Resistance Is an Act of Patriotism

Photo: Nitish Meena (Unsplash)

Not a single day has passed since last November’s election that we all aren’t horrified by the developments in Washington that continue to flood our social media feeds and drown our morale. The President’s recent Twitter bullying towards the free press, attacks on health care, LGBT rights, and women’s rights, coupled with the recent celebration of our country’s Independence Day, brings to light one blaring question: what exactly does patriotism mean once you have nothing more to be patriotic about?

Despite the heinous arguments and events transpiring, the strength in resistance has never been stronger. It is our right to protest, to resist, and to question. As members of the LGBTQIA+ community, we are not unfamiliar with bullying or oppression, nor are we unfamiliar with the need to fight back.

We asked some people what patriotism—especially in the current political climate—means to them. Here's what they had to say:

"I am unconcerned with the arbitrary love of a country for nation state’s sake. I am unwilling to overlook the disconnect between the ideals the United States claims and the very real disparity of who enjoys liberty. I am unwilling to accept and celebrate a government that does not serve its people. This is my patriotism. It is loyal to the people—not to the body that governs them. There are those of us who have always known that the people in power do not represent us. To people of color, the founding fathers are deadbeat dads. For many years they did not even claim us. We are their children born of rape, theft, and abandonment. Yet people of color have literally and figuratively built this nation."

-Jessica DeBruin

"For me, being patriotic is questioning what your government is doing. In this day and age we must always question and make noise when we view something as unjust. The government works for us and not the other way around."

-Iyal Basen

"For many, simply existing is an act of resistance. Growing up black and queer, I knew very early on that the US didn’t have my best interest at heart. As the first in my family to go to college, in some ways I am their manifestation of the "American Dream." Celebrating the people who got me to where I am today, and giving back to my family and community is my own way of supporting my country. Black people have had an insurmountable and undeniable amount of influence on American culture, so celebrating my identity, family, and culture freely and joyously is about as patriotic as I can get."

-Taylor Henderson

"America is a country of great accomplishment and even greater injustice. Patriotism can often come across as the simplistic love of the former, but true patriotism means loving the promise of the country enough to fight against the latter."

-Gary Jaffe