(The views of this letter are from the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the publishing staff of the Lincoln Parish Journal.)
True American patriotism was on display in Ruston and across America on Saturday, October 18 as concerned citizens took to town squares, government centers and city streets to peacefully voice their disapproval with the current Administration in Washington.
Contrary to the hyperbolic and fabricated claims of many members of Congress, including most of our own Louisiana delegation, there was no violence, no carnage, no hatred for America. In Ruston, the Declaration of Independence and several scriptures were read, and prayers were offered.
In fact, what we saw across the nation were average, hard-working, churchgoing, country-loving people engaging in a sacred right unique to America – the right to speak out publicly against government extremes and injustices without fear of reprisal.
Protest is an inherent, potent and important part of American politics and of being an American. From the Boston Tea Party to women’s suffrage and on to the civil rights movement, protesting is as American as apple pie, baseball and football.
Protesting is not unpatriotic. On the contrary, standing up for one’s beliefs is one of the most patriotic things a person can do – it takes courage and conviction, risks scorn and ridicule, and is often undertaken at great personal peril. These are quintessential American values.
In reality, protesting is manifestly patriotic because it calls attention to injustice, discrimination and disrespect for the rule of law. These are a few of the things that our Founding Fathers sought to protect us from when they drafted the U.S. Constitution which still stands as the foundation of our constitutional federal republic.
When people in power abuse our political, legal and law enforcement systems for personal gain or self-aggrandizement, or out of ignorance or bias, protest is a powerful tool to counter such actions and bring about necessary change. There is a reason free speech is protected by the First Amendment.
Being patriotic is not simply about our flag, our national anthem or respect for the military and law enforcement. These are undeniably important and honorable symbols and our military and law enforcement system is critical to our freedom, our safety and our very way of life. Those who serve our country, who protect our freedoms, deserve our unfailing respect and gratitude.
But let’s not forget that our military has engaged and fought our enemies across the world to protect and preserve our way of life – to protect the freedoms that we, as Americans, uniquely possess, and those freedoms include free speech and the right to non-violent protest. Men and women have gone to war and given their lives to ensure that, back home, we can talk and associate with whom we choose, enjoy religious freedom, and protest non-violently against our government and injustice.
We should also not lose sight of the fact that people protest for a reason, generally. So, rather than attack non-violent protestors for exercising their rights, perhaps we all need to look behind the protest and try to understand the reasons. As the saying goes, “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
A patriot is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.” That definition should probably include “regardless of where those enemies or detractors reside” because not all enemies or threats are external, and a patriot must stand ready to confront all whose actions or deeds threaten our fundamental freedoms. Censorship, discrimination, racism and abuse of power are all internal threats to our country and our freedom, and a true patriot stands against them.
As we continue to discuss and debate the latest manifestations of protest in our great and free country, we should remember a fundamental truth: It is unpatriotic not to take a stand for what we believe in, and it is fundamentally un-American to attack those who do.
John Austin (Ruston, La.)
