@ nyecop:

Maritjmac's point is a lot more nuanced than your "rebuttal". What individuals mean by "patriotism" depends a lot on their perspective on America. This is axiomatic.

Furthermore, there are more than the two perspectives on America labeled left and right. Or black and white. Or male and female. Indeed, taken to its logical extreme, it can be said that there are 300 million or so different perspectives on America and what exactly it means to be patriotic.

That's one end of the spectrum. The other end of the spectrum maintains that there is one legitimate perspective on America and one corresponding definition of patriotism. This end of the spectrum has been firmly staked out by (some) conservatives and it is, in a word, absurd and displays a lack of understanding of the nature of America itself.

The strength of America has always been in the creative tension between unity and diversity built into the very fabric of the nation. The motto "E Pluribus Unum" on the Great Seal of the United States predates the Constitution. Patriotism has always played a critical role in unifying this diverse nation. But patriotism used as a cudgel to enforce or legitimize one perspective on America is a deeply ironic betrayal of America.