Our problem with patriotism
Democrats have less pride in America than Republicans, Independents
Patriotism has hit a record low, according to Gallup.
Not only do younger generations have less pride in America than older ones, this year’s dubious standing in national pride is driven by Democrats, diving to 36 percent saying they are extremely or very proud to be Americans from 62 percent one year ago. Independents dipped to 53 percent from 60 percent in the same categories.
That sentiment by Democrats seems to be emotional, driven by political events that haven’t fared well for them. Patriotism must never be attached to the shallowness of political outcomes.
Gallup’s Jeffrey Jones drew the following implications from the survey:
These changes have occurred mostly over the past decade, and have done so amid greater pessimism about the economic prospects for young people, widespread dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, greater ideological divides between the parties, unfavorable images of both parties, and intense partisan rancor during the Trump and Biden administrations.
Republicans get to brag that their patriotism had a low point of 84 percent in 2022 while Democrats have cratered their pride in America by the end of Trump’s first term in 2020, 42 percent, and the start of his second one, 36 percent. Independents hit a high of 86 percent pride in America in 2004, which dipped to 75 percent in 2005, climbing to 80 percent in 2013 and a noticeable drop ever since.
Patriotism comes with a historical and philosophical perspective focused on ideals the Founding Fathers communicated in key American historical documents. Pride in America is not only knowing the words that detail our rights, but making the choice to practice them.
You don’t need to be a constitutional scholar or a colonial America historian to have patriotism. However, you need an understanding of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence, among other important colonial era writings.
Consider the Bill of Rights that protects civil rights for every American. As the Declaration of Independence reads, they are rights given by God, the Creator. These are rights that extend to every American, no matter one’s race, color, or creed for the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Government’s job is to protect those rights, not assume they are granted by folks in power.
These rights define us. These rights made us the nation we are. These rights are ideals that made us the envy of the world. We had emigration from western, northern, and southern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, occurring despite not settling the slavery issue until the 1860s.
These rights produced a system of self-governance that has withstood 249 years, despite the nation’s flaws. In response to a question about the type of government the founders established, Benjamin Franklin stated, “A republic, if you can keep it.”
That statement underscores the eternal vigilance to watch people in power so that they don’t overstep boundaries in our constitutional republic. It’s a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” not powerful elected officials. It’s a government where those in power work for the people, not the people working for the people in power. It’s a government where the founders sacrificed their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.
Pride in America requires honest instruction of history so future generations learn the good, the bad, and the ugly, and they have a stake in maintaining what Americans have because of the sacrifices of those before them.
Over time, teaching U.S. history has fixated on the bad and the ugly, with a distorted hyper-focus on making America the source of all evil in the world. That view of U.S. history has spawned a group of Americans–young and old–who hate America. We see it unfolding now with Palestinian protesters who align themselves with Middle East terrorists.
It doesn’t help the dominant voices for Democrats are left-wing radicals, such as congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of N.Y., Ilhan, Omar of Minn., Rashida Tlaib of Mich., and Democratic NYC mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.
The two dominant political parties, Republicans and Democrats, need to own what has become of patriotism, and Democrats more than Republicans. Yet, it’s hard to see an altered course because of the political culture that Gallup cites causing the trends in patriotism.
America isn’t perfect, as no nation is. We are guilty of injustices. However, Princeton University Professor Robert George delivered the clarity.
Additionally, on Constitution Day last year–Sept. 17, 2024–the Cato Institute’s Emily Ekins reported on a study that revealed 70 percent of those surveyed believed the Founders would disagree with how we follow the Constitution. And 54 percent of Gen Z, ages 18-29, would support rewriting the Constitution. Yet, we have multiple generations of Supreme Court decisions that are judges acting like robed legislators who achieve that very thing.
Americans have lost the commitment to help younger Americans gain a sense of belonging to what makes America so unique and exceptional.
Until that is recaptured, patriotism will suffer.
