I was raised in a conservative household. I was raised to respect the United States, the Constitution, and our flag. I was raised to be patriotic. Unfortunately, patriotism seems to be dwindling these days, especially among millennials. This distresses me. Patriotism is defined as the “devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty” by Dictionary.com; however, this is what patriotism means to me:

1. Stop what you are doing, place your hand over your heart, and sing the National Anthem.

This is a big one for me. When I was a child, my dad raced at Hallett. The National Anthem would play before the races began each day and no matter where my sister and I were (even on the playground) or whom we were with, we had to stop and put our hand on our heart. We were to keep our eyes on the flag, stand straight, and be respectful. Nowadays, when the National Anthem begins to play, I have to “shh” people around me and give a nasty glare. Is it that difficult to be quiet for three minutes?

2. Treating the flag with care.

In my house, we don’t step on the flag or burn it in the streets. We fly it proudly and treat it with respect. Old Glory is a symbol of out great country and under no circumstances do we degrade it. If you don’t appreciate the red, white, and blue, feel free to leave.

3. Respecting our military.

Both my grandparents were in WWII, my uncle fought in Vietnam, and my fiancé is currently in the Army. Service members’ sacrifices have allowed us to live in a free country. We should recognize and honor them, not slander and disgrace them. Be the kind of American worth fighting for and thank a solider today, and every day.

4. Being willing to fight.

When/if our government becomes too powerful or outsiders try to attack this grand land, fight back. Don’t be a sheep. Pick up arms and be a damn American. This is especially relevant nowadays when the talk of banning guns is a hot topic. What’s that saying again? Oh yeah, come and take it!