A reason for the patriotism gap
To the Editor:
In The American Legion Magazine (July 2023), in an article titled “Flag Wavers,” Alan W Dowd states: “The millennial generation and Generation Z are less proud of America than older generational cohorts, less likely to embrace the concept of American exceptionalism than older generations, and more likely than older generations to view the U.S. flag as a symbol of imperialism, greed and intolerance, rather than a symbol of freedom.”
I do not choose to argue the validity of that statement standing on its own but I do question Dowd’s conclusion that (as he goes on to declare), “this is largely the result of inadequate and/or inaccurate civic education.” I disagree, and offer an alternative assessment of Dowd’s first statement.
Is it possible that millennials and Gen Z might be in the process of re-examining our understanding of American symbolism, American exceptionalism, American culture, and why there might exist a “patriotism gap” (as its been called), and other things older generations (like mine) always took for granted as absolutes but now find we can not?
Something Alan Dowd failed to include in his article (Flag Wavers) and something The American Legion, VFW (indeed, all veterans organizations) seem to overlook, disregard, or omit; America has a former president (twice impeached) who has been handed a 37-count indictment alleging that he stored some of the United States’ most closely held secrets — including information about nuclear programs, defense vulnerabilities, and attack plans — in his home at Mar-a-Lago, in the ballroom, in a bathroom and shower, his bedroom, an office, a storage room, and then obstructed federal officials seeking their return.
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The president in question (Donald Trump) has portrayed the special prosecutor in the case (Jack Smith) as “deranged,” a “thug,” and, of course, a “Trump hater.” That may appeal to the MAGA portion of the Republican Party base but maybe (just maybe) the Millennials, Gen Z, and a whole lot of the rest of us are not so enthusiastic about flag-waving at the moment.
David L. Snell
Franklin
