When patriotism becomes nationalism
The moment when my stomach turned for the first time
Reflecting on the National Anthem
The first time I stood in uniform for the National Anthem was on what is known as “R-Day” at West Point in July of 1983. That’s the day that new Cadets are received at the United States Military Academy. You start off at 6:30 AM as a kid right out of high school and then at 6:00 that night you march out onto the parade field and take the oath of office in formation as a member of the United States Army.
I’d love to say it was an inspiring and emotional moment, but the truth is I was terrified of what I had signed up for, nervous I would pass out from the heat as several my peers did and sweating in the 90-degree sun. I was taught that day that when I heard the National Anthem to stop, come to attention, offer a hand salute, or place my hand over my heart while standing in reverence.
For the next 27 years of my military service, I stood in countless parades, ceremonies, and events at attention offering respect to our nation and what it stands for. Sometimes it almost brought a tear to my eye at a memorial service or one of my promotions. Sometimes, it was uncomfortable and inconvenient. But I always felt the weight of my duty to my nation and pride in serving her.
After I retired, I noticed that my feelings about my service changed with the burden of the losses of friends; new perspectives on my part in our overseas conflicts; and the toll of the mental and physical scars I carried from those decades of service. Yet, I still stood with pride and a feeling of shared respect for our nation that the Star-Spangled Banner represents as I attended everything from baseball games to small town Memorial Day ceremonies.
Something has changed.
Flash forward to this weekend where I attended the annual festival in my Missouri hometown. It’s your classic fall small town event with craft booths, fair food, local organizations handing out information, historic reenactments, and, of course, political parties, candidates, and special interest organizations all vying for attention and donations.
I was there for a second day to check out the historic encampment…I’m kidding, I went for a funnel cake and a beer. As I wandered, I noticed the local Democratic Party booth had a guy in Uncle Sam costume and a board where people could put stickers on a chart to show what their priorities were from healthcare to safer gun regulations. The board was pretty full and people were laughing and taking pictures.
When I passed the Republican Party booth, they had a different approach. The first time I passed they were singing ‘America the Beautiful’ full throatily, standing at attention, and occupying much of the walkway in front of their booth. People sort of ignored it and worked their way around them. It was uncomfortable and off putting to me, but I brushed it off as a stunt.
Prominently displayed was none other than Donald Trump’s mugshot with the word “RETRIBUTION” printed across the front. I was stunned that this was their message, took a quick picture, and moved on shaking my head at the absurdity of it all.
I grabbed some food and made my way to a picnic table some 50 yards away. Then I heard it, the Star-Spangled Banner floating across the festival from the Republican booth. For the first time in my 58-years on Earth my skin crawled at the sound of our National Anthem.
I realized that they had launched into it while standing in front of Donald Trump’s mugshot with a word of revenge against other Americans printed across the bottom. They were forcing people who respected our national song, with all its protocols of respect and honor, to stop what they were doing, face the singers, and stare at the mugshot of the former President with a threatening message to his perceived enemies.
Not causing a scene
In this era of video recording public outbursts, I think it was a good thing I was so far away. I sat there in shock. I’ve never felt revulsion for that song in my entire life. But hearing their brutish singing of it as a tool to force patriotism on people just trying to enjoy a beautiful fall day while staring at the glowering face of the most malignant man in America that led an attack on our Capitol sent me over the edge.
I’ve always known that the MAGA movement was using our patriotic symbols as nationalistic tools and felt discomfort seeing the flag flown and waved as a weapon. Watching Trump molest it at events like some creepy stalker made me shake my head. But I think I had an intellectual approach to it feeling distaste and discomfort but still embracing those items as national symbols.
Then I heard the National Anthem being sung in front of Donald Trump’s mugshot at a festival and for the first time in my life felt a deep disgust at just how tainted that small act makes something so important to our nation. They have made it a threat.
Enough
We must fight back against this perverse movement. They don’t own patriotism in this country. They don’t own our national symbols. The MAGA movement has turned them into weaponized symbols of nationalism and threats to fellow Americans. Only we can take them back.
The story of the Star-Spangled Banner is one of perseverance. It’s one of fighting for our then new nation against an overpowering enemy and with the new day the hope of survival found in the waving flag emerging from the mist, smoke, and destruction.
That is the story of America. That is the story we must embrace to turn back this authoritarian movement that works to ruthlessly seize our nation. We must push back against the book banners, bigots, racists, and criminals.
Find a way to fight back where you live. Support pro-democracy candidates and organizations. Take back those symbols. Fly your flag. Fly it right next to your Pride Flag.
On my house is the flag of the United States next to one of the 101st Airborne Division with whom I served in combat and hanging in front is a small one that lays out that this isn’t the home of someone who hates most of his fellow Americans for simply being who they are.
Take back our patriotism from the nationalists.
Thanks for this post Fred. I live in a hard red crazy maga area in Texas, and I really struggle at times to not strangle some of these idiots and their fake ass “patriotism”. But my wife says I can’t strangle anyone, so I try to ignore them and do little things to help the dem party here. I fly my US flag next to my Ukrainian flag.
Thank you Fred. For a number of years now I have resisted the urge to say the pledge or to sing the anthem. I have been ashamed at what has come to light over my life of 77 years, of what this country has done or caused to have done in other countries, almost all to do with our “interests”; whether or not our actions were in the best interests of those affected. It has not been easy but it has been necessary for my own mental health. As for how I feel since the Orange Asshole was elected, well I could write a book about the part of the country where I’ve lived all my life and how it’s changed; and not for the better. The strength of this country has always been in its people; ALL of them. It was always for the common good; not for the good of the few rich enough to afford the better(See Robert Reich’s Substack messages on ‘The Common Good’). Many have made a radical detour from the common good and have been successful in splitting up, scaring and dividing neighbors. This is not good for anyone. It’s not healthy for the country. I want to live long enough to see the retribution guy die, preferably in prison but I’d settle for his demise by Magats finally seeing him for the demented little worm he really is. That would work too.