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PDFTuesday, while millions of Americans chose to celebrate our nation's Independence Day, the Associated Press decided to explain to the celebrating millions who attended parades, fireworks, and other Independence Day events that the word "Patriot" isn't necessarily what you think it is.
That too, the activist press says, is changing.
"Evolving."
"Morphing."
Be informed, not misled.
The traditional version of a patriot, AP says, "is only one version of a 'patriot'.”
Today, the word and its variants have morphed beyond the original meaning. It has become infused in political rhetoric and school curriculums, with varying definitions, while being appropriated by white nationalist groups. Trying to define what a patriot is depends on who is being asked.
While the word’s origins come from ancient Greece, its basic meaning in American history is someone who loves his or her country.
A long time ago...
The original patriots come from the American Revolution, most often associated with figures such as Sam Adams and Benjamin Franklin. But enslaved people who advocated for abolition and members of native communities trying to recover or retain their sovereignty also saw themselves as patriots, said Nathaniel Sheidley, president and CEO of Revolutionary Spaces in Boston. The group runs the Old State House and Old South Meeting House, which played central roles in the revolution.
“They took part in the American Revolution. There were working people advocating for their voices to be heard in the political process,” Sheidley said.
The hallmark of patriotism then, he said, was “a sense of self-sacrifice, of caring more about one’s neighbors and fellow community members than one’s self.”
“Patriotism really depends on which American is describing himself as patriotic and what version or vision of the country they hold dear,” says Matthew Delmont, a historian at Dartmouth.
AP Used Independence Day to attack the word ‘Patriot’ by tying it to racism, extremism – and Trump
Associated Press published their article on July 4, saying that “patriot” has become “problematic” in recent years, arguing that extremist groups have appropriated the term to hide racist beliefs.
“The term ‘patriot’ in America has become infused in political rhetoric and school curriculums, with varying meanings, while also being appropriated by white nationalist groups,” AP says in a tweet promoting the article.
The term ‘patriot’ in America has become infused in political rhetoric and school curriculums, with varying meanings, while also being appropriated by white nationalist groups. https://t.co/UO2stwBz51
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 4, 2023
The article argues that the meaning of the word patriot has changed over the years and that it has morphed into a buzzword for right-wing “extremists.”
By citing statistics from the radical, far-left Southern Poverty Law Center, the article claims that, since the Obama administration, right-wing groups have used the word “patriot” to fight against LGBTQ rights and immigration, saying conservative leaders such as President Donald Trump have co-opted the word by calling his supporters patriots:
“Since then, many right-wing groups have called themselves ‘patriots,' as they’ve fought election processes, LGBTQ+ rights, vaccines, immigration, diversity programs in schools, and more. Former President Donald Trump frequently refers to his supporters as “patriots.’”
Thus, the article conflates conservative values, such as border security and traditional views of sex, with extremism and racism. It claims that patriotism today is associated with “conspiracy theories” and violence.
Louisiana State University historian Gaines Foster says in the article that “people began to lean less toward a commitment to democracy and more to the notion in the Declaration of Independence that there is a ‘right of revolt,’ and that becomes patriotism,” citing the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, as an example.
What's AP's motive in publishing the article?
One person on Twitter said, "Many are suspicious of the timing of the article since it was released on Independence Day."
Another said, “AP can’t even take a break from dividing Americans on Independence Day. Pathetic.”
Takeaway
MSNBC Deadline: White House host Nicolle Wallace managed to snag another interview with the President. As many expected, it was yet another embarrassing display for the network as Wallace giggled her way through the interview.
MSNBC’s Alex Wagner promoted the idea that the country's founding set up a “racialized caste system.” Wagner was posing questions such as, “If you look at the origins of police forces, some of those sprang from slave patrols, like, when you have a country that is founded, that has institutionalized racism, how do you get to a more perfect union when you can begin to see not just the existence of white nationalism, white rage, white racism, but begin to combat it.”
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Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Faithful. Be Bold. Be Prayerful.