Pete McCloskey knows a thing or two about patriotism, having served in Korea and as a Republican member of ongress. Read what he has to say about it, about freedom, and about what’s really important.

The truth of the matter is that patriotism requires supporting the troops, but not necessarily supporting the foreign policy that sends them to Vietnam, Lebanon, Somalia, Haiti, Afghanistan or Iraq. Patriotism is simply the willingness to fight, and if necessary die, for a cause reasonably believed to be in the nation’s interest. That is the patriotism July Fourth reminds us to honor. The word “patriot” is too precious to allow it to be used by the thundering rhetoric of politicians that patriotism requires not only “supporting the troops” but also supporting the foreign policy that puts them at risk.

It gets better.

Ironically, the politicians who most eagerly use the term “unpatriotic” have often declined to take the risks taken by Nathan Hale and the signers of the Declaration of Independence: facing hostile rifle and artillery fire, or worse, being hanged. Dick Cheney, Tom DeLay and George W. Bush somehow never chose to face machine-gun or artillery fire during the wars of their own youth. As patriotism justifies honor, it also requires honor on the part of those who would claim it.

Word.