Patriotism in America is at a crossroads. Our mission is to reclaim and safeguard it in the age of Trump.
Patriotism in America is at a crossroads. Once rooted in shared values — service, sacrifice, civic duty, and dissent — it now sits in a fractured landscape. In the Trump era, what it means to love one’s country becomes a contested battleground, often reduced to a test of loyalty to one man rather than a commitment to the nation and its democratic principles.
Donald Trump did not invent this brand of exclusionary patriotism, but he amplifies it. He fuses nationalism with grievance and identity politics with cultural resentment. Under his influence, patriotism becomes a spectacle with giant flags, chants at rallies, and vilification of anyone who questions the state of the country. Speaking out against injustice, supporting immigration, or naming systemic racism risks being branded un-American.
This version of patriotism has deep historical echoes: from the McCarthy era’s loyalty oaths to the Vietnam War era’s condemnation of protest. But what makes Trump’s approach especially dangerous is how it normalizes this combativeness and turns patriotism into a weapon against democracy itself.
He undermines the press, the courts, the electoral system, and even the peaceful transfer of power — all in the name of saving the nation. In this upside-down logic, to challenge Trump is to betray America.
True patriotism resists this distortion. It does not fear dissent — it demands it. It does not ask for blind loyalty — it expects informed engagement. Frederick Douglass embodies this vision when he asks, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” His words do not reject the American promise; they challenge the nation to fulfill it. That tradition of critical, courageous patriotism is not only valid—it is vital.
If we are to reclaim patriotism, we must act. We must hold our elected leaders accountable, regardless of party. We must defend the institutions that safeguard our democracy: a free press, independent courts, and fair elections. We must push for policies that reflect our highest ideals — equity, justice, and inclusion — not the narrow interests of the wealthy and powerful. We must engage locally: show up at council meetings, school board meetings, vote in every election, and challenge disinformation in our communities.
Patriotism rooted in truth does not flinch in the face of hard conversations. It embraces complexity. It welcomes scrutiny. It holds fast to democratic values, not to cults of personality.
Love of country is not found in slogans or symbols — it lives in action. It demands we show up, speak out, and build a more just society.
The Trump era continues to test the nation — not just its systems, but its very soul. We do not reclaim patriotism by silencing critics or retreating into factions. We reclaim it by stepping forward, together, with courage and clarity, committed not to any single leader, but to the enduring promise of a republic worth defending.
Laura Armstrong of Rapid City is a speech language pathologist who owns a small private clinic. She served two consecutive terms on the Rapid City Common Council (2017-2023) twice as council president, and remains dedicated to the Rapid City community.
Photo: public domain, wikimedia commons
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