Patriotism, Flag Salutes And National Anthems

The following entry is a letter I wrote to GOP-USA, in response to an article they published regarding a lack of patriotism in our country.......... "Patriotism or no patriotism, flag salute or no flag salute, National Anthem or no National Anthem. If this country is NOT a great place to live, if it is NOT a great place for opportunities, if it is NOT a great place to practice your freedoms and pursue your dreams…..then why do many people risk their lives to get here? Why do they give their life savings to a stranger, who has promised to bring them here, who may mistreat and/or physically harm them? Why do unescorted children come here? Why have small-statured men and women been found under hoods of cars, and hanging on to a car by way of a chassis? Why do they swim the Rio Grande and Pacific Ocean or take unsafe boats? Why are they willing to hide inside of suitcases and attempt to be cargo on board ships and planes? I’ll tell you why in 5 words: It is a great country! I did not say it is a perfect place. There are no perfect places. And there won’t be any. Not on this planet at least. I have no problem loving this country. I might hate or dislike this country if I had a great deal of bitterness, anger, hatred and jealousy. But those are issues I must deal with myself, and no country in this world can help me with them."