Greg Smith
1801 E. Broadway Avenue, Enid, Oklahoma 73701–4542
greg@doughertypress.com

The patriotism of America's younger generation is inspired more by ideals than events.

What is patriotism for those of us in our late 30s? Many times we are told that we are not patriotic, do not respect the flag enough, or don't have the pride in country that we should. My response is that this simply is not true. My patriotism is not based on the great things our country has done—not World War II, saving the world for democracy, or other events the majority of senior citizens remember. It is based on America's fundamental ideals. The great, flag-waving events of the past simply have not happened in my lifetime. Let's take a look at what my generation remembers.

I was born in April 1962. Some of my early, vague memories are of two assassinations and anti-war protests. My earliest clear memory is of the Watergate hearings. I would rush home from school to watch the "Three Stooges" on TV. Imagine my surprise when, instead of the slapstick antics of Larry, Moe, and Curly, I saw John Dean explaining how our President had orchestrated the cover-up of a rather meaningless break-in. Next, I remember the rescue of American citizens from the roof of our embassy in Saigon. Then, I remember gas prices soaring and America being held an economic hostage by OPEC. After that, Americans were real hostages during the Iranian crisis. All this before I graduated from high school! But there are also high points in my memories—the moon landings, for instance, and Nixon's trips to China and the USSR showing America as a major player for good on the world stage.

In the past 20 years, the United States has continued the above pattern. We have not had the clear enemies of the past (a restricted police action is not a world war) nor the flag-waving accomplishments of the previous generations. And yet, the country has continued to grow stronger, both within our borders and in the world. It was not a war-torn flag that brought down the Berlin wall or caused the fall of the Soviet Union. It was what the flag stands for that inspired these decisive events. The chance for true opportunity, the freedom to say and do what you wish, and the promise of a better future—these are what have caused the world to look at the United States as a prototype for social progress and democracy. It was not the great economic expansion that drew (and still draws) thousands of immigrants to our country. Rather, the promise of personal growth has been a beacon attracting the hopeful to our shores.

As a person in my late 30s, my patriotism is based on the ideals the country and our flag symbolize. When I look at "Old Glory," I feel a sense of pride created by great hope, not by historic acts. When I see a flag being burned or an artist making a statement I disagree with or in a way I find disgusting, part of me wants to stop that act or cut that artist's funding. But, I also see a statement about what has made this country great, freedom of speech, a principle that, above all others, must be kept pure and unencumbered by momentary or political whims. When I see some of the illegal aliens crossing the border, part of me says we need to stop this "invasion" of our borders. But, I also see human beings fighting for a better life for themselves and their families. They are fighting for the opportunity this country holds, that of a better, freer, more productive future.

Are we patriotic, the members of this 30-something generation? I believe so. We are not patriots looking to the past, but we are the hopeful patriots looking to the future. We have faith that the great experiment we call America will continue to grow and prosper. I hope we never have the type of cataclysmic events the 60-something generation endured. The costs were too high, particularly in the lost lives of our nation's young men and women. The patriotism of ideals is the patriotism of the new leaders of America. And, after all, aren't ideals what our nation and Freemasonry are all about?

Gregory J. Smith is on the Valley of Guthrie, Oklahoma, Degree Communication Team and performs in the 20th, 27th, and 30th Degrees. He is also a Production Coordinator for the Director of Work. A Fellow at the 1998 Scottish Rite Leadership Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, he is one of the creators of his Lodge's "Beyond the Ritual" program which studies the meanings behind the words of the ritual, and he has served as a Past Deputy Grand Master.