patriot

Someone who appreciates his or her national heritage and as a result feels committed to upholding their country's fundamental values and morals without taking anything for granted, understanding sacrifices that were necessary throughout history. In America, patriots in the true sense of the word take advantage of their constitutional rights to free speech and due process in the name of liberty and justice for all, meaning they protest oppressive policies that deprive people of freedom. It also means they allow dissent and equal protection regardless of race, sex, gender orientation, ethnicity, religion, or national origin. Why? Because it's the spirit of the US Constitution, hence the identity of the sweet land of liberty. Pledging allegiance does not make you a patriot unless you live up to the pledge and stand by your refusal to be a bigot or warmonger, as that's not what the USA is supposed to be about. Saluting a flag doesn't mean you're patriotic unless you actually care that soldiers died to allow for your freedom. A patriot might own a gun legally but millions of them are unarmed since they're brave Americans thereby making it unnecessary, and in fact no patriot would ever use guns to intimidate others. You're definitely not a patriot if you are a vigilante, a hater, a bully, someone in favor of secession, or if you allow the thought of terrorist attacks or evil-doers in general to change your life or blame innocent people.