Patriotism outweighs politics for Valley residents

By JUSTIN WIER

jwier@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

As families gather to grill, drink beer and watch fireworks on the Fourth of July, some will reflect on the moment our founding fathers declared our independence.

The holiday celebrates the country’s founding. The revelry is an expression of patriotism.

With a president who sought to inspire a nostalgic brand of patriotism with his “Make America Great Again” slogan — which elicited strong feelings from supporters and opponents — The Vindicator talked to Valley residents and found that many feel patriotism is separate from politics.

“I didn’t become a citizen for [President Donald] Trump or any other politician,” said Bruno Serrano, of Struthers. “I became a citizen because I love this country.”

Serrano, who was born in Peru, came to the United States in 2003. He was naturalized at the Mahoning County Court House in March.

For him, both those who ardently support Trump and those who resist his policies are evidence of American exceptionalism.

“That’s the beauty of democracy and living in a free country,” he said. “That’s a big part of my love for this country and the patriotic feeling I have for the United States.”

People don’t have to agree with one another to love their country equally, Serrano said. Conservatives think their beliefs and political views are correct, and so do liberals. But both parties feel they are putting the country first.

These are things that make many Americans proud.

“We all share that in common whether you hold one political view or a different view,” he said.

His own devotion to the U.S. is unequivocal.

“I love this country because of the different cultures we experience here,” Serrano said. “And the opportunity this country has, and the freedom and security and economy ... everything, honestly.”

WAVE THAT FLAG

Nick Peluso, who owns and operates Western Reserve Flag Co., said the Valley is a very patriotic area. About 90 percent of his business consists of selling U.S. and Ohio flags as well as military flags. The company is in the midst of its busy season – Memorial Day through Veteran’s Day.

“It’s just what our country stands for,” Peluso said of the flag. He said patriotism means supporting your country, your government, your military and even law enforcement.

The constant protests in the nation bother him.

“The people that bash this country and don’t appreciate what we have here ... it irritates me,” he said.

His company has seen an unusually high number of flag sales over the past year. The spike is more significant than in past election years.

“It was exceptional,” Peluso said. “Maybe we’ve turned a new leaf and people are feeling patriotic again.”

Eder Flag Manufacturing Co. in Oak Creek, Wisc., reported flag sales up 15 percent year-over-year in May.

Polling from Gallup found 75 percent of Americans said they were “very proud” or “extremely proud” to be American in March.

That is the lowest number recorded since the polling firm began asking the question in 2001. The previous low was 81 percent.

While respondents identifying as Democrats reported a sharp decline, Republicans reported a slight uptick over the last year. Gallup recorded a 25 point gap in patriotic feelings between Democrats and Republicans, the highest in the poll’s existence.

Peluso said 90 percent of the people coming into his shop during the election were Trump supporters.

RECOGNIZING VETERANS

Dave Daisher’s patriotism is rooted in his service to the country. He’s the chaplain of VFW post 4237 in Austintown. He served in the Air Force during Vietnam.

“I put time in the military, and, of course, I respect what that flag stands for,” Daisher said.

There are presidents Daisher has disagreed with and congressman he doesn’t care for, but in his view, that has nothing to do with patriotism. Patriotism is about respecting the standards on which the Founding Fathers built the country.

“You respect the office,” he said. “We were blessed to be born in this country.”

Daisher, who said his eyes water at the first note of taps, believes younger generations are less patriotic. At a recent flag retirement ceremony, he lamented that most participants were older.

“I cannot stand it when the national anthem is played and the young men do not remove their headgear,” he said.

He attributed it in part to a lack of education and in part to poor parenting. He said the current generation was raised by hippies, who had a disregard for patriotism.

Education, through events such as the flag-retirement ceremony the VFW and American Legion posts in Austintown held on Flag Day, could restore that love of country that comes natural to older generations.

THE NEXT GENERATION

Jacob Schriner-Briggs, who graduated from Youngstown State University this spring, is part of that younger generation. He considers himself patriotic, but he said that includes a willingness to be critical of the country.

“We live in a country that affords us the ability to change things and influence government,” he said. “If we’re willing to get lazy and accept things as they are, that erodes the concept of patriotism.”

Schriner-Briggs is more critical of the Trump administration than he was the Obama administration, but he said that doesn’t mean he’s less patriotic.

“Patriotism withstands all of that, and shines through all of that,” he said.

He considers politicians of both parties patriotic because they’re working to improve the country. They just differ on how to go about it.

“I think anyone who is involved politically and civically is patriotic, in the sense that patriotism is a desire to improve the country originating from a care about that country,” Schriner-Briggs said. “If you don’t care about something, you’re not going to invest time and effort to improve those things.”

Serrano, as an immigrant, has an outsider’s perspective on the country. Coming from a society that doesn’t have the same freedoms as the United States helps him appreciate his life here.

“If people go and travel to these other places and even live in these places for a couple years, I’m sure they’ll come back with a different perspective and deeper patriotism for this country,” he said. “A lot of them wouldn’t take many of the things we have here for granted.”