Trigger words: Patriotism patriotism (3)
Indicator sentences: I think it helps to distinguish patriotism from nationalism.
Negotiation parts: Patriotism could be defined as allegiance to the best hopes and ideals of your country. Nationalism is often merely a knee-jerk "my country right or wrong" reactionary feeling. Given those two definitions I could find myself supporting patriotism. Like everything else there would be some blurring of the lines but you're going to have that regardless. As soon as you make the distinction "we" and "they" you antagonized people only for not being part of your country. I don't believe that under the more enlightened definition of Patriotism I necessarily have to alienate people who are non-citizens of my home nation. At least as long as the ideals I espouse are universal in scope they should apply to everyone. So I would praise my home nation for it's adherence to democracy, or criticize it for failing to live up to that ideal. I would then wish that all people could enjoy that ideal or even praise foreign nations that did it better while still claiming I am patriotic. I think.... maybe that works... off the top of my head here.
Trigger words: Patriotism patriotism (3) partriotism
Indicator sentences: I feel like this is inevitably going to turn into a semantic argument about what the definition of patriotism is and isn't. Can you clarify what exactly *you* mean by it?
Negotiation parts: Is there a difference between patriotism and nationalism? Yes, though different people have slightly different interpretations of what they mean. [Source 1](http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-nationalism-and-patriotism/) [Source 2](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fopinions%2Fnationalism-vs-patriotism%2F2014%2F02%2F23%2F9129d43a-9afc-11e3-8112-52fdf646027b_story.html&ei=7hmZVdrUD4P8-AGxtpKIDQ&usg=AFQjCNEMLXL9kS0oeowX3-slbW_d2d_lgA&sig2=Wh4h8OPANOsypvDes64s6w&bvm=bv.96952980,d.cWw) [Source 3](http://nationalinterest.org/blog/paul-pillar/patriotism-versus-nationalism-america-5568) Every idea or ideal that our country is more important, better and superior to others. Every action against other countries only due to them not being your country. Every action to belittle other countries. Along those lines. If you define it like that, I don't think it's possible to argue it against it. You've defined patriotism with blind, unwavering beliefs of superiority. Yeah, that's nationalism not patriotism, although they are not mutually exclusive. I'm not sure that anybody can make a compelling argument that those particular things are good. I think the issue here is that people who think patriotism is good are referring to something qualitatively different than what you're referring to.
Indicator sentences: what do you mean if the war wasn't over a "topic where patriotism is important".
Trigger words: Patriotism patriotism (3) partriotism
Indicator sentences: I think you're confusing patriotism with nationalism.
Negotiation parts: Nationalism is the belief that your nation is better and more deserving than other nations. It is a form of prejudice, and at the root of philosophies like manifest destiny. Patriotism is the belief that our nation binds us in collective self interest and that serving that purpose is as or more important than individual self interest. The idea that we are in this together and that our common wealth should be protected by all of us, even on occasions when we might be personally disinterested but other citizens would be harmed. It is a form of camaraderie. This might be a semantic difference. I wouldn't try to change your mind about nationalism but I would urge you not to confuse it with patriotism. Because we are bound by a government whose mandate is to be a government of, by, and for the people, we should care about and be willing to serve as not just the tools of that government, but also its conscience. That is why opposing and speaking against acts of the state which you find unconscionable is as patriotic as anything.
Trigger words: Patriotism patriotism (5) partriotism
Indicator sentences: I don't think patriotism is well defined enough in your post for it to be possible to engage with it meaningfully. :) What is patriotism, to you?