Patriotism Freedom Sacrifice Essay

Patriotism is defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as the act of loving one’s country. There is no discrepancy with this definition; it is the interpretation of what loving one’s country means that causes most controversy. There are two conflicting concepts arising out of the application of this principle. Some feel that loving one’s country involves a citizen having a duty to make an independent, reasoned judgment of whether the actions of his own government are in the best interest of his country while others, including myself, believe that the act of loving one’s country entails standing behind the decisions of our elected officials especially during times of war.
Most everyone would agree that decisions are better made by those who are well informed. The “average” citizen does not and should not have access to the information and knowledge our nation’s leaders do giving them an ability to make sound, rational decisions that are truly in the best interest of the American people.

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All Americans have known and lived with freedom from the day they were born to today. We have basked in the fruits given to us by our ancestors, and many of us have not given their sacrifice a second thought. However, history has shown that freedom always requires payment. The price our ancestors paid in wars past will inevitably run out. Freedom will call for another payment; another sacrifice to secure our freedoms for future generations.

It is important to recognize that freedom has its price. That price can come in a variety of forms. It can be paid by the blood and tears of our courageous soldiers pursuing enemies of the American people, domestic and foreign alike. It is also paid by each and every citizen having to sacrifice some freedoms temporarily such as enduring increased security and the small but ever present possibility for a draft. In order to have freedom, we must be willing to pay the price for that freedom if the situation warrants.

A patriot is one who is willing to sacrifice anything including one’s life or riches for his country. This is best exemplified by our country’s founding fathers. The men of the Second Continental Congress who affixed their names to the Declaration of Independence were all affluent statesmen. They had much to lose, however they put the concerns of their homeland over personal interests. Each and every signer put his life, fame, and fortune on the line for the greater good of the American people. This clearly exemplifies the act of patriotism and shows what a patriot really is.

We as a nation have an incredible number of great patriots, both acclaimed and those whose importance and value is unappreciated. Many of the unappreciated patriots have contributed to and sacrificed a great deal, possibly even more than their highly acclaimed counterparts, for our freedom and American way of life. In performing unselfish, patriotic acts that will go unrecognized, these heroes show a great deal of character.

The best example for this type of American hero is the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent who sacrifices his life for our enduring security and freedom with the knowledge that what he has done will never be remembered or appear in a history book. That is true patriotism.