The Eagle and the Osprey
If you haven’t seen Longmire on Netflix yet, you really should get to binging. Alec and I have just finished the last season and are really going to miss Walt and Standing Bear’s bromance. In the first episode of season six, Marilyn (the Crow Medicine Woman) asks Walt if he is the Eagle or the Osprey (presumably referencing Walt’s tumultuous relationship with Standing Bear). She says: “The eagle and the osprey are not friends. You see, the osprey is good at fishing and the bald eagle not so much. The eagle takes advantage of the osprey.”
I have been haunted by the image of the eagle all day, which brings this dialogue to mind. Today, I was challenged to think about the notion of patriotism. Am I patriotic? If so, what does that mean? If not, what does that mean?
I asked a few friends what patriotism meant to them, after reading this article on the Huffington Post.
One of my friends said that to be patriotic meant to be loyal to your country. She believes that you may not agree with everything that occurs within the country, but you are loyal. So, I started thinking about the meaning of loyality. To be loyal means (per Merriam Webster): “Giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution.”
If being a patriot means being loyal, I am out. I do not firmly support many of the things that our country does. Especially, when it stomps on those who are vulnerable and in need. I am loyal to my husband, and try to support him even when he is clearly wrong (although, I may be prone to helpfully point out the error of his ways). I am loyal to my family and friends. I am loyal to my faith. Although, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I am loyal to my church. Certainly, every institution can use some reform now and again-loyalty could impede to that end.
One of my other friends said that patriotism means “Unconditional love of country. Being proud of all that’s good with my country. Knowing that nothing is perfect even the good ole USA but love for it is unconditional.” He is letting me directly quote him because he is awesome and amazing (truly, we often disagree but we have some meaningful, in-depth, discussions).
In my last blog post, I addressed why I don’t love America, so I won’t bore all you faithful readers with a recap. In the past, I have described unconditional love in only two ways: love of God and love of family. That kind of love (for me) is without reservation. I am not sure my feelings towards America qualify for this.
On the way home from a meeting tonight, Toby Keith’s song “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue,” came on the radio. If you don’t know it, here it is:
I was tempted to change the station, however, in the spirit of wrestling with patriotism, I kept it on. This is when the imagery of the eagle and the osprey leapt into my head.
I understand what Toby Keith sings about here. There are those that fight to protect our nation each and every day. Their sacrifices are many, including loss of physical ability, PTSD, loss of family bond, and even loss of life. They sacrifice in unimaginable ways, for which I am, and forever will be grateful.
One of the lines of this song is:
This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage
And you’ll be sorry that you messed with
The U.S. of A.
’Cause we’ll put a boot in your ass
It’s the American way
The American way is to resort to violent retaliation in the face of any and all opposition? I’m not on board that train-mainly because [I believe] my main man Jesus Christ would not approve of such an outlook. He was all about subverting authority to expose injustice and self-sacrifice rather than violent displays of power.
We regard America as the Osprey, yet America functions much more like the Eagle. We [and I support this with my tax dollars, so I do mean we] bully other countries with our power. We beat or shame into submission our own citizens who dare to voice their freedoms (ahem…NFL protest…ahem). We often take advantage of vulnerable situations to pursue our own agenda.
After careful thought and consideration, I do not consider myself to be patriotic. However, like my good friend Christian, I am proud of the good things that our country does. I am proud of the steps forward we take and the freedoms that we are allowed.
God bless all nations.
