Are You Patriotic?

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Sometimes someone will say something about America that is derogatory.

People will shout them down:

"You don't like it, leave!!"

But 'Never Forgetting' the catastrophe of 9/11 while also discussing, intelligently, some of the failures, on behalf of America, is not being unpatriotic.

Speaking out in frustration, or protesting the violation of basic human rights on a particular...is not unpatriotic.

The very best thing about being an American is that we have the right to sit, stand, kneel, run, hide, sing, cry, call out or hold our hand over our hearts.

Or not.

That's the very best thing.

Knowing that we can freely move across this beautiful nation...enjoying the same rights in California that we enjoy in New York.

That should be for all of us, by the way. No matter what color. Or who we love. Or what we believe.

All of us.

That's awesome.

It should not be taken for granted...

...but a funny thing happened to me as I thought about the people who are free to protest as they would like.

I grew incensed when I considered that someone would be short-sighted enough to do it on September 11.

Some of the people who sat out the National Anthem at some of the senseless ball games...couldn't have possibly felt what I felt on September 11, 2001.

I just remember being so sick to my stomach.

Wanting to just go home and hang with my family.

Fearing what the hell was going on.

Was this World War III?

I had young children...would they even get a chance to live?

I must admit that I had no idea who Bin Laden was before that day.

Call me ignorant or naive...I certainly was. I'm naive today too.

I don't live in constant fear of what I can't control.

My life is better for having been born in America.

I knew that in 2001.

I know it now.

And as I've grown older, I've become more critical of some of the things that happen in this country.

And I've grown more patriotic.

More patriotic while being less impressed by our leadership.

People can do that...

...so next time someone protests a cause that doesn't affect your life, remember that maybe they are doing it because they love the country even more than you might.

Simply waving the flag doesn't make you more patriotic than the guy who is protesting an issue beside you...

...but...

...We should all wave the flag on 9/11...

...and support those who suffered and lost more than we did that day.

If you love the country like you say you do as you protest...

...you should at least rise up for a few minutes and acknowledge the pain.

Or else you're just looking for attention.

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