Patriot visions are different for each person who considers themself a patriot. I admit it. I am a conservative patriot, a full spectrum conservative. I am a traditionalist with a Wealth of Nations capitalist viewpoint, a fiscal conservative, a Biblical Christian, a social conservative, a constitutional conservative, and a state’s rights conservative who believes in the power of the Tenth Amendment and small local, state, and national or federal governments. My vision for the future of the United States is based on a compilation of the above components of conservatism. As a result, many will disagree with me.
Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines a patriot as a person who loves and strongly supports his or her country. Patriotism is defined as love that people feel for their country. Finally, patriotic is defined as having or showing great love and support for your country. Unfortunately, activists on both the political far left and far right insult their opposition by stating that their opponent’s patriot visions and actions are not those of a patriot or patriotic person. Such disparaging comments and attitudes prevent meaningful discussion of the real issues. Name-calling, cancel culture, and political correctness are forms of intimidation. Each side views themselves as patriots and considers their vision for the United States and their actions to be patriotic. Unfortunately, these terms have been used disparagingly throughout our history. Consequently, the patriot visions underpinning the positions of both the far left and far right are rarely debated honestly. In my view, people who disparage the motivations and ides of others do so to prevent them from sharing their ideas and vision for the United States.
To understand my patriot vision as a conservative, my perspective on the so-called left-right political continuum is critical. Although the left vehemently disagrees with such an assertion, except for Islamist regimes, my perspective also includes the idea that the ideologies, positions, and policies of the left side of the political continuum are based on Marxist philosophy. I place dictatorial atheistic communist regimes like the old Soviet Union, 21st century communist China, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela on the far left of this continuum. Theocratic or dictatorial Islamist ideology and regimes are next on this continuum. Socialist ideology is immediately to the right of Islamist regime ideology. Although the term progressive is commonly substituted for the term socialist for political expediency, progressives fall to the right of socialists. Liberals are right of progressives; and moderate Democrats form the right end of the left, Marxist, side of the political continuum. This idea is normally ridiculed by Democrats in general but especially by liberals and progressives. Independent ideology and some Libertarian views in the United States, straddle the middle of the political continuum and support some concepts and ideas from both the left and right. Moderate Republicans form the left end of the right side of the political continuum. Contrary to the opinion of socialists and progressives who view us as deplorable fascists, Biblical, social, physical, and Constitutional conservatives, who like me, consider ourselves conservative Republican Populists, constitute the majority of the of the right side of the left-right political continuum. We reject the conspiratorial views of QAnon and the extreme views of the Alt-Right which are far to the right of conservative Republican Populists. The Alt Right falls immediately left of fascists. Fascist ideology and dictatorial regimes such as Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy on the far right of the political continuum.
In my opinion, everyone who seeks the best for We the People of the United States of America is a “Patriot” regardless of where they fall on the Left-Right political continuum. We do not agree about which patriot visions will be best for the United States, but we should be able to debate the issues peacefully and respectfully. However, when individuals or groups become disrespectful, verbally abusive, or violent, they can no longer claim the attribute of Patriot.
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