Question

speech on:
punishment is a boon
music: The power of healing
patriotism: emotions or duties​

Answer 1

Answer:

It’s hard to be patriotic at Harvard.

Socially, it’s the kind of pressure that would make you shy away from throwing a U.S.A.-themed party or posting a purely celebratory post on the Fourth of July or Memorial Day. It’s the fear that there will be backlash, the fear of being asked, “How could you celebrate such a flawed country?”

Academically, it’s the kind of pressure that makes you couch any kind of praise of the U.S. with critique. The formula is as follows: “So yeah, the U.S. has provided the most extensive source of humanitarian aid in the history of the world … but it’s a horribly imperialist enterprise.” Swap imperialist with racist, sexist, homophobic, undemocratic, and hateful at your leisure.

It’s not that I don’t think the U.S. has been culpable for some instances of imperialism, racism, sexism, homophobia, or hatefulness. Hell, I’m sure we've done it all.

But we’ve also done plenty of good and are founded on principles that assume the equality and dignity of every citizen; I believe that we’re, overall, a force for good. Past and present transgressions aren’t reasons not to love the country.

Patriotism is a tricky, misconstrued feeling. David Brooks’s recent column post notes that flawed perceptions of patriotism often create an ingroup and outgroup, rather than one nation. Nationalism, the kind you see on the far right, isn't patriotism because it defines an American as one (predominantly white) thing, therefore creating an outgroup. There also tends to be a performative type of patriotism on the right: The U.S.A.-chanting, MAGA-hat-wearing patriotism, which doesn't amount to any concrete policy or mission of unity.