In my Henrico County neighborhood, many residents don’t need to wait for Independence Day, the 4th of July, to display the American flag. They do so year-round. (I took the photo above more than a month ago.) They are not bigots. They are not white nationalists. They are patriots. They love their country. It’s that simple.
Yes, our country is flawed. We have not managed to repeal human nature, and rapid, disruptive technological change outpaces the ability of our institutions to keep up. We have much work to do, and we always will. But our nation has stamped out more evil and it has brought more freedom and more prosperity to the world than any other in the history of mankind. I won’t be flying the flag, because such overt displays of patriotism are not my way. But I carry my love of country in my heart every day, as most all of us do.
— JAB
