The Difference

[poliphilo]

Here's the difference. You think love of country means "my country right or wrong", whereas I think it means holding my country to a high standard and objecting when it does something stupid or mean. 

Comments

[oakmouse]

To me it means caring enough about my country to want it to be worthy of love and pride.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's of the essence of democracy that the citizen should have the right to oppose the actions of his or her government. Only authoritarian regimes demand unwavering loyalty.

[oakmouse]

Absolutely. I also avoid conflating the government with the nation/country, because I'm too well aware that the government isn't always (or even, necessarily, often) representative of what the people --- as a whole or in part --- want. It may act in the name of the people, but that doesn't make it an actual instrument of the people. I often find it necessary to say "I love my country but I fear my government." I truly love the US and feel great pride in what the American people have accomplished, but that doesn't mean that I trust or feel pride in the collection of dishonest, opportunistic gits who run the place.