Editor,
Ari, this is causing me a degree of anxiety, but I think I actually agree with everything you wrote in the July 4 piece “Honoring America’s Patriots.”
It has always been my view that anyone who owes allegiance to the nation and contributes to its survival and success meets the basic test of patriotism. Owing allegiance is a legal fact for all citizens, and it is also confirmed by pledging allegiance. Only if you act in a manner inconsistent with allegiance is there a failure of patriotic resolve, i.e. you help enemies of the nation’s legal and political order seeking to change it in undemocratic or unlawful ways.
Among those with allegiance to our nation, pluralism strengthens us, and real diversity is not sameness to avoid disagreement by pretending there are no differences.
So way to go, well done.
Howard Hills, Laguna Beach
