My friend Ula, who's from Poland, commented once while she was viviting that Americans seem to love to display flags and patriotic "stuff"--bunting, I Love the US stickers, etc. She said they don't do that in Poland. She also was surprised at how varied people were, for example when I told her about going to a friend's Bat Mitzvah. In her experience, minority groups keep to themselves. I'd never thought about it before, but at least around here, minority groups seem to shout their presence from the rooftops...

So, am I patriotic? Well, yes. I love living in the US. One of the things I like about it is how often people argue about issues! I like free speech and free press, and the right to call the President, or anyone, a bleepin' SOB if you feel like it. I don't think you have to believe your country is perfect to be patriotic. I don't think you even have to believe it is the best. To me, a true patriot is someone who loves what is good about his/her country, and cares enough about the country to try to change what is bad.