On My Lack of Patriotism
As I write this, the Fourth of the July was a few days ago, and it reminded me how unpatriotic I am.
I don't mean I hate America, I don't (and I find reflexive anti - Americanism distasteful). I like plenty of my country's cultural traits and idiosyncrasies. I like our brash, self - reliant ethos and our healthy disrespect for authority, though we often take them in harmful directions. I like our varied geography and culture. I love that America isn't a nation; America has gathered peoples from the four corners of the Earth, thrown them in a melting pot, and made something beautiful.
And, despite the bad press they get, I appreciate some American food traditions. It may not be authentic (except to America!), but I love Americanized Chinese and Italian food, not to mention Tex - Mex. As a Southerner, I suppose I like a lot of my own ethnic food!1 I love fried okra, black - eyed peas, and cornbread. I like apple pie, butternut squash, and biscuits. I'm not sure you've lived if you haven't had a fried pie or a bowl of warm cobbler.2
But I feel no deep attachment to America, nor any great affection for it. I feel no cognitive dissonance when I hear a negative statistic about America or read about some evil thing the government did. It's mysterious to me that anyone does, unless they or their family worked in the government or military. There are more than 300 million Americans, and I don't know most of them. Many of them have totally different beliefs and backgrounds to mine. They aren't "my people" in any meaningful sense.
My people--my ingroup--are a much smaller club. They're my family and friends, or else people who I just have a lot in common with. I guess I identify a little with the town I live in, but that's about it.
But most Americans don't feel this way, they listen to patriotic songs and revere the flag. They treat criticism of America like an attack on a beloved aunt or uncle. They proudly buy things that are made in America and take it as obviously virtuous to do so. I don't think any of this is bad or morally wrong, but I do find it odd.
) I have a hard time with most meaty dishes due to sensory issues, and that includes Southern barbecue. If I didn't I would have said "most!"↩
I believe the best meal I've ever had was at a place called Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies in Davis, Oklahoma. I believe I had apple and chocolate ones, but my that was awhile ago :)↩