Patriot movement

 The patriotism is not just love or devoutness to the Motherland, nation and its values. This feeling can be compared to love to a close person and simple readiness to sacrifice yourself for sake of other people. It can be also called the highest level of altruism. And here comes the next question, does it appear simultaneously or it’s developed and has its basis. Of course the answer is obvious. Patriotism in the heart of the person appears and later develops since childhood, and the main role plays education at home, school, mass media, etc. First it’s love to the parents, later mutual attachment and respect realized in friendship with his coevals, and at the certain period of time pride and love to the Motherland.  These are the factors that form a system of common values in the mind of individual, give him idea about the world around. Education got since childhood helps a person to realize well-known concept of modern society “no rights without duties, no duties without rights”. Moreover it’s widely accepted that patriotism develops with great power in those countries, where every personality has a freedom and enough opportunities of wide participation in the life of society.

John F. Kennedy said: “ Don’t ask what the country had done for you, ask what you have done for the country”. The answer to the first part of the saying is clear. The country first of all gives a person rights written and stated in the Constitution more then 220 years ago “a right for life, freedom and right to pursuit happiness”.  This country became the first one to realize the concepts of freedom and democracy. This was the reason why our ancestors came here, the reason to get and build a better life for themselves and mainly for their children. The main difference between the Old and New World was that the USA gave opportunities for self realization and freedom that was lack in other tyrannical societies. The feeling of competition and belief that persistence, and hard-work are the essential parts of future success in society became the characteristic features of future nation. Perhaps no country in the world has done such a great step in development as the USA has done, with its citizens. Of course, we can not say that people did it just because of patriotism, it’s absurd to think in such a way. But improving their life, changing their life for better, they changed the whole country. The whole system built since first colonists came in Plymouth, allowed every member of the society the right for success, and self realization; which lately put USA among the top countries in economic, industrial growth and military power. 

All these aspects influence the life of the whole society, develop special character traits, which are widely common between people of one nation. First of all it’s pride for motherland, that is typical for every nation and the roots are in person’s attachment and respect to his family, land and country. 

The respect to the country through giving respect to flag, singing the anthem and other patriotic rituals develop patriotic feelings and gives an ability for a person to understand that he is a part of a nation, not just an individual.

Usually this feeling is just in the heart of the person and in common life doesn’t display vividly. It can be just seen in personal interest to country’s history, culture or literature, not more. Generally speaking the sense of patriotism is hidden and can be compared to some sort of potential energy that can be easily transformed into practical one. It displays during the time of extraordinary cases that have any kind of relationship to the entire nation, when person reasons not by his mind but by his heart and when his emotions direct himself. It’s both minutes of sorrow and pride, both the horror of Purl Harbor and September,11 and the first Flight to the Moon or victories of American athletes in sports. In these cases people feel the unity, along with other feelings either sorrow, sympathy or pride. But in both cases it’s the feeling of patriotism. Patriotism becomes a kind of “epidemic” when a big group of people is united by some kind of citizen purpose. A good example of it Purl Harbor tragedy and tragedy of September,11. These tragedies were an example of people’s reaction on attempt to shake the safe and integrity of their country. In such cases an individual feels that it responds to him, and in general to the whole country, and as a result differences between people disappear and they feel the unity. As a result the next day after the September,11 tragedy on the Flag Day the entire nation showed deep sorrow, sympathy, unity and readiness to react on what had happen. The reaction and further military campaign against Japan in WW2 and international terrorism after 9/11 showed country’s reaction and ability to defend it’s freedom, ideals and principles. It showed that people understood the real value and respect of what they gained, build by generations and that they were ready to protect it. The words of George W. Bush are a good summary to it “…Terrorists can shake the foundation of our biggest building, but they can not shake the foundation of our nation…” In such minutes every man feels readiness to help, to do something not just be a simple witness of the events, even sacrifice his health and life for the sake of others that proves the words of Horacious “It’s pleasant and glorious to die for the Fatherland”.  This feeling of altruism displays when a person agrees to be a blood donor, when he donates money or does some kind of volunteer community service. He doesn’t expect any feedback, moreover he feels satisfaction and kind of pride for what he does, knowing that he is doing something good. These cases may be seen as sorts of patriotism but of a local kind, which very often are more important in common life then some really great feeling. And again the bases of it are in education. It’s the reaction on one of the main principles of education and one of the concepts our society considers to be the essential: “Do people what you expect them to do to yourself”. Another important thing is belief, strong belief in what you do and confidence of right choice made.

Most of people who feel patriotism, feel it everyone in their own way, with one feeling in common: love to the country. And may be all of them will agree with Chinese wisdom: “Who is you best friend?” once a wise man was asked. And he replied: “One who is the best friend of my nation”.