Are you patriotic?

What is patriotic?  What do we associate with patriotism in 2012?  What did we consider patriotic in 1983?  1955?  1863?  Does "Patriotism" change?  In the 50's, being against communism, loving mom and dad, and apple pie was "American", but was it patriotic?  In the 80's, smashing Honda Civics, rock and roll, and rubic's cubes were "American", but were they "Patriotic"?  The question is not meant to define which era of American history was more patriotic, but rather, what is the meaning of patriotism, and how (and SHOULD) we go about showing it?  Websters Dictionary says a Patriot is one who loves his/her country and supports its authority and interests; and "Patriotism" is love for, or devotion to, one's country.  But is blind patriotism good?  Jefferson said we should challenge the authority of the gov't, so is that unpatriotic? or is there a difference between the interests of our government, and our country?  Clearly our country doesn't want the graft, insider trading, tax evaders and endless corruption the members of our government perpetrate on us through the government...so is it patriotic to hold our representatives in government accountable to OUR standards...since it is WE THE PEOPLE who are our government?
     If so, then maybe, just maybe, it ISN'T patriotic to go along with all the wars these corrupt politicians get us into.  To see a "Support our Troops" magnetic ribbon on an SUV, right next to an "Obama Biden 2012" or "Romney/Santorum/Newt whatever 2012" sticker makes me think that if you really care for "our troops"...perhaps we should support a candidate who doesn't want them sent into hostile foreign countries with the goal of...well, actually I don't think we have an actual goal...maybe "kick ass?"  When Sherman drove to Atlanta, he burned, killed and destroyed every damn thing he could in order to break the will of the South.  This was brutal, and effective.  He did not go house to house looking for people wearing the wrong color uniform, or stop by the churches to see if they could point them to the "bad guys"...he brought Cronos' Sickle to the fight, and let god figure out who was guilty...because it is not the job of the military to build roads, water and power utilities, and protect religious artifacts...it is the job of the military to blow stuff up and bring the enemy to their knees in order to obtain an unconditional surrender.  I'll say one thing about the emperor of Japan in the 1940's...he wasn't going to surrender to the USA unless 400,000 of his citizens were vaporized in a matter of seconds.   "War is hell"...but at least you only have to do it once.  Right now, we have children of people who served in Afghanistan signing up to join the military and join the fight.  Are we stupid?  or are we "patriotic"? 
     If we truly love our country...truly...and want what is best for our COUNTRY, not our political figures, military contractors and foreign leaders getting American money in exchange for their "help"...we would bring our troops home to get jobs, raise their kids and be productive members of society.  And if we truly love our troops, and want what is best for them...then we need to stop sending them into unwinnable situations with politics trumping military strategy.  If we support our troops, then do this one simple thing...and I don't care if you are Republican or Democrat...do this:
If you HAVE NOT donated to a political party or candidate...take your checkbook and look up "Wounded Warrior Project", this is a private organization dedicated to truly helping our kids who have lost legs or other parts, or have been burned or even worse, had serious emotional trauma and need help to do the simplest of things from tying their shoes, to learning how to speak.  This is patriotism, my friends.  And if you have already donated to a party or candidate, match that donation to this cause.  These kids who went to fight, they are not getting the help from YOUR POLITICIANS and they need your help more than some bastard politician who uses them as pawns for their own good.  I'll be damned if I could live with myself if I espouse the tenets of either major political party and then claim to be "patriotic" or have a bumper sticker on my car saying I support my troops...so if you feel you are a patriot...then do what is right for the country...not your political party.  It's the least you can do to support the troops you are helping send to face what we can't bear to think about.  "War is Hell", and they suffer while we bicker about 1% of this, and $4 gas.  I support our troops...without supporting our politicians.

_REV