Patriotism: Why We Need It | 5 Minute Videos

American patriotism is fading, and in some places, vanishing altogether. Douglas Carswell, a former member of the British Parliament who now lives in the U.S., explains why patriotism is so important to the American experiment.

Script:
What kind of future will the United States have if young Americans are taught to have contempt for their country?

To say the least, it’s not a happy prospect.

Yet from all accounts that’s exactly what’s happening.

Ask sixth graders what they know about George Washington and they’re likely to answer: “he owned slaves.”

While that’s true, it’s only one part of Washington’s story. The full story, of course, is that America’s first president was one of the great men of his age, universally admired for his bravery, integrity, and visionary leadership.

Washington was a remarkable man, but only one of many remarkable individuals throughout American history.

This was once taken for granted. Now, it’s barely acknowledged.

For someone who’s admired America from afar and has now made it my home, I find this very troubling. I’ve always considered Americans’ deep love for their country—their patriotism—to be not only part of their charm but a major reason for America’s success.

Now I see that patriotism being undermined, in of all places, America’s classrooms.

The 1619 Project, for example, which contends that America was conceived in racism in 1619 rather than in freedom in 1776, is taught in over forty-five hundred schools. Instead of teaching young Americans to revere their country, the left-leaning educational establishment seems bent on teaching them to be ashamed of it.

Are they succeeding?

From what I’ve seen, patriotism still thrives in much of the country, especially in the South. You can feel it under a thousand Friday night football lights, as the crowd rises for the Star-Spangled Banner. You can sense it in every small-town parade on the Fourth of July.

But there is no question that this patriotism is fading. In fact, in many places it’s disappearing altogether.

See the rest: https://l.prageru.com/3VJwTTA

Follow PragerU on social media!
Instagram ➡️ (https://www.instagram.com/prageru/)
Twitter ➡️ (https://twitter.com/prageru)
Facebook ➡️ (https://www.facebook.com/prageru/)