My Thoughts on Patriotism Here on Inauguration Day

Here on the day when Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th president of this great country, I have some thoughts about what patriotism means to me. 

I've actually been asked if I don't support Trump how can I dare call myself an American and say I love my country. 

Well... I'm glad you asked.

I love my country. Period. It's a blessing to live in a country with so many liberties even though we aren't where we need to be yet.

I love America enough to want to make it better, more welcoming, compassionate,  and provide equal possibilities for all people regardless or race, gender, religion or sexual leaning. 

I want to make the country I love a place where people all are considered innocent until proven guilty and not prejudged by the color of their skin or the neighborhood they live in or the God they choose to serve. 

I love my country enough to want all faiths or the lack of them on equal footing with no preferential treatment given to any one of them in terms of monuments, plaques, or school prayers. 

I love my country enough to want to change the improper perception that poor means lazy.

I love my country enough to believe that the wealthiest citizens should love it too enough to bear their responsibility to fund a still greater share of jobs and security to those who can't. Rather than that extra 100 million they could never spend.

I love my country warts and all and want to work with it to make an even more amazing place for all of us to live together. 

I love my country not just because I love the idea of the USA but because I love the people, all races, all religions, gay, straight, bi, trans, cis, etc., native born, immigrant, refugee, rich, poor, those needing help and those able to help,  of my country.

I love my country because of its people, not its history. I love my country in spite of its history, like I said, warts and all.

I love my country because it is the great melting pot experiment of blending ideals and people to embrace and define all of us.

I love my country not because of what it is, but because of what it's capable of being.

And I will always vote for the candidates I believe can best deliver that world, whether left, right, middle, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, etc., whether DC insider or outsider.

Why? 

Beacuse I love the USA.