When seventy thousand football fans rise for the national anthem, their reverence is repaid with pride—pride in their country. I find myself increasingly impatient with those who despise patriotic ceremonies and traditions. Invariably educated and well-off, they have personal assets and achievements to be proud of. But most Americans are not so self-satisfied. Their proudest achievement is the freedom of their country; their most precious possession is their citizenship; their most important contribution to self-government is their loyalty. Patriotism renews the bond of the “we.” True, only a
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