Americans typically celebrate the day off work (for many of us, except the working poor who still have to serve us this day) with BBQs, beer, and other outdoor activities. The day is capped off with fireworks displays across the country at dusk. It's generally a pretty happy day, and I regularly partake in some form of the festivities. However, it's not a really big holiday for me.
This dawned on me this morning as I was dressing. The typical dress code for the day is an ensemble of red, white, and blue. Many take it further than just the colors and wear US flag apparel or other symbols of their patriotism. As I looked through my closet, I own no flag-based clothing at all. I don't even own anything that is red, white, and blue. In years past, I'd just make do the best I can. Maybe a red and white shirt with a blue sweatshirt. But today I was reflecting on why I own nothing flag-related, and looking at my closet you'd see zero signs of patriotism (although I own many other symbolic T-shirts).
First of all, I'm not a huge fan of our Flag. Compared to the many simpler designs found across the world, or among the 50 state flags, this one, I believe, is below average. While it's full of symbolism of the 13 original colonies and the 50 states, it doesn't really work as a partial design. You kind of need the whole thing, or else it's just blue with white stars or overly-wide red and white strips. I just don't see it as attractive apparel. If it were a simpler design, maybe my opinion would be different.
Second, I really have to admit I'm not a huge Patriot. This word has been hijacked in recent years by right-wing ultraconservatives as a pro-violence rallying cry. It's also a well known fallback for the Tea Party group. I do not identify with either of these groups, but there are countless patriotic liberals as well, and they often wear flag-based clothing, or at least the color palette.
Don't get me wrong - I am very fortunate to have been born in this country, and I recognize well the opportunities it affords me. I also understand the sacrifices of countless men and women in getting us where we are today so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have. However, my being born in this country really just comes down to a bit of luck. Experiencing rebirth in the precious human form is incredibly more rare than achieving a human birth to happen to land in the USA.
Why should I feel any pride in the accidental place of my birth? I had nothing to do with that, and I kind of view it as a false pride. I think it's generally OK for one to take pride in their work (just don't get too attached to that feeling!), but to take pride in your birthplace? I don't see a logical basis for this at all. I am grateful that I was born in a free society and to have been given an opportunity to touch Dharma and follow a path of my choosing that is not dictated by a totalitarian government. But I didn't do any work towards that goal of my birth (building merit in previous lives aside).
I would much rather everyone across the world set aside a day to celebrate and express thankfulness for being Human. National pride often leads to reinforcing delusions and takes the focus off the real challenges of this short human existence. The greatest joy one can feel is treating other beings with compassion; setting yourself apart from 96% of the world by getting drunk, torching the sky and eating hotdogs is not an act of compassion.
So as I head out this afternoon for activities on this July 4, I will be mindful of my eternal gratefulness that being born in this country affords me. I may even don some red, white and blue if I can find anything in the closet. But deep down, I will be celebrating achieving a human rebirth on this pass through Samsara rather than filling myself with a delusion that I had something to do with our independence from Great Britain in a bloody war over 200 years ago.
"Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism - how passionately I hate them!" -- Albert Einstein
"Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about." -- Mark Twain
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