the right patriotism

Lincoln's sentiments during the civil war, "Do not say that God is on our side. Let us hope that we are on God's side" encapsulates the needed distinction I feel that needs to be made in today's context between an admirable and an uncritical form of patriotism. Desiring that one's country embody values like liberty and justice for all, and being proud of one's nation when it defends these ideas is a healthy way to be a patriot. If, however one chooses to be proud of one's country without concern over whether the state is upholding the values that formed one's love of country, ones patriotism becomes suspect. We must love our country because it embraces and displays certain values, and when these values are undermined we must love our country enough to criticize compromise. Presumably the values of the country that turned us into patriots were embraced on the basis of criteria independent of any nation state.