Pros And Cons Of Being A Patriot

Will You Stand Up The words patriotism and patriot are commonly invoked in the United States, especially in times of crisis, but do we truly understand what patriotism is and what it means to be a patriot? Patriotism has been described as an emotional attachment to country and the ideals that it stands for. Here in the United States those ideals include freedom, liberty and the equality of all people; and they are ideals worth fighting for. Patriots are people who support and love their country and who are prepared to defend it and even sacrifice their own life to advance its overall welfare. Patriots come from all walks of life, but have the same goal of bettering their country and all its people, sometimes in the face of incredible odds.
One of those individuals was Admiral Jeremiah Denton. Denton, a native of Mobile, Alabama and a graduate of McGill Institute, was a Naval Aviator who was leading a squadron of A-6 Intruder aircraft on a mission over North Vietnam, when on July 18, 1965, he was shot down and captured. He spent the next seven years and seven months as a prisoner of war in various North Vietnamese prison camps, including the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Denton was tortured daily, but resisted his captors at every turn and urged others to resist. He famously blinked out the word “T-O-R-T-U-R-E” when being interviewed for propaganda purposes. Many returning servicemen were treated badly by the American people who were angry at the war and the government. Denton, instead of being bitter at fellow countrymen and his experience as a POW, expressed his gratitude on his return for having had the opportunity to serve his country. Denton exemplifies the meaning of a patriot - he loved his country and was willing to risk his life and endured years of torture to fight for it and the freedoms and liberties that it stands