“My Country Tis of Thee”
(c) 2025 Harold Michael Harvey
During a recent town hall meeting in an Atlanta suburb, United States Senator Raphael Warnock quipped, “These have been the longest 100 days of my life.” His comments, which referenced the fast pace at which the Trump administration has dismantled nearly 250 years of democratic rule in America, drew laughter from the audience.
Warnock’s audience of 800 Georgians who came to a Sunday afternoon Town Hall understood his humor and found laughter a balm to soothe the pain of division that the administration’s policies have wrought in the nation. Their laughter acknowledged that although the Trump administration cloaks its executive orders and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in American patriotism, the consequences drive a wedge of fear and mistrust among Americans of various ethnic origins.
Patriotism should inspire, not divide. It should be a force for progress, justice, and unity, not partisanship.
We live in an era where political allegiance often overshadows shared values—where loyalty to a side can cloud the bigger picture. But enlightened patriotism reminds us that loving our country means pushing it to improve, not just defending it as it is.
During the question-and-answer session of Warnock’s Town Hall meeting, a United States citizen of Ethiopian descent told Warnock that his parents back home were proud that he was an American citizen. He said, “I voted for you to serve in the United States Senate.”
Then, this native of Africa asked Senator Warnock, “What side of the fence are you on when it comes to the Palestine question?”
Warnock replied, “I believe in the humanity of all of God’s children. My north star in this conflict is a solution that embraces all children on both sides.”
Afterward, the sanctuary at Zion Hill Baptist Church in the City of South Fulton, Georgia, erupted into a protest demonstration as several Palestinian men and women stood up and attempted to shout Warnock off the stage. The disruption waged on for ten minutes or more. The cops came, and Warnock told them, “This is a sensitive issue; let the people speak.”
“Protest,” H. Rap Brown said in the late 1960s, “is as American as apple pie.” Brown uttered an inescapable truth. The United States grew out of protest when the people realized that government leaders should “work for the people and not a king,” to paraphrase Warnock.
Nevertheless, in the 21st century, protests over the Palestinian Question recently landed 34-year-old Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student, in jail and a threat of deportation because he led a student protest against Israel dropping bombs on civilians in the Gaza Strip, killing over 230,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children.
The Palestinians in Zion Hill Baptist Church were met with shouts to sit down and shut up from an audience of mostly Africans living in America, who are, for now, protected from deportation by the Trump administration under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Ironies abound, Zion Hill is named for a Canaanite hill fortress in Jerusalem captured by David and named The City of David, an ancestor of the man that Christian believers follow.
Other than the gentlemanly manners of Rev. Senator Warnock, despite being called a “liar” by protesters, there was not much of a welcoming spirit for the Palestinian Americans and their supporters who came to Zion Hill, which means in Hebrew, “mountain or government, to petition their senator to address whether the United States of America should continue to fund Israel’s war in Gaza.
In 1831, a French nobleman, Alex de Tocqueville, toured the United States of America for nine months, essentially to study the American penal system. He studied America and its democracy. In 1835, he published the first of two volumes titled Democracy in America. He published the second volume in 1840. “The greatness of America,” de Tocqueville wrote, “lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.”
“In the United States,” de Tocqueville opined, “the majority undertakes to supply a multitude of ready-made opinions for the use of individuals, who are thus relieved from the necessity of forming opinions of their own. It is trite to say; nevertheless, it is true that the more things change, the more they remain the same.
In the 21st century, it is time to discard the Yankee-doddle-dandy patriotism of the 17th century and the “Hell Naw, never forget” 18th-century Rebel yell and embrace a sense of patriotism that is inclusive of all who call the United States home.
Let’s embrace a patriotism that welcomes constructive criticism, celebrates diverse perspectives, and focuses on creating a fairer future for all.
A strong nation isn’t one where people agree on everything—it’s one where they can disagree with respect yet still work toward common goals. The humorist Mark Twain once posited: “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”
A Historical Example of Enlightened Patriotism
Britain’s League of Nations Union (LNU) embodied enlightened patriotism during the early 20th century. Instead of promoting nationalism or militarism, the LNU encouraged citizens to see their country’s role in the world as one of diplomacy, civic responsibility, and ethical leadership.
Their approach emphasized international cooperation and the idea that patriotism should be about building a better world, not just defending national interests. The LNU’s work helped reshape British perspectives on their nation’s responsibilities, proving that patriotism can be both proud and progressive.
Modern movements continue this legacy today by advocating for inclusive patriotism and ensuring national pride is rooted in justice, representation, and civic engagement.
How Do We Get There?
- Criticizing our country isn’t disloyal, sometimes necessary, given that patriotism and accountability go hand in hand.
- Encouraging leadership that unites rather than divides – True patriotism lifts all people, not just a select group.
- Focusing on solutions instead of political battles – Progress happens when we prioritize policy over personality.
- Rejecting misinformation and fear-based rhetoric – A strong democracy thrives on truth, not division.
- Rebuilding trust in institutions through transparency and integrity – When people believe in their country’s systems, they fight for its future.
What Can We Do?
Patriotism isn’t just about symbols and traditions—it’s about action. If we want to build a nation that reflects enlightened patriotism, we must:
- Engage in civic education – Learn about democratic values and encourage informed discussions.
- Support leaders who prioritize unity – Vote for those who prioritize collaboration over division.
- Challenge misinformation – Speak up against false narratives that fuel polarization.
- Celebrate diversity in national identity – Recognize the contributions of all communities in shaping our country.
- Encourage respectful discourse – Foster conversations that bridge divides rather than deepen them.
The future of America doesn’t belong to one party, ideology, or voice. It belongs to those who care enough to demand better.
The League of Nations Union showed that patriotism can be thoughtful, ethical, and forward-thinking. It’s time we embrace that same spirit today.
Let’s rethink what patriotism means. Let’s build something greater. As President Barack Obama often said, “We are not the Red States or the Blue States. We are the United States of America.” It is beyond past time that those hallowed words of the forty-fourth President resonate in the hearts and minds of Americans from “sea to shining sea.”
Harold Michael Harvey, JD, is a two-time award-winning author for his memoir, Freaknik Lawyer: A Memoir on the Craft of Resistance, and the historical novel, Watch Night, Our Souls Cried out for Freedom: A Narrative History of Bethel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Macon, Georgia, from 1863 to 2023. Harvey is a past president of the oldest Black Bar Association in Georgia and founder of the Gate City Bar Association Hall of Fame. An avid baseball fan, he is a voting member of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. Harvey is an engaging public speaker. Contact Harvey at [email protected].