TheDifrntDrmr

Am I A Patriot?

When patriotism is reduced to loyalty to one man, we all lose. Instead, it should represent compassion, justice, and equality.

“There’s a famine of compassion”

– Midnight Oil

When we moved into our new house, the small piece of hardware mounted next to the garage door caught my eye. It was similar to the one on my childhood porch, where our family hung the flag on holidays. That changed when Iranian militants took Americans hostage in 1979. Some families tied yellow ribbons around trees; our family flew the flag to show solidarity with those in harm’s way.

I carried that tradition forward with my children. After 9/11, we flew our flag daily as the nation worked through its grief. For a while, it hung alongside the Gadsden flag — “Don’t Tread on Me” felt like the right message for a country determined not to bow to terror.

As the months wore on, our Old Glory faded in the California sun and was replaced with a new one. My kids learned flag etiquette as we respectfully retired it in flames, a ritual of honor and respect.