The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-09-18

America needs real, honest.to-good-
ness patriots Everything that
Is worthwhile In this country de-
ponds upon American patriotism
that Is true American patriotism.
for its preservation Men and
women who are devoted TO serv'
ing the best interests o. their eoun.
try. e.
The term American patriot" sig
nifies much Patriotism like
every word in which there Is emo
ton. is subject 10 a great variety
Of Interpretation The widest
differences among men are not In
what they think about things, but
in how they feel about things
Hence patriotism varies from being
noble devotion. to being "the
last refuge Of scoundrels."
- - -
|. SOME FOLKS HAVE A PATRI-
OTISM which u nothing but q re.
spectacle form Of egotism - you
know the kind-the fellow who Is
always talking big about America.
and all the time you feel sure
that he Is convinced that he Is the
personal exhibit OF all the virtues
he spplauds America to him
is only term under cover OF which
he can continue talking about him
self Others have the patriotism
Of the prohteer who loves his coun-
try for the same reason the little
boy loves the orange he Is sucking.
At home or abroad this patriot"
keeps the Stars and Stripes draped
about him. and expects the gov
errnent at whatever cost or risk
10 protect his interests and collect
his foreign debts-especially from
inferior people"
X X X
THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER
TYPE o; patr.ot!sm-which Is ex-
pressed chiefly in persons defsmins
md trying to circunscrioe others.
They stir up race hatred and en-
courage class feeling Pro-
Tossing to be the real Americans
hey seek TO deny other Americans
the right Of full ans equal partici-
patton in the benefits Of American
government /. America has no
yreater enemies than taese--!or the
very essence OF Amev!csn!sm is that
the doc. Of opportunity. shall be
kept open for all our citizens-ir-
respective Of race, creed, or color;
that all groups msy be privileged
20 exercise the talents with which
their creator endowed them-and
that all alike may enjoy the fruits
Of their lsbo.s..
X X -
FINALLY WE HAVE what might
De called discriminating patriots
persons who see their country as
d. perfect country . They are
void OF that intelligent love for
their country which enables them
to see Us impertec,.ons and work
20 erase them My country
right or wrong s the slogan o.
these blind lovers :. II all had
their type OF patriotism, our coun-
try would make little progress &.
Theirs is a patriotism which sufto-
cates-stag nates
x X x
IN CONTRAST - these populat
substitutes for patriotism. there IS
a real patriotism. positive and con-
structive: founded upon principle.
I. is a mighty passion that lifts .
man out OF himself and starts on
the road 10 spiritual greatness. II
IS sentimental humanitarianism
which makes one love not his coun-
try alone but his countrymen. The
man who says ne loves his country
but does not love his countrymen,
Us patriotic fraud.
X \; X
THE TRUE PATRIOT realizes
hat the best interests Of his coun-
Try cannot be served unless he
takes into account. the fact, tina;
America Is the result OF the COM
oined genius. work and sacrifice
OF all It's racial groups; and, that
the safety. growth and future great
ness OF our country IS dependent
upon the combined strength. intslli-
-ence and loyalty Of US all =. d.
He therefore. who processes 70 love
lis country and does not love his
,oua,rymsn Is, un-Ameriesn, IN.
patriotic.
In our search for truth and the
right, theory after theory has been