The Sincerest Form of Patriotism
"Patriotism," as my colleague Dominique laid out in her blog last year, "is the devotion to, and vigorous support for one's country." I’m not sure that patriotism is something the American people are having much of lately, and rightly so, especially given the way in which the events of 2020 have unfolded. It’s hard not to feel despondent about the state of the world. My hope in writing this blog is to inspire a new type of patriotism. Not one for love of country or flag, but for love of people. Humans have been living together for over 100,000 years and we’ve only made it this far by supporting each other. Healthy communities create a healthy society; after joining AmeriCorps I discovered why volunteering time, skills and knowledge is the sincerest form of patriotism.
I’ve been a transient person since graduating high school in 2013, but after moving to Reno, I’ve felt rooted to the community. I knew next to nothing about Reno when I first moved here, but my time with Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation has laid bare some of the hardships that Nevadans face. I feel a sense of obligation to this community that I can’t say I’ve felt elsewhere. For me, there was always this disconnect between myself and the other communities I’ve lived in, but if I’m being honest, I never really took the time to get involved or consider the mutual benefits of volunteering. That-- is privilege.
Civic Engagement is the process in which people come together to develop the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make a difference in the civic life of a community. It’s no mystery that the quality of public life is directly related to a community's civic engagement (Putnam 2000). Now is a time to stand up for one another, and we do this through being more civically engaged. But what does that look like? Social media is great, but a post on Instagram, a retweet, or even this blog can only do so much. True connections are made when we get to know our neighbors, who they are, where they come from, and their struggles. These connections help us understand how we fit into the larger community, gets us out of our comfort zone, allowing us to be vulnerable and learn from one another. A study conducted by political scientist Robert D. Putnam found that, on paper, local and regional governments tended to look very similar; however, the ones that functioned the best and held the highest quality of life tended to be in communities with a high level of civic engagement (Putnam 2000). Volunteering is how we, as individuals, become informed about the issues within our communities, and in turn, become more civically engaged.
No, you don’t have to move across the country or join AmeriCorps, that's just my experience. If, however, you find things on the television confusing, I ask you to ponder an important question: When was the last time I helped at a local nonprofit or volunteered my time to something I’m passionate about? Time is the greatest resource we can provide, and the more time we are willing to spend in our communities, the less time it is going to take to see real change. As Mellina White, founder of The Seattle Conservative, wrote in her blog “Use THIS moment as an opportunity to expand your circle. Real societal change starts with humans connecting and treating each other as individuals, not categories of identity.
So how does this tie into patriotism? Well, patriotism is the devotion to and vigorous support for one's country, but a country can only be supported by the people that reside in it. Building a better country starts with building stronger, more cohesive communities, and that starts with people putting in the time to get to know and understand each other. Volunteering is the easiest way to make a difference. It seems odd given the circumstances of the past few months but, I’m optimistic about the future so I leave you dear reader with one more quote from the beloved political comedian Jon Stewart: "America is not natural, natural is tribal, we’re fighting against thousands of years of human behavior and history to create something that no one has ever [done]. That’s what’s exceptional about America … it ain’t easy [but] it's an incredible thing.”
Check out the resources mentioned in this post:
là một trong những cổng game cá cược trực tuyến được đông đảo người chơi tin tưởng và lựa chọn hiện nay. Ra mắt vào năm 2014,
cổng game hit club đã nhanh chóng khẳng định được vị thế của mình trên thị trường và thu hút 12.900.550 hội viên tham gia. Được bảo chứng bởi Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, cổng game đã không ngừng cải tiến hệ thống và nâng cao chất lượng dịch vụ nhằm mang đến những sản phẩm tốt nhất cho người chơi.
https://hitclub.com.vc/
Link vào W88 la mot trong cac nen tang giai tri ca cuoc truc tuyen dang “hot” nhat hien nay tai Chau A. w88ii.net
fun88 là nhà cái cá cược trực tuyến được thành lập từ năm 2009, hoạt động dưới sự quản lý của tập đoàn OG Global Access Limited và được cấp phép bởi PAGCOR Philippines cùng Isle of Man Gaming Authority. Với hơn 14 năm kinh nghiệm trong ngành, Fun88 đã xây dựng được uy tín vững chắc thông qua việc hợp tác với Newcastle United và các đối tác công nghệ hàng đầu như Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play. Bài viết này sẽ cung cấp thông tin chi tiết về các dịch vụ, tính năng bảo mật và ưu điểm nổi bật của Fun88.
Nhà cái Gv99 dẫn đầu xu hướng cá cược trực tuyến tại khu vực Châu Á. Cung cấp đa dạng các trò chơi game bài, xổ số, thể thao...Mang đến trải nghiệm chất lượng và uy tín cho người chơi đảm bảo an toàn tuyệt đối. https://gv99.vip/
23win la nha cai cung cap cac san pham ca cuoc va song bac truc tuyen uy tin, mang den trai nghiem giai tri dang cap voi nhieu tro choi hap dan. Website: https://23win-vn.co