The terms “patriot” and “patriotism” get thrown around a lot these days. And frankly, they get used to describe some people and actions I wouldn’t consider patriotic in the least.

I think part of the problem is the lack of a meaningful definition of patriotism. So, for the sake of having something to work with, I would define it as:

“The love of one’s country and one’s countrymen, alongside the will to make one’s country a better place.”

There we go. Is anyone seriously going to argue with that? What could possibly be wrong with any of that?

Going from that definition, let’s get concrete, and consider some patriotic acts, and some decidedly unpatriotic acts, in no particular order.

Patriotic Acts:

• Criticizing government actions you disagree with.
• Calling out your fellow patriots when they’re completely full-of-it.
• Voting, every time, even when you don’t feel like it.
• Forging international friendships and acting as a goodwill ambassador. (That’s some Street Diplomacy right there!)
• Promoting understanding between diverse segments of the population, like helping rural folks and urban folks see eye-to-eye a little better. (More Street Diplomacy!)
• Donating, volunteering, or otherwise helping your community.
• Working to make the founding ideals and guarantees of your country a reality instead of an unfulfilled fantasy.
• Studying the history of your country, highs and lows alike.

Unpatriotic Acts:

• Badmouthing entire swaths of your country, be they states, regions, demographics, etc.
• Insisting on butchered, sugarcoated, mythological versions of history. If you’re not capable of facing up to the darker elements of your country’s history, then by definition you DO NOT love your country.
• Promoting division, whether for political gains or social media numbers.
• Failing to respect the founding documents and laws of your country, including any checks and balances they define.
• Failing to stand up for ALL the rights of ALL of your fellow citizens, regardless of how you feel about them.
• Working to marginalize and reduce the political representation of your countrymen.

Based on these lists, a lot of our elected officials and talking heads start looking pretty bad. Well, that’s too bad for them because I stand by every word.

In conclusion, we need to move beyond the ridiculous, feel-good, participation-trophy versions of patriotism. If it doesn’t involve real love of your country and your countrymen, it’s just a load of garbage.