• Admiral Patrick@dubvee.org
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    4 months ago

    Since that quote in 1875, “patriotism” has wandered over to the other side of the line, inbred with superstition, ambition, and ignorance, and turned into nationalism.

    That just leaves intelligence, by its lonesome, on the other side.

    • elliot_crane@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      That’s not patriotism. Being patriotic is like being honest; if someone has to stress how honest they are, they’re not.

    • morphballganon@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Grant isn’t referring to “ruh ruh 'Murica” as patriotism, he’s talking about appreciation of what we have. Different political alignments just appreciate different things; the left, liberty, and the right, supremacy of rich, white males.

        • neatchee@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          We should not allow terms like this to be coopted. It’s a pretty standard tactic: dilute the language of your opposition so it becomes harder for them to communicate effectively with an audience. Trying to constantly change your position’s vocabulary is a losing strategy as the intended audience can’t keep up. Instead, we must take back the words that are important and, for example, clearly state that it is the oppressor who is unpatriotic.

          A flag doesn’t make you a patriot. Loving guns and blind faith to Constitution doesn’t make you a patriot. It is care for your fellow American, defending the weak and disenfranchised, and protecting the ideals of self-determination and opportunity that make someone a true patriot

          • classic@fedia.io
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            4 months ago

            I really appreciate this take. In the pursuit of better language, some groups also hamper their own ability to communicate - not a slam against the attempt, but between that and the other side diluting the group’s words, it’s an uphill fight

            • Infynis@midwest.social
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              4 months ago

              not a slam against the attempt, but between that and the other side diluting the group’s words, it’s an uphill fight

              And they are absolutely doing it on purpose. Stripping meaning from words benefits them, because their side doesn’t care about truth, or facts, or policies. As long as they can make the Other suffer, their base will scream whatever the word of the day is, and every time they steal a word, it makes matching their organization a little bit harder

              • ChronosTriggerWarning@lemmy.world
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                4 months ago

                Stripping meaning from words benefits them, because their side doesn’t care about truth, or facts, or policies.

                “Insurrection” and “impeachment” have both been getting this treatment lately.

          • kinsnik@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            Just like National Socialist party wasn’t socialist, or the Democratic People’s Replubic of Korea isn’ta democracy, the patriotic republicans aren’t patriotic

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      The most patriotic thing an American can do is criticize politicians and hold the ones they vote for accountable.

      Blindly insisting your country/party is perfect and excusing every fault is nationalism.

      That’s what the nazis had, the Republicans have, and I swear moderates want Dems to adopt.