Exploring the meaning of patriotism after September 11

Tom Wheeler

So Many Flags. The big one hanging on the house full of students across the street must be brand new. Its deep, rich colors remind me for the first time in years what a beautiful symbol it is. It makes me think about patriotism.

Surely all rational people condemn without qualification the horrifying mass murders of innocent men, women and children on Sept. 11. Our hearts are broken. We grieve for the victims and their friends and families, we demand justice even as we hope for peace, and we ponder how our own lives may change. What principles will guide us as we seek appropriate responses and strategies? What role will patriotism play? What sort of patriotism?

We may tell ourselves that the perpetrators were evil and insane--motivated, as President Bush told us, by a hatred of our freedoms. They were indeed evil, as proved by their monstrous acts. I don't know whether they were insane, or what motivated them.

But let's be honest. The circle of people who hate America extends far beyond deranged extremists, encompassing whole populations with deep intellectual traditions and rich cultural heritages. To pretend otherwise is not only irrational but also dangerous to our long-term peace and security.

I was born at West Point and raised in a military family. We didn't talk a lot about patriotism. We just lived it. My dad was an infantry general, the best and kindest and most decent man I ever knew. He and my mom survived Pearl Harbor.

We teach our children about people like them, not just military people but Americans from across the spectrum who in countless ways have for generations done their duties, rallied to noble causes, endured unspeakable suffering, all so others could remain free. This is what we teach in our history books, and indeed we should. America has so much to be proud of, so many reasons to display our beautiful flag.

But how clear-eyed is our patriotism? Does it embrace the courage to also acknowledge in our history books and in our public discourse America's involvement in the overthrow of democratically elected governments, our support of oppressive dictators (so long as they professed to be anti-Communist), our propping up of commercial interests such as the United Fruit Company at the expense of indigenous peoples, actions that have been authoritatively documented? Are we sufficiently resolute in our commitment to democracy to demand of our leaders that America supports democracy not only in word but in deed?

I love this country and condemn any America bashers who even come close to justifying the atrocities of Sept. 11 as logical results of past American misdeeds or moral failure, whether their voices come from the right or the left.

But if our goal is to preserve the peace and security of America for our children, then I hope our hearts are big enough to look beyond the motivations of murderers and extremists, to attempt at long last to come to grips with the deep-seated anti-American sentiments of so many people worldwide.

Such an effort could be a crucial step toward promoting an understanding among people of the world that among other benefits might help diminish environments in which terrorism thrives.

Perhaps some will argue that acknowledging dark moments in our history is unpatriotic in times of crisis, but I think our patriotism is not so shaky. We can pretend that anyone who hates us must be an evil extremist. Or, we can make the much more courageous commitment, in our schools and churches and debates, to at least try to see ourselves as much of the rest of the world sees us. Such an effort would take nothing away from our grief, would in no way diminish our profound gratitude for our heroes, and need not weaken our resolve to bring to justice the extremists who murdered our fellow Americans.

This is indeed a time for patriotism, but patriotism should not require the wearing of blinders. If anything, it is a deeper and more meaningful kind of patriotism that not only allows but encourages voices from all across the spectrum to be heard and does not mandate a head-in-the-sand view of our own history.

I opposed the Vietnam War, but during the 1960s I found the rhetoric of some members of the left (portraying all military people as war-loving psychos) to be no less stupid than the rants of the right (protesters are anti-American Communist dupes).

Hundreds of faculty, students and community members have attended lectures and discussions organized by the "September 11th Committee," an ad hoc committee of faculty and students. Photo by Jack Liu

I remember the moment when my attitude toward my beloved flag began to waver. I saw an "America: Love it or leave it" bumper sticker with an American flag on it. It saddened me to see the stars and stripes associated with the message that debate or protest was unpatriotic. Since Lexington and Concord, Americans have fought and died for many principles, among them the freedom to speak openly, even when--perhaps especially when--we criticize our government. The "love it or leave it" sentiment was one of the most profoundly unpatriotic aspects of the agonizing Vietnam debate.

A sad by-product of that sentiment was a perceived appropriation of the flag by the right wing. I know many people who have for decades refused or at least neglected to display the flag because they thought, rightly or wrongly, that it came to represent a pro-war, right-wing mentality. What a shame--and how gratifying it is today to see the flag once again being flown by people from across the political spectrum.

I hope we can continue to discuss and debate appropriate responses to the unspeakable attacks of Sept. 11 without degenerating into the polarizing lingo of the '60s, accusing each other of being either hate-filled warmongers or unpatriotic peaceniks. I hope our leaders can respond to the attacks in such a way that avoids further killings of innocents and does not push members of Muslim majorities into the ranks of extremists who for the moment are in the minority.

Let us never forget the heroes and victims of Sept. 11. Let us wave our flags with justifiable pride. As we do so, let us also avoid confusing our debates about our history with unpatriotic behavior.

As we mourn our victims, thank our heroes and pursue the extremists, let us also try to do a better job of seeing ourselves the way reasonable people around the world see us. Our long-term peace depends on adjustments to international policy grounded in more informed reflections upon our own past, as much as it depends on our military might.

In the coming weeks and months, the debates will be heated. This time around, let us respect each other's voices, not to be too quick to assign evil motives to those with whom we disagree, and hope our flag continues to be embraced by all.

This article first appeared in The Register-Guard.