Patriotism as defined by the dictionary simply is “devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty.” This definition, I argue is inadequate and needs to be expanded. For Black people, as well as other historically oppressed peoples in the United States, our allegiance to this country has been tantamount to mutiny to our own. To hark back to a concept developed by the preeminent black scholar of the 19th and 20th century, W.E.B. DuBois, Black people developed a “double consciousness” which is quite simply put; the development of a lens to see yourself through the eyes of another, your oppressor. While seeing yourself through others eyes, one must sift through the many different social circles, often times “switching codes,” ultimately obscuring one’s authentic self.

You are not to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong no matter who does or says it.

So when it comes to patriotism, you know, the waving of flags incessantly; the monotonous cacophony of “USA! USA! USA!;” and the blind allegiance to ‘security forces’ such as the Navy and army, where do black people land? If history is any guide to understanding our present, we will see that it lands us right where we started, at the bottom of the barrel. Without the American slave the free white men would have nothing to juxtapose their existence or justify their exploitation of the labor of African slaves, as well as their liberty and freedom. Viewing the world and history from the bottom up gives us a view that is more panoramic than that of our oppressors of all kinds. History shows us that it was a black man by the name of Crispus Attucks, who was the first to die for this country; he was America’s first martyr. It was the African that fought in every war in this nation, often times as fodder, some times as the adept soldier. We gave this nation a soul, we have continually shed blood and fought for this country and its Western allies. If you are a part of the Americas, yes there are more than one, and have roots outside of the African continent, you too have helped build up this nation’s wealth and constructed ways to be more free.

When African Americans and people of color voice their grievances, they are more often than not painted as “complaining” or “un-American.” I tell you now that when you complain, fights, struggle, succeed, and prosper you are embodying the freedom that America claimed it had in 1776. African American patriotism is going to ostensibly seem “anti-American,” but so too was the cries of the slave, the balled up fist of Frederick Douglass striking back at his owner, so too was Nat Turner plotting through the night. You are not “anti-American,” America is and has been anti-YOU. African Americans history in this nation has been a history of rebellion, of alleged “anti-Americanism,” and being “un-patriotic.” Today our task is simple, to be the Americans that our ancestors were and wanted us to be, to rebel against the evils of our nation and any nation that commits them towards us and our brothers and sisters. You’re not supposed to be so blind with flag waving and the like, you should face your country and ask what is your place in this new age. Will you be blind, and let wrong continue for fear of being “un-patriotic,” or will you stand up with the power of your ancestors who bled and fought so you can breathe more freely?

As brother El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz said “you are not to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong no matter who says or does it!” The American government is still committing many wrongs to this day, many of them aimed at people of color all over the world. Will you march in lockstep with them and be a patriot (read: blind follower) or will you be a patriot like your ancestors and fight for freedom, liberty, and justice regardless of how “un-patriotic” they will call you.