Time to Start Wrapping Ourselves in the Flag Again
Democrats Need to Prove Why We Are the Most Patriotic Party
Over the past few decades, it’s become difficult for Democrats to proudly celebrate our country without seeming aligned with those who wrap themselves in the flag so loudly and aggressively. Patriotism, the flag, and what it means to “be an American” have been co-opted by white nationalists and right-wing extremists—people who use greed, hate, racism, and bigotry to define what the United States stands for. Most Americans disagree with them, but that doesn’t make it any easier to determine someone’s intentions when they wave the flag today.
A couple of weeks ago, I made the case for what our message should be as Democrats:
We are the party that believes in freedom, dignity, and opportunity for all people. We don’t tell you how to live your life—we fight to make sure you can live it.
This Independence Day, I believe we can go a step further.
We need to reclaim our patriotism.
Too often, Democrats have bought into the fallacy that the Right has a monopoly on patriotism. That their nationalistic, jingoistic posturing means they own the flag—and that embracing it ourselves somehow aligns us with them. That embracing national pride somehow puts us in the same camp as those yelling “USA!” while storming the Capitol or banning books. But patriotism goes far beyond waving the flag and declaring the U.S. the greatest country in the world.
The flag doesn’t represent some warhawking-salute the flag everyday or else- military parade down Constitution Avenue- “my pronouns are USA”- shooting guns off into the air-singing along to Lee Greenwood-“remember when this country was great”- nationalist version of patriotism.
The flag stands for what actually makes America great: freedom, diversity, and a democracy built on liberty and justice for all.
This country was not founded to uphold authoritarianism, oligarchy, or mandatory religious dogma. It was founded by people escaping monarchs and seeking freedom from persecution. We can’t allow those who stand for everything antithetical to that foundation to make us feel ashamed for being proud of our country—even when we know it’s not perfect.
That’s the country our founders actually envisioned—one that grows more perfect over time. Not through blind loyalty, but through constant work.
In fact, our ability to say it’s not perfect is what makes us patriots.
Democrats believe in building a more perfect union—not denying our faults, but working to fix them. Our founders made our founding documents as living documents because they knew the most patriotic thing you can do is fight to improve your country. That’s what activists, organizers, candidates, and public servants in the Democratic party do every day.
Our far-right counterparts wave “Make America Great Again” as if greatness lies in some imagined past. Democrats work every day to make America what it can be—what it’s meant to be.
We know the U.S. has not yet reached its full potential—domestically or abroad. We know we can treat our people better, expand justice, and lead with diplomacy instead of defaulting to force. That’s not anti-American. That’s deeply American.
Look at our party. Our elected leaders, our staffers, our volunteers—they look like America. Our strength is in our diversity. And yes, “diversity” and “inclusion” have been turned into dirty words by right-wing pundits, but America was never meant to be monolithic. We are a country of immigrants, of blended cultures, of people seeking freedom from persecution. So why would we turn away people doing the same today?
In our pledge of allegiance, we say “liberty and justice for all.” Republicans insist everyone says it—but their policies don’t reflect it. They believe in liberty and justice for some. They demand First Amendment protections for themselves, but seek to silence those who disagree with them.
Democrats believe in true liberty—for all identities, all faiths, and all ways of life. The Right increasingly believes in liberty only if it looks like them. So who’s really fighting for freedom?
They say calling out bigotry infringes on their rights. But making this country welcoming to all is why we have rights in the first place. Just ask the Statue of Liberty:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
We, as Democrats, should not be afraid to be proud of the nation we live in. We know the United States can be the greatest country in the world—and we owe it to ourselves and future generations to make that true.
No one has a monopoly on patriotism.
This Fourth of July, let’s wave our flags proudly, sing the anthem, and keep building a country where freedom, justice, and opportunity truly belong to everyone and a country that can be the greatest country in the world.
By the Ballot is an opinion series published on Substack. All views expressed are solely those of the author and should not be interpreted as reporting or objective journalism or attributed to any other individual or organization. I am not a journalist or reporter, nor do I claim to be one. This publication represents personal commentary, analysis, and opinion only.