such potentially damaging nonsense.
Next we'll hear (like the last election) "if you don't support Bush Doctrine - you are a traitor and want to aid the terrorists!"

One of the warning signs of creeping fascism is Powerful and Continuing Nationalism.

True patriotism is caring about the well being of others. "Patriotism" of other forms is empty, hollow and useless.

In other words patriotism is the golden rule.

There is a need for a one world government and then we can all be world patriotes and celebrate peace together as one human family with liberty and justice for all.

My dog's better than yours. My mom can beat up your mom. My French hero is better than your sniveling German. My country's bigger, stronger, prettier, yatter, yatter, yatter . . .

Sowell decries the rewriters of history, then follows up by doing so himself. Maybe he should study the military failures in the French collapse of WWII. The outdated strategy and tactics the French used had much more to do with their defeat than lack of patriotism.

. . . the worst threat to patriotism comes from people like our putative "President", who use accusations of being unpatriotic to block inquiries and comments about their perfidity.

Isn't Sowell, affiliated with Stanford University, one of the "intelligencia" he so despises? I guess not, because it would seeem that in order to be a member of the "intelligencia," one might have to be capable of saying something "intelligent." Sowell falls flat in that regard.

This is such useless drivel. This is a "charge of the light brigade" rant. Just go and die, and you'll be a hero later.

To Libertarian: Thomas Jefferson must have had to eat his words when he sent troops to "the shores of Tripoli" to fight the Muslim pirates who attacked American merchant ships and held Americans for ransom. "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." As far as I'm concerned, yes, stay out of foreign entanglements, but keep your powder dry and lets not emasculate our military, because utopia hasn't arrived yet and we will be called upon to fight, like it or not. Except in a few enlightened democracies, the world is still very much like 1776, everyone should read the Declaration of Independence tomorrow and understand what we fight for. At that time 56 men changed history. Don't think that change will not have to be defended to be kept.

Yep, just as I predicted.
Like the last presidential election (if you want to call that corrupt event an "election") we now get to hear more and more cries of "patriotism" "treason" (if you don't blindly go along with BushCo) and "if you're not for us - you're for the terrorists!" BS.

The leftists just don't get it, as usual.

True patriotism (as opposed to the "jingoistic nationalism" they are so constantly bothered about) is genuinely loving your country, warts and all -- but not dwelling excessively on the warts. When your country is in the wrong, your duty is to put it right -- and move on.

The liberals posting here refuse to acknowledge that just as it's possible to be *too* uncritically devoted to one's country, it's also possible to be too critical. Isn't that a fair statement? Dissent has a place in making sure government remains accountable, but so does loyalty. They need to be in balance.

Civilizational overconfidence can lead a country into grave, dangerous mistakes. On the other hand, civilizational underconfidence saps a nation's ability to preserve its interests. Balance. That's all the country has a right to ask.

"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel." -- Samuel Johnson

"The government is merely a servant -- merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them." -- Mark Twain

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." -- Theodore Roosevelt

Thomas wrote, "Balance. That's all the country has a right to ask."

"Balance" is truly needed. How about a balanced energy policy? That means we'll hear something more than "get more oil at any cost!"

Resent your implication that liberals like me are not loyal. I am fiercely loyal and will put my love of country up against yours any day. What worries me as a liberal is the long history of demagogues (of whatever party) hiding behind the banner of patriotism. You've really got to keep your eyes open when somebody starts vaunting their patriotism (e.g., McCarthy, Agnew, Nixon and others who used patriotism as the proverbial last refuge of scoundrels).

Sewell does have a point. Standing for and believing in your country means standing for and believing in her ideals, her philosophies - and there are certainly many of these (freedom, justice, equality under the law, etc.) in the USA that deserve defending.

However, as with most things, a balance is important. Another letter in the DesNews today rails against the NY Times for publishing an editorial critical of our handling of the war on terrorism. This is when patriotism has gone too far and, thus, is rightfully disdained.

Just as most things are never good when taken to an extreme, we should not take the defense of our country's values - our patriotism - to the point of blind obedience and vile disdain of any and all "opposing" points of view.

Balance is the key. Our society could not function without a healthy mix of capitalism and socialism; of political perspectives at all levels of government; of different societal forces contending with one another. So we "leftists" fear an absolutist interpretation of "patriotism" that, at the extreme, would ban that story from the Times. That's far from patriotism, it's totalitarianism - and is rightfully disdained.

"To Thomas," I'm implying nothing at all about you. Why on earth would you be so sensitive to the common-sense suggestion that it's possible to go too far to one side in the balance between loyalty and dissent? Is that not simply true?

Worrying about an excess of patriotism in today's political climate is like worrying about floods in the middle of a ten-year drought.

I personally do not obsess as you do about the level of patriotism in this country. I'm worried about the excess of demagoguery (Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity) that masquerades as patriotism and denies flatly that anyone who disagrees with their ideologies could possibly be a patriot too. There are too many willing to fall for it. The result of overweening patriotism is truly scary --- Japanese in internment camps, Arab citizens attacked, and McCarthyite destruction of all reasonable dialogue.

Do you treat people as you would want to be treated? are you honest? kind? helpful when needed? They you are a true patriot. If you wave the flag and profess love for your country but you are not good to your fellows, you are not a patriot.

There is always a monumental difference between the current administration and The People.
The administration we have at present has been very clever with promoting one ideological notion after another - All the time waving the flag.
Only our less-than-bright citizens are falling for that little political BS scheme anymore.
Thank God!

Happy Fourth of July! Let's remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in securing our freedoms. God Bless our servicemen and women past and present who were and are willing to give their lives if need be for love of country!

Thank you!

And God bless our armed forces who through no fault of their own have been put in harm's way for purely economic reasons.
Let's put pressure on BushCo to bring them home now!

no thanks - I'd rather support the US Constitution. All of you high-minded types who care so much about "freedom" must know that free speech in that wonderful utopia of Canada has been outlawed. Try criticizing homosexuality there or radical Islam and see what happens. Off to the tribunal!I don't care for the leftist form of "freedom" thank you very much.
I don't know if the left wing has ever noticed but it's actually a cruel, brutal world out there. Checked out Zimbabwe lately or the Sudan? What about Saudi Arabia - they really support gay rights. You may want to support this country because it's the last place where freedom (not counting out of control taxation)lives

The writer was a marine. Most likely a recon marine who was dropped in the jungles to fend on his wits.

Like my mother told us: You are judged by the company you keep. Bush cut and ran from his reserve commitment. Rush, Chenny, Rove, Savage got deferments. O'Reily and Hannity never served.

A conservative who wore a uniform, what a strange notion. I thought they was all just smoking dope, advocating free love and attending rock concerts while getting free antibiotics at the free clinic as they verified us who served.

When the bullets stopped flying patriot come out like roaches in the night.

Did you know Rush visited Fort Bragg once were he was wined and dining at the O Club. That's sacrifice like the sacrifice conservatives patriots make by refusing to pay for the war like they once refused to wear a uniform.

Seeing how I'm a vet and tomorrow is the Forth of July: this letter will be censored for not being nice.

If you had experience the same folks who once onlt gave you the finger lecturing you on patriotism you might not feel nice ether. No coward is telling me about patriotism!

Good one, Enough!

There is a BIG disconnect between what Tom Sowell writes in his column and what I see posted here by those of you who repeat left wing talking points. My take on the article is that Sowell is making an observation on the French experience and suggesting it might be wise to learn from it. If you are wise you will think about it....and I dont think that he expected everyone to agree with him. Some of you are so full of venom and hatred that it makes it difficult to have an intelligent exchange. It has always seemed strange to me that the left always spouts about being open minded...yet when a conservative point of view is expressed the left gets ugly and attempts to silence anyone who thinks differently (as on our college campuses).

Finally a couple reasonable responses by "Citizen of the World?", and "For Honest Discussion."

Thank you for articulating my feelings exactly!!

There's a great article in the left-wing magazine "The Progressive" today, entitled "Why I'm Not Patriotic."

But apparently I'm some kind of Nazi for "questioning" the patriotism of the author after he's expressly renounced it. What a loopy world.

It is indisputable that there is a certain species of progressive that believes the whole concept of patriotism is regressive. NOT ALL LIBERALS AGREE WITH THIS, not by a long shot. (I have to use capital letters because some people are really, really touchy about this.) Peter Beinart has a good column in the latest New Republic on patriotism from a liberal perspective.

I believe that both "my country, right or wrong" and "my country can do no right" are foolish concepts, that there needs to be a proper balance between the two, and that the present state of the balance in this country is such that fears of excessive patriotism are unsupported.

But apparently one can't believe these things without being accused of being "obsessed." That's just life, I guess. Happy Fourth, all.

The French experience: the edited version. The last war on American soil the Civil War. The French have deal with wars and these wars effected the French world view.

Spending a couple years in Germany, I saw a fear of nationalism there.

Every war in Europe was preceded by nationalism a patriotic messages about motherlands, fatherlands (homelands).

The Germans felt they were the world's best. They loved a politician that told them what they loved hearing.

Germany had problems. Nazis had a scape goat: the Jews. God Germans, like good conservatives here must unite again a common villain.

Rove studied German propagandists well.

Tom here does his job. He makes those that don't stout "hail" load enough suspect.

Family Security Matters - The right-wing front group, claims "multi-culturalism threatens U.S.

Headstones of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are inscribed with the Pentagons war-marketing slogans.

White House and the RNC are going to make a habit of using uniformed military personnel as props at Republican political rallies, despite the fact that it is a plain violation of military regulations banning politicization of the armed forces.

"You must glorify war in order to get the public to accept the fact that your going to send their sons and daughters to die." The inside story of the cozy relationship between big box office American war movies and the Pentagon.

Old Majority leader: "Iraq war may be the greatest gift we can give our grandchildren."

This administration and the far-right that supports it is a close to fascism as I have ever seen in my 63 years.

Re: Enough. You sound like you’re partially mixed up on which ones are the liberals and which are the conservatives. Regardless, I respect and appreciate your service to the country. A hearty thanks. And this is a wise, insightful column by Thomas Sowell, as usual.

Yeah and Abraham Lincoln was considered a tyrant and despot by public opinion and the press of his day.

Surely 'To never' isn't so ridiculous as to compare Abraham Lincoln with Dubya?

@ never seen it so bad - 63 years with your eyes closed - what a tragedy- this admin is fascist? Do you even know what the word means? Are Republicans the ones banishing smoking and trampling over property rights or Democrats? Do the thieving trial lawyers give more money to Deomocrats or Republicans? Are the Deomocrats against free speech (Fairness doctrine) or Republicans?
You still have a few good years left. Do your posterity a favor and vote Republican ...

My point in bringing up Abraham Lincoln is that it is difficult to see things are they are in present tense. If many of the bloggers on this site lived circa the Civil War they would be going after Lincoln. You dont have to agree with Sowell....but you are foolish if you dont listen to what he says. Sowell is not talking about Iraq or the current administration....he is questioning the values of some who undermine patriotism. We have a lot of sunshine patriots....but very few are willing to wear the uniform (yes I am an Iraq vet and a Desert Storm vet.....and I am willing to let my son serve as well). It bothers me to hear people talk about how greatful they are for their liberties and then fail to thank those who preserved those liberties. That kind of patriotism needs to be thought through....and no I am not in complete agreement with the current administration. All I ask for is for is an honest and respectful discussion.

A Bush-41-appointed Federal District Judge yesterday became the third judge -- out of three who have ruled on the issue -- to reject the Bush administration's claim that Article II entitles the President to override or ignore the provisions of FISA. Yesterday's decision by Judge Vaughn Walker of the Northern District of California also guts the central claims for telecom immunity and gives the lie to the excuses coming from Congress as to why the new FISA bill is some sort of important "concession." More than anything else, this decision is but the most recent demonstration that, with this new FISA bill, our political establishment is doing what it now habitually does: namely, ensuring that the political and corporate elite who break our laws on purpose are immune from consequences.

Abraham Lincoln had a beautiful command of English. Bush can't speak with a command of English when his words are written for him.

This argument that because someone else did it it's right never cut it when I was a child. It's the best most adult conservatives seem to have.

The patriotic thing to do would be to impeach Bush. This is a nation of citizens not royalty.

This to is a newspaper that depends on fee speech and is so quick to censor speech.

Utah isn't America?

I'm not so sure I can very patriotic (meaning to go along with the present neconservative administration) when I hear the war may continue for 100 years.
Now THAT's staying the course to neurotic levels.

We just received notice from our company that all our product prices are increasing because of the cost of gasoline and shipping charges. We suggested that the company have all our distributors look at the records of our congressmen to see how they have voted in the past for energy solutions. Have they blocked the finding and drilling for oil? Have they blocked our citizens from finding solutions to energy problems? There is one main party and one main man that is running for President that thinks that the government is the solution to all our energy problems; when in reality congress needs to get out of the way of business, they need to get out of the way of Americans that know how to find solutions to all challenges and problems. Our free enterprise system is the answer, congress has no answers. We especially don't need Jim Matheson in congress to keep your price of gasoline going up. The price of gasoline affects all prices, and even the American Dollar. Do your duty, find out the real reasons we are having this problem and you will find it is the Democratic Party that is responsible.

That's why I'm voting for Obama.

To "I Love America" and to all those other folks who think Obama is the answer. If he is elected, you had better be prepared for the outcome because you and your children will have to live with it for years to come. Most of us old folks will be gone and will not have to live with the mistakes of people with a fine command of the English language, but with no concept of Economic Security, Energy Security or Military Security.
Good Luck!!

I think Joel Brown has been out in the sun too long.
The problems we Americans are encountering are because of the CURRENT ADMINISTRATION - not the one that is going to replace it.
That's the similar twisted logic as preemptive war(an American first - and hopefully last).

"...when I hear the war may continue for 100 years."

There goes the liar again. Think I'm being mean? Look up the youtube video of what John McCain and actually said and see if Mr. Anon is honestly characterizing it.

As long as the people who characterize Mr. Sowell's pretty mild praise of patriotism as being akin to what the Nazis are about are all on the Left, liberals' patriotism will be suspect. That's too bad for the genuinely patriotic liberals, but it is what it is. Let them Sister Souljah the patriophobes.

What man has ever said "I love my wife, BUT..." and really loved his wife?