Sermon, Part 1: What Patriotism Means to Me – Edie Sonn

There’s a famous quote attributed to Mark Twain:

“Patriotism is supporting your country at all times, and your leaders when they deserve it.”

Whether or not Twain actually said that, it’s a pretty darned good definition. But I wonder if it fully holds up today. Because it leads me to ask myself: Do I support my country? Or the idea of my country?

To be candid, it’s hard for me to support – much less love – America right now. We are led by people whose values I don’t recognize. Indeed, I’d be hard-pressed to even call them “values.” Cruelty and demonization of the “other” – an attitude of “I got mine, you’re on your own” – a disdain for quaint notions like the common good, public service and objective facts – an ignorance of democratic principles and disdain for the norms that underlie them – the erosion of press freedoms, the clampdown on free thought and the legal system that defends it – you know the list, and it goes on depressingly longer than these examples I just cited.

So to the extent that these behaviors are embodied by our leaders, then I’m right on board with Twain: I support my leaders when they deserve it, and our current national leaders sure as heck don’t.

But these attitudes and behaviors are no longer simply seen at the individual level. They are now being reflected and embedded in policy and government structure. In a shockingly brief time, we’ve undermined both the idea and the fact of America. We’ve done so in the eyes of our citizens, our newcomers, and people all over the world who watch with jaws agape as our elected leaders set fire to everything that made America great and dance gleefully on the ashes.

So no, I don’t support my country right now. I hate to say it, but I am ashamed of my country at this time. I never thought I’d say that. But I will always – must always – love the ideals from which we were born.

I find myself a patriot without a country – with devotion and allegiance to those ideals, even if I don’t see them reflected in the American mirror. Of course, any good English teacher will tell you that doesn’t make sense: the word “patriotism” means love of country, so if you don’t love your country you’re not a patriot. But again, I go back to loving the idea of my country. So with apologies to the sticklers for grammar and logic, I will say again: I am a patriot without a country.

A character in George Orwell’s classic novel 1984 says, “We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.” That is the America I aspire to. On this Independence Day weekend, I remember how much I love the people and places that sing “America” to me and which I could experience nowhere else but here.

On No Kings Day last month, my husband and I stood on a corner on South Broadway with a bunch of other people, waving signs. We were in front of a liquor store, and at one point a guy walks out of the store with a six pack under one arm and a case of water under the other. He brought the water to our group and said, “It’s a hot day – you need to stay hydrated. You’re good Americans.” And we said: “You’re a good American.”

I celebrate that. I celebrate the notions of respect for my neighbors – whether they view the world the way I do or not – care for those in need, adherence to the rule of law, separation of church and state. I remain fiercely dedicated to ensuring that our children and grandchildren understand that these are the real American values, and to cultivating and supporting the leaders who demonstrate them. I take hope from the joyful community I experience here and with others who also cherish those values. Together, we can put ourselves back on the path toward the country we all aspire to love.

Sermon, Part 2: How Large Is Your Flag? – Cynthia Phinney

How large is your American flag? Is it an average size flying off the porch of your house? Is it so big it could cover Kansas and swings off your pickup truck? Or maybe you have a small flag of our country flying silently within you?

I remember being somewhat surprised when people of a certain political party began flying these huge flags as if the size of the flag indicated the depth of their patriotism. Am I supposed to feel small and unpatriotic having just the regular house size?

I completely agree with Edie & Mark Twain. I feel that I love my country but not when it does things I don’t agree with. I had a cousin who was the eldest of our generation and when he was drafted to go to Vietnam, he made the decision to go to Canada as a Conscientious Objector. I was pretty young, maybe 11 or 12 but I was proud of him for making that decision. I felt he was standing up for what was right. Of course, his parents and mine of the WWII generation did not understand. And, Vietnam ended up being one of the few wars the US lost.

Patriotism to me means that a person supports this country and votes for the member of Congress (I think that if a person didn’t vote, they cannot criticize the government they chose not to participate in.). I pay attention to what is going on in the wider world. I do find, however, that there are days when I would rather watch Hallmark channel.

I was recently in Europe for the first time in nine years and I was terrified of what people might say to me when they found out I was an American. I have never before been ashamed of what my country was doing until this current administration. I am trying not to be too political, but it’s very difficult. Going back to the extra large flags flying off the pickup trucks, is it about intimidation? “I am more patriotic than you” kind of thing? Having visited a political concentration camp outside of Berlin, I had the disturbing feeling that it was all happening again.

I have to admit that it is hard for me to find Hope anywhere right now. I am trying and I am hanging on to the protest and resist language in the news that I watch. I think this country has been and will be again, capable of much good in the world. I am holding onto this idea as hard as I can!

My husband’s first wife had two sisters. One of them, Sara, has spent much of her life working in government and she and her husband have worked hard for the party not currently in charge of the government. She posted a picture of their house in Spotsylvania… she was flying the American flag. First time in a while. Regular house size. That’s the idea!

Perhaps many of us need to take back our flag and fly it as much as possible. No one party/group owns that flag. It belongs to all of us as does this country. We all have had a hand in creating it and we need to take ownership.

I have a condo, not sure where I can fly a house sized flag, but I will always have my inner flag, flying silently within me.