Why I hate the word Patriotic

It's a well known fact that Democracy is based on contradicting views. Many times you will have at least two poles that the consensus gravitates towards (sometimes more). Although the political arena is extremely diverse. But the ruling party is always one, and everyone else is opposition.

It's convenient for people to smack the word patriotic to manipulate the result of something. Look at how the Republicans just branded their illegal war on Iraq as a patriotic duty. When it couldn't be any farther from that.

What's patriotic or unpatriotic is highly influenced by the person's view. Defending the nation against an alien invasion is a patriotic act. Attacking some other nation unprovoked is unpatriotic. It's simple, well at least sometimes

What I'm witnessing these days that people brand their specific views as patriotic or not based, well solely on their own specific view. Now however broad that might be it's still attempting to influence other people or public opinions in an illegal way. Killing democracy.

Patriotic words enrage the feelings of insecurity and fear at the masses. On the fear of being called unpatriotic. It doesn't leave any room for opposition which may be more patriotic than the one way stream of one group.

So next time you use the word patriotic, or patriotic duty just remember that you're practicing dictatorship over democracy ... which is often slaughtered with a thunderous applause (Senator Padme Amidala)