You always love your kids no matter what they’ve done or how wrong it was. They can murder people and you will still love them and fight for what you think is best for them. This does not mean that you always condone what they do, but you love them unconditionally. This is the same with a love of country. A true patriot loves his or her country unconditionally in spite of whatever it may do and how you may feel about it.

The reason why the GOP and other conservatives have such a stranglehold on the term patriotism and all that it implies is because we have never wavered in our love of country. We have never turned our back on American values, spewed hate against what makes this country great, or aided the enemy in any way, shape or form. Our patriotism can never be questioned because we have proven time and again that we love our country.

Yes there are problems in this country and we need to work on them, but if you stop loving this country because of those problems then you are not a patriot, but rather only a step away from treason.

Being a patriot does not stop you from expressing what you feel is wrong with the country, but expressing hate for your country is unpatriotic. You love no matter what.