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If patriotism were defined, not as blind obedience to government, nor as submissive worship to flags and anthems, but rather as love of one's country, one's fellow citizens (all over the world), as loyalty to the principles of justice and democracy, then patriotism would require us to disobey our government, when it violated those principles.

— Howard Zinn Declarations of Independence: Cross-Examining American Ideology (1991)

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Patriotism

More quotes by Howard Zinn

The term "just war" contains an internal contradiction. War is inherently unjust, and the great challenge of our time is how to deal with evil, tyranny, and oppression without killing huge numbers of people.

Terrorism and War (2002)

The future is an inﬁnite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in deﬁance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.

It is the great challenge of our time: How to achieve justice, with struggle, but without war.

It is His Majesty's heart's desire to see the swift termination of the war.

To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacriﬁce, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives.

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I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.

Nathan Hale

It is not easy to see how the more extreme forms of nationalism can long survive when men have seen the Earth in its true perspective as a single small globe against the stars.

Arthur C. Clarke The Exploration of Space (1951)

Our country – In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right, and always successful, right or wrong.

Stephen Decatur

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Barbara Ehrenreich

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Howard Zinn (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.