...What is patriotism? Patriotism is more than just wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans on the fourth of July with the occasional fireworks in the evening. And it is way more than routing Michal Phelps to the gold. Calling yourself a patriot and living like one are two completely different things. The standard dictionary definition reads patriotism as “love of one's country.” This captures the root meaning of the term in ordinary use, but it just might be thought of too lightly and in need of a little more elaborating. True patriotism comes through showing loyalty to your country, treating others with respect, and knowing what to or what not to sacrifice. Patriotism is showing loyalty, and when you are loyal to your country, you love your country. It does not have to mean that you are only a patriot if you are wearing a camouflage cargo uniform and calling Afghanistan your home for a year or two. And it certainly does not mean that you shout “amen” after the President is finished with his speech. To be a patriot, you stand with what your country was built on and defend yourself and others on the truth that was handed down by our forefathers that lead your nation to what it is now and to what is expected to last for generations to come. Patriotism is respect, not only for your country, but to others as well. There is nothing more admirable than showing yourself as a respectable citizen by honoring the traditions and cultures of other people of foreign descent. A patriot...
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...Patriotism is the devotion of love and support to one’s country. Patriotism is also the defending of a country, which could mean making the ultimate sacrifice for the country. Without patriotism there would not be many thriving countries, patriotism is a necessity in the success of a country. Many people devote their lives to defending the country they live in and risk their lives doing so. Patriotism demands sacrifice and many unselfish acts that will benefit the country as a whole. Patriotism is the most valuable act in a country’s success and is the livelihood of a that country. People from all over the country are sacrificing their vacations and time off to help rebuild the city of New Orleans. Local business owners are opening their doors...
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...Expression and Devotion to Our Country What Makes a Person an American? What does it truly mean to be an American? There are so many possibilities when it comes to answering this question. Is it your patriotism, equality, or your freedom? Many would say that all three of these things are large factors of being an American. It is seen as a rather obligatory job for Americans to take their citizenship seriously. If you are an American, you are encouraged to talk positively about your country, and also to fulfill your duties as a citizen. Using your freedom as an advantage, by voting, and participating in the enrichment of your country. To be an American is to be patriotic, express your equality, and embrace the freedoms presented by our founding fathers without overstepping boundaries. Patriotism is a very important aspect of most Americans' lives. To be patriotic is to have or express devotion and vigorous support for one's country. Everyday Americans show patriotism not only in simple actions, but also by taking extreme measures and risks in...
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...Difining patriotism seems easy. Until one sits down to do it. Maybe if it was from a different point of view. From a person who lived outside of North America. Never experiencing anything other than the most basic form of the definition it does not come easy. Pride is there. Love for the country that is considered home. Is it true patriotism that is felt? Doubtful. True patriotism is willingness to stand up for what is right and wrong. Even if that means standing before a government that could easily stamp out a person. Being willing to go as far as it takes to ensure that what is right and wrong is clear and standing up for those beliefs. Loving ones’ country doesn’t make one blind to the faults of their homeland. It forms an acceptance and...
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...even encouraged. Why then should we, as a free country, be forced to say a Pledge that most haven’t even bothered to analyze? Can we truly believe that the children currently attending elementary school understand what they say when they repeat after their teacher? Is their level of comprehension high enough to be able to feel and understand what loyalty to one’s country is? Certainly not, and it doesn’t stop there. While it is understandable why our country enforces the Pledge early on, it is not understandable why it is continued into high school and even into college. If a child attending high school makes the conscious decision not to stand up for the Pledge, then he should be allowed to do so and exercise his rights. We live in a world where a teacher reprimanded her student for being “un-American” and “un-patriotic” because he did not recite the Pledge of Allegiance. (Jacksonville News, Sports and Entertainment) A Judge ruled the case unconstitutional and stated that it was a violation of his first and fourth amendment rights. Americans must stop narrowing their brains to the point where they perceive the pledge as the only means of which one can express their patriotism. It is ridiculous to judge one’s loyalty solely on what he says or doesn’t say. It is what you do that counts. A much more pressing issue about the Pledge of Allegiance is...
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...civic engagement, freedom, equality, patriotism and democracy. I do not believe that one of these values is more American than the other though three of these mean more to me personally than others. Patriotism, freedom, and equality. Together they make the United States of America unique from any other country. Yes, some countries have freedom, but no other country in the world is like ours because we hold these values nearest and dearest to us; at least most of us do. These five values are the values that we strive for in perfecting to make us so great. Some are more rounded than others but they are all what makes the United States so unique. I decided to chose was patriotism as one of the values that describes me as an American because I feel like no matter what the situation is in America, every American should be patriotic. Not saying that a person has to be a die hard patriotic person and willing to take a bullet for his, or her country, but one should love their country, not the government for say. I feel like patriotism defines who I am as an American because of the support and respect I have for my country, even though I do feel like there are flaws all throughout this country and it’s history, I still stand up and by my country. I decided to do my part and show my love and devotion for this country by joining the military and enlisting this past February. The text from class that I decided to chose was “On 9-11, patriotism and the U.S flag”. This was a good...
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...Patriotism I believe that patriotism is a belief or feeling of pride in one's own country. Our Country’s flag is seen everywhere but some people tend to forget the true meaning behind it. Patriotism not something that can be measured especially when it can’t be touched. Being an American can mean so much to a single and or many individuals due to hard work, freedom and diversity. Freedom, courage and honor are just a few symbolizations of the American flag. White signifies purity and innocence; Red, hardiness; and Blue, the color that signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice. The unity of our flag not only symbolizes America but the efforts and combats that have taken place and cannot be looked past. I think no one person can be more patriotic...
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...tradition it certainly does not mean required, while others would say people do it each day, so no big deal why can’t they just say it to keep everyone pleased. Does it shape them into being patriotic if it is just a daily routine that they are “supposed” to? Well to answer those questions if they feel forced to do these traditions they don’t comprehend it doesn’t bring out happiness. Then why do they partake in their country’s traditions if they don’t know or care about what it means to create a national identity? As soon as people stop singing their anthems, stop saying their morning pledges, or stop attending rituals traditions end then Nation’s power downfalls. Chapter three of Gendering Paradoxes discusses examples of traditions in depth, such as celebrating the Kings birthday or the morning assembly. In the first paragraph of chapter 3 performing patriotism Adely speaks to the staff at the school, as they discuss about celebrations for the Kings birthday the secretary asks a solid question. “All the girls? Can’t we send some of them out? Not all of them will be willing to go anyway. ” (Adely 57). She brings up an excellent point about how some of the girls would make up excuses for instance their parents wouldn’t allow them to participate. It sounds as though practicing these traditions is by force “At Al-Khatwa girls were engaged in rituals and...
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...and security of our freedom as a whole. The question becomes, at what point does it become too much. At what point have we sacrificed too much, and it becomes less of a sacrifice situation and more of an infringement of civil liberties. Mr. Will Herberg says Americans are optimistic. He wrote that the American Way of life encourages unity. He perceives this unity to be a somewhat positive aspect of the American Way of Life. He implies that Americans generosity and philanthropism,which can be good, leads to the one of the negative aspects of the American outlook. These qualities lead to Americans being easily ready to indulge in conflict around the globe. American’s vision for the world is one that mirrors its own. It is because of this vision that we see any threat or challenge of our vision as a problem. He implies that our common religion is the driving force behind our idealism. He also implies that it is our idealism that leads to us considering any struggle we become engaged in as a religious war. The Bill of Rights guarantee certain rights to citizens of the United States. One of the rights guarantee is freedom of speech. This “new patriotism” is one that ostracizes anyone who does not conform to the already established American Society. This new patriotism restricts Americans freedom of speech, and labels anyone who chooses to speak against it as disloyal or communist. He employs that the new patriotism is one that goes against tradition American which were founded on...
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...Twain 723). In 1905, Mark Twain composed the short story The War Prayer in an effort to open the eyes to patriotic, war-loving people. This term paper will be a close-reading on Twain’s short story The War Prayer. The focus will not be on what was said about this short story by other authors, but rather give an explanation and deeper understanding on its satirical criticism on people’s patriotism and their glorification of war. The First Paragraph “It was a time of great and exalting excitement” (Twain 652). After reading these first nine words in Mark Twain’s The War Prayer one expects the time of “great and exalting excitement” to be one of technological advances or economic strength, or at least having to do with another peaceful connotation. Twain diverts these associations with his satirical competence by writing “The country was up in arms, the war was on . . .” Therefore, a “time of great and exalting excitement” is when this country is at war. The first befuddlement of this statement is quickly resolved, when Twain gives to the reader already an explanation on why this country is indeed so excited to go to war: “The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism, . . .” Patriotism is absurdly exaggerated in The War...
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...However, their attitudes changed during the war because of the identity recognition and Discrimination. I think it is also the main themes of these films. These soldiers consider themselves as French citizens, but French military treats them as second-class soldiers. In the scene of they dining on a ship, the French officer refuse to offer North African soldier tomato for their meal. Ardelaker had a fight with his officer, but it not just because of a tomato, he want to be treat equally as his “French brother”. Ironically, after that, they heard the news of the victory from the radio, and they proudly sang the French national anthem together with their “French brothers”. It is pathetic because France does not and will never treat them as “own children”, and they just using their patriotism to fight for France. This film portrays this discrimination and self-recognition of African soldiers in many times. For example, they never got promotion no matter how loyal and brave they were during the battle, because the military only give promotion...
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...How does the writer present his thoughts and feelings about World War One? How far is the extract similar to and different from your wider reading in the literature of World War One? You should consider the writers choice of form, structure and language, as well as subject matter. By the extract being from Bertrand Russell’s autobiography it should show an accurate depiction of the war at the time, due to him actually living through these events. However, autobiographies could be biased as they are based on the writers’ beliefs and opinions rather than just the truth and facts. By him also being a pacifist and refusing to fight it would also mean he hadn’t been at the front so would only know what the rest of the people at home would, meaning that they would only be able to access the censored media within Britain at the time. By this being an extract from an autobiography we could expect for it to be a truthful depiction of the time, due to it being published a considerable amount of time after the war in 1967-69. However by Russell being a pacifist it could also be critical about the war due to him being against it. Within the first line of the extract Bertrand already shows a strong feeling of anger towards the war and the people that were involved in creating it “I became filled with… rage against all the statesmen of Europe”. Through his phrase of ‘all the statesmen of Europe’ it shows he wasn’t just angry with the British government but also all the other government...
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...Chapter 8,9,& 10 1. Are Taoism and Confucianism truly religions argue both sides. Taoism and Confucianism are two very different religious traditions of ancient China. Both Taoism and Confucianism cannot clearly be explained as a religion with certain doctrines and rituals as other well –known religions. As religious and social forces, they have coexisted for centuries in China and have spread to other Asian regions. The name Taoism is taken from the title of the book called “Tao Te Ching, which translates to “the way of nature. Taoism is based on the ancient Chinese understanding of the universe. Historically, the origin of Taoist philosophy is unclear, but it is said that the founder of Taoism is Lao-tzu, who lived in the sixth century B.C.E. Taoism can be described in terms of its history and its effects on Chinese people, nut it cannot be clearly delineated as a religion with a certain body of doctrine and rituals of Chinese antiquity. Philosophically, for Taoism, the ideal life is one that is lived in harmony with the way of this shifting nature. By the early centuries of the Common Era, Taoism had been converted into a religion complete with gods, priests, temples and sacrifices. In the modern days, Taoism is mainly associated with charms, exorcisms and magical attempts to prolong life, in which there is a self-generating force called chi (rather than there being a Creator Deity). This force manifests two interplaying aspects: yin and yang. Yin is the dark...
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...How far does sources C and D support what Emmeline Pankhurst is saying in Source B? The view of Pankhurst in Source B is that both women and men are needed, and are equally important in ensuring international peace. Source B says “We believe that under the joint rule of enfranchised women and men, the nations of the world will…find a way of reconciling the claims of peace and honour”. Source C also expresses a similar view, “You must remember that if the men fight, the women are the mothers. Without the mothers you have no nation to defend”. Both sources express the view that the war cannot be resolved without the help of women, as they have a key role to play for the nation, thus encouraging the government to allow women to take part in the war. On the outbreak of war women were not allowed to take part, Emmeline Pankhurst urges the government to reconsider the position and role of women by stressing the importance of women in regards to the nation. Therefore source C does support the views of Source B, both genders have joint importance. Source B also stresses the importance of women joining the war effort, “future task of women, only they can perform it”. Source D also shares this view as it calls for women to join the war effort, “Women must help to save it,” it does not intend to encourage men to join, it is specifically targeted at women. Both the sources express the importance of women showing patriotism, emphasising the importance of solely women. Source B believes...
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...jovial is transformed into romantic passion for the other main protagonist, Villanelle. Contrary to Henri’s advances of romance, Villanelle focuses her romantic emotions towards gambling and the Queen of Spades. Villanelle’s literal addiction to gambling and metaphorical addiction to gambling her heart demonstrates Winterson’s non-linear and maze like writing style. Love and romance is a gamble within itself. The uncertainty and inconclusive nature of the feeling is entwined with the characters journeys and hence allows the reader to experience the uncertainty of love and the characters perspectives of love. “Passion” is deemed as romantic passion in the novel The Passion and although represented in unconventional means it is used as a façade for Henri’s patriotism, for Villanelles addiction to gambling and is also used literally through Villanelle’ romance for the Queen of Spades and illustrated literally as the roller-coaster ride that romance takes lovers on through Jeanette Winterson’s ambiguous writing style. Through Henri, Winterson shows how romantic passion strongly influences the characters thoughts and actions, and the style of the novel. Henri discovers his romantic passion for Napoleon...
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