There's a broader point here about how fake and plastic American patriotism is. Sure, people wave the flag or whatever, but when it comes to sticking up for other Americans, for "American values"? Forget it. As always, you can blame conservatives for this.
Conservatism in America, especially the past 50 years, has focused primarily on how being a "real American" means owning a gun you can use to shoot Black people who come to close to your suburban mini mansion in Kentucky. No community, no purpose. Just a big Fuck You to everyone but yourself
Meanwhile, you think any of the people who wave the flag on their disgusting F350 pickups would ever be willing to do something important for their family, their friends, their neighbors? God no.
The median American conservative is a stupid, selfish asshole who cares not for anyone but themselves, and resents anyone suggesting they should care more about the society they live in. We've created a society of anti-social freaks.
And they have the audacity to claim the mantle of "real Americans" while us "coastal elites" are supposedly destroying the fabric of society because we're decent people. Conservatives love to decry our low trust society, and then proceed to believe and do things that make it low trust!
Weirdly I'm feeling more patriotic about the possibility of the American project. I haven't put it into words before but it's something like the feeling of "Who are these freaks to take this project and country away from me and my neighbors?" I've gotta think a bit more before I commit it to text.
