FLAGS--FOR THE YOUNG AND OLD

I wonder why that is. It seems to me the young and the old love flying flags. The mids don't much care for showing their patriotism. So, Cynical Reader questions, does flying the flag show one is patriotic?

I guess it does. How else? By burning Qurans? By obeying laws? By supporting whoever is in office? By buying bonds? By saving? By enlisting?

Some are are some aren't. But I think "Love it or Leave It," misses the boat. Loving one's country may mean to work hard to alter in some cases. Webster's Random House gives as its second definition of a patriot "a person who regards himself/herself as a defender of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government".

That says a lot. It says to me that our current White House occupant is not a patriot. At least there can be no denying about the second half of the definition. Having voiced that opinion, am I being unpatriotic? Should I "leave it", or should I try to alter? Should I call representatives and voice displeasure with, for instance the ObamaCare bill (I did)? Should I pray for the President? (I do)

I'm not real sure what a patriot is after all. But I know I've always loved my country. I have traveled to 62 other countries and found nothing approximating the USA.

I know I haven't always been proud of my country (the Viet Nam years, the Clinton/Gore years, our current leadership in the Senate, House, and Oval Office), but I also know I've never been outspoken against our country or its leaders when I've been overseas, like the 2 Presidents I mentioned in the previous sentence.

As I said, I'm puzzled. But as the song goes, "at least I know I'm free". For the time being.