Patriotism Tells the Truth. Nationalism Can’t.
We use these words interchangeably. We shouldn’t.
Love of country requires honesty. Nationalism can’t tolerate it.
Please, do not confuse nationalism with patriotism. They are not close in nature; in fact, they are polar opposites.
We use these words interchangeably; we shouldn’t.
Patriotism is love of country, steady, grounded, and honest. It means caring enough about this place we call home to want it to be better. A patriot can celebrate what is good, and still speak up about what is broken. In fact, that willingness to hold our country accountable is part of the love.
And here’s the important part: what one person sees as “broken,” another person may see differently. Even people who share the same values don’t always agree on what needs fixing or how to fix it. That’s not a weakness. That’s democracy. It’s conversation, disagreement, compromise, and the slow work of getting closer to our ideals.
Nationalism is something else entirely. It is not love, it is comparison. It says our country is better than all others, and must come first, no matter the cost. It leaves little room for self-reflection, and even less room for those who are different, new, or not “like us.”
A patriot asks, “How can we live up to our ideals?”
A nationalist says, “We are already the best.”
Those are not the same thing.
And in times like these, knowing the difference matters.
White Christian Nationalism is the belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation rooted in white Christian identity, and that government and public life should reflect and protect that identity above others.
Patriotic Americanism is love of country grounded in the Constitution, supporting freedom of religion, equal citizenship, and the idea that people of many races, cultures, and faiths all belong here and share the same rights.
Do not confuse the two. Know the difference. November is coming. Vote accordingly.
I’ve lived long enough to know the difference matters, and what happens when we ignore it.