I am having a hard time these days figuring out what real “American patriotism” is and who the real patriots are. Just because someone has an American flag on his bumper, listens to Hank Williams Jr. and drinks Budweiser on the 4th of July doesn’t make him a true patriot.

Those same “patriots” are watching the war on CNN, maybe. They go to work or school each day and they preach the doctrine of Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Condoleeza Rice and the biggest sell-out with a political future in American history — Colin Powell. Then they settle into their comfortable beds and head to school or work every morning while Marines fight and die for their cause every single day. –

But it doesn’t make them a patriot in my eyes. True patriots were men like George Washington, Paul Revere and Nathan Hale — all the men that enlisted after Pearl Harbor during World War II, same thing. These men not only believed in what they were doing, they picked up arms and fought for their beliefs. I don’t believe a true pro-Iraq war patriot in 2004 should do any less.

A true patriot that believes in our presence in Iraq would bleed red, white and blue for this country. They’d pick up a gun and fight for what is good and right– or at least for what they believe in– which is why I cannot understand when I hear people on campus talking about their support of the war in Iraq. Why aren’t they there?

-If you believe in something that strongly, then back it up– enlist today. At least sign up for the National Guard.

Don’t wait for things to settle down and hide behind the tall gentle evergreens of Sacramento State. If you think that defeating Iraq is the only way to stop worldwide terrorism, then what are you waiting for?

Why don’t I enlist? I would if I believed we had a right to be in Iraq and that I could help. We don’t have a right to be there. That has been proven countless times by the United Nation’s weapons inspectors, the 9/11 Commission and our own soldiers who are presumably still looking for weapons of mass destruction. -It’s a war that I just don’t believe in and one that I hope Sen. John Kerry can enlist international support for if he wins the presidential election. Besides, they don’t need old broken down guys like me anyway!-

On the other hand, I would fight to the death for something I believed in. Give me five minutes in a room with Osama bin Laden or any other Al-Qaeda operative who directly threatens the security of our country and wish them luck.-

What it comes down to is — what depth does your patriotism have when you are content to let others fight your battles for you? Are you comfortable sending others to die for your cause? If not, maybe you need to check out the Web sites below.

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http://www.marines.com/-

http://banner.goarmy.com-