What is patriotism to me?
Patriotism means not only having pride and devotion to our country, but most importantly living in a way that makes the United States of America better. To make our country great our actions must speak loudly. We must have a deep respect for our flag and our country. The patriots and veterans who sacrifice their lives and have a vigorous desire to give us freedom deserve our utmost respect.
Standing up for our country doesn’t only mean signing up to fight in the military. It’s the little things we can do each day to make this country better. One example is to vote when you are eligible, volunteer to help those in need, and set good examples for the next generations to focus on patriotism. These are little things we can do to help our country grow in patriotism.
Our flag should not be the centerpiece of ideology or special interest. The flag symbolizes these things: hardiness, valor, purity, innocence, vigilance, perseverance, justice, and most of all freedom. These are the traits that our country should strive to uphold. These are the traits that we should live by every day, because we have the freedom to do so. Our flag is a symbol of our freedom. Freedom is not the idea of choosing whatever we want to do, but it is our response to choose the right, the true, and the beautiful. Pride, honor, and responsibility is the foundation of patriotism.
Let us thank our Veterans for what they have done and continue to do in order to protect our country. They have made a great sacrifi ce for our country and for our freedom. Let us truly think about what they have done for us. I have many family members that have served in wars over the years, so every Veterans Day my family and I thank them for their service, even though some of them have passed on. All Veterans have put their lives on the line for us and for our freedom. Respecting our veterans is a huge part of what it means to be a patriot. Freedom, with it comes great responsibility. The little things we do for our country, respect and pride for our flag, and a great respect for our veterans are all qualities that defi ne patriotism. Focusing on the right, the good, and the beautiful side of freedom is what patriotism means to me.
Charles Gierl was the local and regional winner in VFW Auxiliary’s Patriots Pen essay contest. He read his essay as part of the Memorial Day Services held in Medford on Monday.
