American Nationalism

American pride is as American as well, Apple Pie. Every single day, we are surrounded by images and reminders of what it means to be an American, whether that is through pop culture, media, or education. Before children can even begin to comprehend what the word pride simply means, they are taught the pledge of allegiance, or told who the presidents on the currency were, perhaps even what they did, or they most likely had heard that America is the best country on earth. Before they can understand any of the history or economics or laws that this country is founded on, they are presented with basic information that will mold their opinion of the United States in a positive manner, regardless of anything else. This is common place. This constant, yet very subtle, barrage of American nationalism is an understood part of American society, because, well, America is the greatest country in the history of the world and we deserve to say that, right?
American nationalism seems to be its very own breed of nationalism, perhaps even akin to Nazi Germany nationalism. Now, most Americans could probably not tell you what nationalism even means, however, they could give you a basic definition of patriotism, because every American knows what being patriotic means. Americans know that being a patriot means supporting the military, paying your taxes, and loving your country above all else. They may not understand the politics behind a military conflict, but they KNOW they should support the troops. They may not understand what tax bracket they are in, or how the government spends tax revenue, but they KNOW that they should pay their taxes. They may not understand how America ranks in the world in education or GDP growth, but they KNOW that America is the greatest country on earth.
Patriotism and nationalism are two very different things. Patriotism is an innate love for one’s country. Patriotism is not really based on much fact, because it doesn’t have to be. Patriotism is the