To me, patriotism is loving your country, but not blindly. It is loving your country enough to stand up and say what is wrong like the recent Administration’s violations of law, violations of the borders of other sovereign nations, and use of torture.
To me, patriotism is not about wearing or flying an American flag on your car just because everyone else does after 9/11. It is about remembering, honoring and standing up for the ideals on which our country was founded all the time.
To me patriotism is about being deeply concerned that young people are not dying in service of that country for unnecessary reasons. It is about making sure that after their service, they receive the bast care possible.