Patriotism essay

From time in history, patriotism was considered a concept with the best intentions of the citizens. However, as time went by, patriotism has changed its definition in the US based on the corrupt or selfish interests of the leaders. As such, patriotism or the feelings thereof, can be considered as a function of the influence of the social and political environments especially if these environments define the values and concepts of the individuals in question. It is argued that when social and political environment manifest the traditions and values that are integral to people’s connections to the creed of the US, the feelings of patriotism in people is likely to be strengthened (Wolak and Dawkins, 393). This concept of patriotism is not alike with the traditional view of patriotism.

From Hughe’s research (2), patriotism has to have a good motive from one’s heart. The president and his administration were more motivated by race as opposed to the general good when they decided to imprison the Japanese people making them look like they were participants in the attack of the Pearl Harbor. Moreover, as observed earlier, many people tend to express their pride and greater love for their country when they discover that their political and social surrounding match with their vision and ideologies for the US (Wolak and Dawkins, 392). This is well agreed in Takei’s narration of experience in the US. From Takei’s narration, it is understood that it is the very Japanese people who saved the US from their rival Germans during the 442nd Battalion mission.

In conclusion, from Hughes’ definition of patriotism, ‘a feeling of loyalty that comes with certain conditions’ (1), conditions of serving all persons in the country, one is bound to believe that all soldiers are patriotic. However, the difference comes in when the soldier stops serving in the military. Klay (1) describes the difference of life between the civilians and the soldiers at war, stating that while the civilians shop happily at the mall, brush their teeth, bathe every day, have luxurious careers and eat every day, the soldiers at war are characterized by hopelessness, dead bodies, lack of water and food, suffering under the scorching sun without showering and desperation for the sake of protecting the US citizens including the President and other leaders.