Patriotism is simply love of country. And like any other kind of love, when it is blind, it is eventually detrimental to the loved one.

So yes, Brucie, the responsibility to acknowledge and deal with the loved one's faults is definitely there. Willingness to sacrifice on's own interests (and even life) for the security and improvement of the loved one is the highest offering one can make.

Blindly loving someone and ignoring their faults will only make them worse.