An Immigrant's July 4th

Even though I immigrated to America three decades ago, when most Americans look at me and hear my accent they can't believe I could be a patriotic American. That I have been quite critical of much that America has done including the war in Iraq; racism in our healthcare system; and racism, with its million manifestations, in America's daily life have angered many who know of me. But beneath the critique of my adopted home, many would be surprised to learn I love America unreservedly and consider myself patriotic. These thoughts come to me on a day when giant flags wave in the wind near my home; when many swirl beer, eat hot dogs waiting for the fireworks. And for many patriotism is reduced to flags, fireworks and FOX News -- that seems to have cornered the patriotism market.

Socrates believed and taught that patriotism required we promote dissenting ideas. His reward was to be dragged through a trial and eventual suicide. Socratic debates cannot be performed on CNN or on the O'Reilly show on Fox. TV Discussions are simplified to wearing flag lapel pins; and placing hands on hearts as the national anthem is sang. That the American media spend so little time debunking some of the nonsensical stereotypes and statements of what it means to be a patriot is a travesty. Were the media to take up the job of educating America they would be true patriots.

I'm puzzled by the shouting matches about patriotism on Fox News; the public spectacles about who is more patriotic -- John McCain or Obama. Are Democrats more patriotic than Republicans? How can some Church pretend to be more patriotic than others? The truth is, to me, these claims describe what it means to be unpatriotic

Patriotism, I believe is like virtue, or wisdom. We can become more virtuous and wiser. As time has passed and I have learned to love America more, I too have become more patriotic. I want a better America for my children and their children and my friends' children. I would like my generation to leave a more whole America for them, for I believe that a healthy America is good for the world community. I have a clearer vision of the world than most Americans and realize what a gift the American system is - if it could be preserved intact. I would like to see the American century prolonged; knowing what I know about China and Africa, I fear the ascendancy of the Chinese.

Because of their gratitude for what the country has done for them and their deeper and clearer understanding of this great country, many immigrants to America are truer patriots compared to many American-born citizens who wear their patriotism on their sleeves. To them patriotism is no more than a spoken language, a simple tune that demands little thought; compared to the immigrant's detailed thinking, resulting in a deeper conviction about the country.

There is much that bothers me about America's behavior and often wonder if what some folks do can be described as patriotic. Or not. In some instances, patriotism is like light and darkness; you define one by the lack of the other. I know that any behavior that precludes the survival of the human species is unpatriotic.

I know too that those segments of our society that try to delegitimize others are unpatriotic. How for instance could the KKK have been regarded as more patriotic than black WW II veterans? How can anyone pretend that gay Americans are less patriotic than heterosexuals? But they do.

I am particularly mystified by those who dismantle companies, factories and export jobs overseas. Is that patriotic? I believe that Ken Lay and the other founders of ENRON, folks who knowingly destroyed employees' and investors' lives were unpatriotic. Greedy unscrupulous subprime mortgage lenders and bankers mismanaged the Real Estate market for years. still they show their patriotic colors by waving their American flags.

Politicians and business leaders whose personal ambition and interest supersede the welfare of the people and the nation are unpatriotic. CEOs who earn 400 times what their employees earn are unjust. I have doubts about their patriotism. If the desire is to profit, disregarding the security and well-being of the nation and its people, then it is unpatriotic.

For thirty years, American car manufacturers cajoled and threatened our politicians not to change CAFÉ standards. They refused to build more fuel efficient cars as Japan diligently researched and developed tomorrow's cars. The result is Detroit is dying; many across America are losing their livelihoods. To this foreigner's thinking, Detroit's behavior, concerned more with profits and less about America's future, sounds less patriotic.

What Americans need are fewer words; less shouting and more thoughtful dialogue between the citizenry. Many immigrants believe America needs to be more grown up about such things as patriotism and citizenship. This is an age of great problems, great global conflicts. The last thing we should be doing is worrying about who is more or less patriotic. That at any rate is an immigrant's point of view.

Comments

[RRonin]

"Those who wear their patriotism on their sleeve usually have very little left inside." - Vincent Bugliosi

[Pius Kamau - Huffpost Blogger]

AMEN
AMEN

Pius kamau

[pantereblanc]

My late husband was born in South East Asia and immigrated to this country in 1966. He became a naturalized citizen in July, 1970. As our friends and neighbors sat around complaining about the taxes they were paying to the U.S. government, my husband would simply say, "It's a privilage to pay taxes in this country." My husband was a patriot.

[Pius Kamau - Huffpost Blogger]

taxes are the least of our problems in America as your husband would have said. it is what we do with them -- and what we could do; so much wasted on useless ventures and mistaken pursuits. It is that part of America a foreigner here is able to distinguish from the nonsense one reads about or hears on radio and sees on TV.

Pius kamau

[pantereblanc]

Indeed Dr. Kamau, he didn't always agree with how the money was spent but, having grown up in Asia, he was keenly aware that our tax $$ bought us some things of value that were missing in his home country: public education, infrastruc­ture,scien­tific research, to name a few. Keep in mind I'm talking about what a foreigner saw in the 1960s. He would be appalled to see how the quality of these things has deterioated.
My point is more that foreigners can often see better and appreciate more that in this country we have recourse. We can change things. Perhaps we have recently been shaken out of our apathy and complacency. Perhaps some of our citizenry has learned from the past seven and a half years that sitting on the couch watching TV news and waving their flag does not make them patriotic. Perhaps some are realizing they need to actively participate in all the good things this country can do in order to claim patriotism. Let us hope so.

[Puzzles]

Thank you. I am so glad you mentioned Ken Lay.

I have watched as patriotism has devolved in one way to a brand to be sold, and in another to a mantle to be bestowed or revoked as the controllers see fit. Anyone carrying a gun and the flag is considered a hero/patriot. However, a doctor working in a free clinic in Chicago, people running the soup kitchens in cities, anyone who views America AS IT'S people-- including the less fortunate or underclass-- is an unpatriotic liberal.

[Pius Kamau - Huffpost Blogger]

i agree totally. I think a father taking care of his children and teaching them what it means to be a good citizen is as much of a patriot as a vice president who believes we are a better nation by bombing some Arab country -- the same man who has been trying to screw up the Constitution. Cynicism informs much of what politics has been reduced to in America. Sadly the losers in the end witll be this nation. We're all in the same ship and when we go down we do so together.

pius Kamau

[1will]

Legal immigrants-Welcome to America.

[Pius Kamau - Huffpost Blogger]

I agree completely. They too can be patriotic; many are fighting America's wars as you know.

Pius Kamau

[lorla]

Beautiful essay.
The parts where you connect Corporations to patriotism, should be used by O in his talking points.

[Pius Kamau - Huffpost Blogger]

Totally appreciate your comment. Now i have to find a way to contact obama's folks. Know any of them?

Pius Kamau

[mouselion]

"The last thing we should be doing is worrying about who is more or less patriotic." I wholeheartedly agree. The "patriotism" can be used for or against any American's position. That is why CNN's poll about what Americans believe the Founding Fathers' reaction to today is futile. It is a "what-if" fantasy no one can rightly answer. Not to mention, it has no more meaning than what each person places to it -- depending on their point of view.

Sometimes (as in the case of proclaiming or denouncing patriotism), this kernel is worth following:

"It is better to be silent and be real than to talk and be unreal."
-- Ignatius

[Pius Kamau - Huffpost Blogger]

I thank you for your words of wisdom. Greatly appreciated. Not sure if you were reffering to Saint Ignatius of Loyola or of Antioch. I suspect Loyola - but thank you kindly.

Pius kamau

[mouselion]

It is St. Ignatius of Antioch, from the Epistle to the Magnesians (not that I am a biblical scholar -- just read an essay with this quote today). It is a very poignant piece of advice, although intended spiritually, for today's climate of exaggerations, distortions and the corresponding human tendency to believe rumor and inuendo caused by the presidential race. People need to be real and not jump to conclusions simply because some writers are gifted at convincing others to believe what they want them to believe.