As a young girl growing up in northern Kentucky, every year around the Fourth of July, I was reminded that I had been given much by the simple fact that I am an American. Recognition of that fact drove me to serve, first in uniform and then beyond.
Throughout my life, I’ve sought to honor the gift of being American by pushing this nation and all of us to do better, be better and live up to the ideals that America represents. At times, this has meant fighting unjust systems, staying persistent when the going gets tough and spending months apart from my husband and family while deployed.
I’ve grown to understand that if you’ve been fortunate to be an American, you have an obligation to do the hard things needed to protect our democracy and our fellow citizens. As the saying goes, with great privilege comes great responsibility. Patriotism is not just attending Fourth of July parades, waving a flag or supporting the troops. Nor is it just about being ready and willing when the nation calls, like so many of us were on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
Patriotism means constantly working to improve our institutions. It involves thoughtfully but purposely questioning leaders. And it means seeking to evaluate and reevaluate our policies and laws to ensure they represent the ideals this nation was founded on. These lessons were etched in me from my experiences in the Iraq War, a shaping point in my life.
While the country celebrated veterans like myself with flags and yellow ribbons as heroes, I struggled with the role that I played in destruction there, and the slow realization over time that that war was initiated by a lie. The anger at being misled made me realize it’s our responsibility not to be misled, to never put blind faith in our country’s leaders and to be actively involved in the decisions governing this nation.
And what’s going on in our country now? On Jan. 6, 2021, an armed insurrection violated our nation’s Capitol building. Two people were killed, and due to the actions of Republicans in Congress, after six months there has been no comprehensive investigation into the deeper causes of it.
Do we not have enough leaders of character to ensure transparency and justice by investigating this tragic event in American history? Observe the consistent attacks on voting rights in our country, the most basic right of each person to be heard.
Aren’t we honor bound, as citizens, to protect the right of every American to vote? Consider the fact that we now have an excellent vaccine for a pandemic, but large chunks of our fellow citizens refuse to get vaccinated, even knowing that herd immunity is the safest and quickest path to recovery.
So many Americans are refusing to think of anyone other than themselves. Where is the sense of duty to protect our fellow countrymen and our obligation as citizens to think of the good of the nation?
There are those who would tell you that the average American has no business being involved in the minutia of governing and should just forget about politics. That’s someone else’s job.
But as patriots, Americans must resist that notion. We also must resist the impulse to be complacent, or to simply throw up our hands and say, “I’ve had it,” And walk away. We must resist the temptation to shrug and wait for someone else to do the hard work of making democracy happen. And we must persist, despite knowing that the road ahead is hard and filled with obstacles.
As Americans we have the privilege of enjoying pastimes like tailgating, playing, fishing, spending time with family, etc. But with great privilege comes great responsibility. Big decisions in our country should not and can not only be made by a select few political elite – because those decisions do not lead to effective, inclusive institutions and solutions. Those decisions don’t lead to democracy. The very foundation of this gift of democracy that we have inherited demands that we be active participants.
Being involved in our democracy can look different for everyone. For some it could mean volunteering or just sitting down with your kids and teaching them basic civics. For others it could be running for office or calling your local representative to talk about the infrastructure bill and why it’s important to you.
Most importantly, to live your patriotism you must pay attention to what’s going on in the here and now. You can’t become complacent. Complacency is a threat to the principles upon which our nation was founded.
The struggle to make sure our democracy continues is real, and the truth is that struggle will not be one that ends quickly, if ever. In my experience, nothing has been achieved without hard work and persistence — not night carrier landings, survival school, nor running a campaign.
Commitment to country is every day, not just on holidays. This won’t be finished by next year’s Fourth of July — or even with the next election — and the path will not be easy. It will be riddled with setbacks. But, I believe, if we approach patriotism as a verb, we will protect this country. We must. The need for it is as great today if not more so than in any other time in American history.
Amy McGrath is a retired Marine and former candidate for U.S. House and Senate. Her memoir, “Honor Bound: An American Story of Dreams and Service,” published by Knopf, comes out in August 2021. Follow her on Twitter @AmyMcGrathKY.
