-Theodore Roosevelt

(This may dissolve into some incoherent rambling, couple of stiff drinks and ADD makes it hard to stay on one topic)

This quote sums up what I have always felt in my adult life. Patriotism is a fine line. You go too far and it becomes Nationalism, which is not good for anyone or any country. I love my country, I have taken an oath to defend it and the people within who call this land home. Being a Patriot does not mean that I turn a blind eye to our faults as a nation. I weep when someone, my fellow countrymen, do something to give us a black eye. Mass shootings, scamming others out of their life savings, etc. In this day and age, our dirty laundry is hung out to dry in front of the world quicker than you can snap your fingers and people regularly insult our nation.

As they say, common sense is not so common. Politics makes people see red. I'm guilty of this too, which is why I tend to stray away from the subject. Sure, I may not like my Commander in Chief, nor some decisions he has made, but I am not so dense as to go off on a cuss-filled rant, or coming up with insane allegations. I matured while Bush was in office, and saw the ridiculousness that people came up with, and the utterly stupid things they said about him. Then as Obama progressed through office, I saw the same thing from the other side. Those same people who would bitch and moan about things being said about the man they voted for doing the same damn thing. It irks me to no end to see the hypocrisy in this. I know I'm not the first person to realize this, far from it, I am just fed up with it. People are too keen to be split into Liberal and Conservative.

So when I am talking to people from other countries, and they arrogantly point out how our right to bear arms is stupid, that so many people die from it, it hurts. It hurts because they don't see the good people. The law-abiding citizens who would not do such things. They don't see the good that smaller communities do. Communities across the land helping neighbors, small businesses and generally being good human beings. Hell, even when a media piece is about someone who DEFENDED themselves or their families, people still scoff at it. Why would the innocent not have a right to defend themselves? I would rather hear about a family member who was able to take care of an attacker before the family was harmed.

What point am I trying to make? I don't know, I saw this quote and just began typing. It brought make some moments of when I would have discussions with others outside America, and how they would stick their nose up at our flaws, at our leaders, and ask me how I can still love my country because of them. It's because I love my -COUNTRY-, it's beauty, and it's people. I do not have to agree with or like the politicians chosen to lead us.

This is a shitty closing, but I can't really think straight at the moment. My mind is in dozens of places at once and it's hard to bring it all together.