The Devils Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce includes the following entries:
Patriot, n. One to whom the interests of a part seem superior to those of the whole. The dupe of statesmen and the tool of conquerors.
Patriotism, n. Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.
In Dr. Johnson’s famous dictionary, patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer, I beg to submit that is it the first.
Times have changed, and not for the better, since that was written.
The Patriot is a missle, a weapon of war, as befits our warfare state economy.
The Patriot Act is an unspeakable act, pointless overreaching authoritarian malice codified.
The Patriots are New England, with the abysmally ugly faux nouveau X faux moderne logo that looks like a forties era advertisement for a railroad. A franchise that hasn't been any fun since they had Jim Plunkett.
And now we have, give me a break, George effing Orwell stop effing laughing and pointing, effing Patriot Day?
Patriot effing Day is right up there with and possibly tops effing National Day of Prayer. Why not bundle them together, toss in effing Flag Day, and call it Totalitarian Day, Authoritarian Day, or Statist effing Horseshit Day?
Am we supposed to wrap ourselves in the Flag and chant the effing Pledge of effing Allegiance on the hour, followed by a rousing chorus of "USA! USA! USA!! we're numbah one! we're exceptional!", or what?
Oh please spare me.