Let me first thank Navy veteran Matt Patton for his service to our country. But his recent letter, Patriotism became a fad after terrorist attacks (SN 9/11), caused me some concern. Patton feels that following Sept. 11, 2001, patriotism gripped our nation and now fears its effects are wearing thin on the American public once again. But Patton is mistaken, for it was not patriotism that spread over the nation on Sept. 12 but rather nationalism. The American public did not revere in the principles upon which this nation was founded. Instead, people slapped stickers of flags on their cars while screaming, “My country, right or wrong!” This was not, and will never be, patriotism.

If we remember, following Sept. 11, dissent with the government was considered a crime akin to treason. We took the perverse action of proudly giving up those rights so many have died for in a single piece of legislation, feeling the exchange of a few rights for feelings of security was a bargain to be had. A true American patriot would never do such a thing, for he would heed the words of Benjamin Franklin: “Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither.”