On Party and Patriotism

“No party holds the privilege of dictating to me how I shall vote. If loyalty to party is a form of patriotism, I am no patriot. If there is any valuable difference between a monarchist and an American, it lies in the theory that the American can decide for himself what is patriotic and what isn’t. I claim that difference. I am the only person in the sixty millions that is privileged to dictate my patriotism.”
-Mark Twain

Party politics is the reality of our political process, but does it always foster a truly patriotic spirit?

Nobody, whether Democrat, Republican, or any other political party, can decree what constitutes individual patriotism. For better or worse, that is left for me to decide – but only for me. You’ll have to decide for yourself, as will what is now some 300 million other American souls.

What a messy business this American republic is. And when it works, what a miracle.

One thought on “On Party and Patriotism

  1. Amen to these sentiments!

    Please read my last blog post about my efforts to speak openly about the educational system and the local administrators’ efforts to censor and intimidate me into silence. A comment would be appreciated if you have time.

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