Patriotism

By definition, the love of and devotion to one's country.

Literally, that's the subject that was on my mind when I woke up this morning... an editorial was being formed.

Just how important is patriotism to our country?

We, as a nation, are now experiencing the results of children that did not repeat the Pledge of Allegiance and did not sing our National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, every morning before their classes started.  I fear that we're raising a generation that say they love America because that seems to be what they're supposed to say, but the loyalty to their country isn't felt in their hearts.  It's not there because we are not teaching them.

In the Olympics just finished, I can't help but be disappointed at the absence of emotion by most of our American athletes on the platform as our National Anthem was played.  I can remember in years past how the gold medal winners would stand on that platform and be unable to finish singing the anthem because of the lump in their throat and the tears streaming down their faces and we knew it was because of the mixture of honor, pride, love and humility they felt at having won a gold medal in representation of their beloved United States of America.  We all felt it and wept with them.

I wept this year for a different reason.  Patriotism is disappearing in America.  An with it, America will disappear.  If patriotism to the United States is not taught by parents, teachers and preachers, America will soon elect a leader that was not taught patriotism as a child, if not this year, in eight short years.  Provided we still have the freedom to elect a president.

From 1955 to 1967, I attended Blooming Grove Public Schools, Blooming Grove, Texas.  We said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning and we sang the National Anthem every day.  We prayed to God in school before programs held in the auditorium and we said the Pledge of Allegiance, again.  We had programs dedicated to honoring and celebrating our founding fathers and celebrating our American Heritage.   We played the National Anthem before football games and we prayed for the safety of the athletes and that they would display good sportsmanship and that all present would bring honor to God.

Who was behind the removal of patriotism from our schools?  Why did we allow it?  Because we did not understand the motivation behind those who would have our children grow up without a passionate allegiance to their country and thus weakening our nation.

We must bring patriotism back to our homes and our  schools.

I remember vividly our English teacher, Ruth Ramsey, and how passionate she was about teaching us about our American Heritage.  I pray for more teachers and parents like Ruth Ramsey because it made a difference in how I feel about my beloved country.  I love America.

The Bible says,

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

We have knowledge that one presidential candidate was brought up pledging allegiance to the United States of American and one was not.  It is of the utmost importance what a child is taught.  Our continued freedom depends on it.  Oh, that we would have understood that as much as our enemies have understood it for decades.

God forgive America, have mercy on us and give us the wisdom to elect the right man as President of these wonderful United States of America.  We praise You for the freedom we still have. Protect this nation as the land of the free and home of the brave, and help us to return to YOU. 

Note:

There are actually four verses to our National Anthem.  The following is verse four of The Star-Spangled Banner:

"Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand,
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that has made and preserved us as a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust";
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."