Yes, I’m patriotic. Always have been.

Daily writing prompt

Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?

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Yes, I’m patriotic. Always have been.

And to me, being patriotic isn’t complicated. It simply means you appreciate and love the country you live in. You respect what it has given you, you defend it when it’s under attack, and you don’t sit around acting embarrassed to be an American.

I also think real patriotism means you put the country you live in above your ethnic roots.

Now don’t get me wrong — I’m proud of my Italian background. I’m proud of my family history, the traditions, the food, the stories, all of it. But that’s where some people get lost today. They start putting ethnicity ahead of the country itself, like their identity is more important than the nation that made their life possible.

To me, it’s supposed to be simple:

God. Family. Country.

Not God. Family. Ethnicity. Country.

The USA is supposed to be the great melting pot. That’s what made it strong. People came here from everywhere, and eventually we all became Americans first. That doesn’t mean you erase your roots. It means you respect the fact that this country gave you the freedom to even celebrate your roots in the first place.

Patriotism isn’t blind loyalty to politicians. It’s loyalty to the idea of The USA . It’s respect for the sacrifices that built it. And it’s gratitude for the fact that even with all its problems, there is still no other country on earth where opportunity exists like it does here.

So yes, I’m patriotic.

And I’m not shy about it.