Patriotism Redux: Community Pride

1. Buy local. Support your local community by shopping for food at farmer’s markets, and even by buying things like beer and wine that are produced locally. I bet your state, city, or town has at least one really excellent craft beer available that was brewed in the state, and many communities are also known for certain treats or delicacies. Perhaps you have a beekeeper neighbor who makes his own honey, or someone down the street with a chicken coop and a large tomato plant. Maybe you live in Wisconsin, which is allegedly made almost entirely of cheese, or perhaps you live in Minnesota and have an option at your local grocer to buy Bushel Boy tomatoes or a brand shopped in from another country; when possible, choose the local option. Better yet, give your neighbor some of your cucumbers in exchange for some of her tomatoes!

2. Whenever possible, walk, ride your bike, or use public transportation. Not only is cutting down on car use good for the planet, walking, biking, and using public transportation help you get to know your city and your neighbors better. You’re more likely to stumble across the charming diner, family-run hardware store, or amazing thrift store if you’re out walking around than you are if you’re driving the same route every day. Instead of being isolated in the car on your way to and from your destination, why not take a stroll and stop and say hi to others out walking around? If you must own a car, consider buying an American car. This isn’t as cut-and-dry as it seems at face value, of course, since many of the cars we make here have parts made elsewhere, or are assembled in other countries. But it is a start.

3. Support workers’ right to organize. While there is much to be debated about the efficiency, organization, and management of many unions in existence today, unions are one way in which we can help ensure that the workers in our communities - the people who make your clothing, cars, and infrastructure, as well as those who teach our children, care for our sick and elderly, and many, many other vital things — are fairly-compensated and continue to have the right to negotiate for better pay, health insurance, and working conditions.

4. Support renewable and clean energy. No, coal is not “clean.” By supporting these types of energy, we will lessen our reliance on foreign energy sources. No, the Keystone XL pipeline isn’t good enough. We don’t need to continue our reliance on oil; this much is abundantly clear and painfully obvious. Oil is not renewable. Oil is not renewable. Once more for good measure: Oil is not renewable. Causing immense pollution and ecological disaster will not make it so, and the terrorists will not win because we have some windmills. I’m also convinced that the people who claim that windmills and wind farms are eyesores have either never seen one in real life, or they are simply lying in hopes that the public will decide they agree with them. Because wind farms are some of the coolest-looking human-made structures I’ve ever seen. What better way to express your pride in the craftsmanship of our fellow citizens than by taking a moment to appreciate some of the profoundly amazing things that we’ve built?

6. Learn about the history of your town, city, and/or state. Learning where you come from will help you understand why you’re there, and increase your appreciation of where you live. Learn about the people who founded the town or city where you live. Learn about the cultural history that shaped, and continues to influence, where you live.

5. Visit local, state, and national parks and libraries. These invaluable public resources are kept and maintained for our enrichment, convenience, accessibility, and enjoyment, and are public places that we can all enjoy. Get out of your house once in a while and see what your community — and your tax dollars — have to offer.

It is notable that many of these suggestions involve pride in one’s local community, rather than the entire country as a whole. It’s no secret that I have immense civic pride- I love Minneapolis, and the Midwest as a whole. I find this to be very different from a blind allegiance to one’s nation.

This local pride, as opposed to nationalist pride, should please right-wingers and neoliberals who constantly extol the benefits of stronger states’ rights, as they pretend to believe in a more localized governing of our country, as many of the Founders intended. Of course, they’re lying, and only follow such principles (or claim to believe in them) when it benefits them- never when profit may be directed elsewhere by the real free market. And anyway, following any number of these recommendations would be unfavorable to those who perpetuate the jingoistic, fascist, and utterly meaningless kind of patriotism that we are spoonfed today. We all know there isn’t enough massive profit for multinational corporations to make if we all bought local, and if we all started using the library more often, they might have to admit what we already know — that taxes can, in fact, be used for beneficial purposes that are agreed upon by and benefit the community as a whole. And, of course, sustainable energy doesn’t make any money for Big Oil and Big Coal, so they’ll do anything to oppose it, truth and accuracy be damned. Also, knowledge is dangerous to them because it helps foster a true democracy, and they all know that if the people were really in charge as we’re always told we are, that they wouldn’t get away with the massive exploitation of humans and the environment that they do now. Hell, it’s probably only a matter of time before the shock doctrine kicks in everywhere, so we’ll need all the community support we can muster. Since the emergence of the Occupy movement, many Occupy groups are forming community- and neighborhood-involvement campaigns to help bring neighbors together. Does your neighborhood have one? If not, get some friends together and get started!