Deval Patrick:  A different understanding of American patriotism

 A different understanding of American patriotism

American democracy cannot be great until it is good, says lawyer, Harvard professor and former governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick. A self-identified patriot, Patrick stands behind the fundamental values and civic ideals that he believes make the US unique -- and outlines how the country has strayed from those same edicts. Calling for a collective patriotism free from cynicism and fatalism, Patrick underlines the urgency to reset national aspirations in order to save democracy.

The promise of American democracy hinges on living up to its founding ideals of equality, opportunity, and justice for all. From a childhood in a crowded South Side Chicago tenement to debates over sheltering refugee children, the talk reveals how divisions and cynicism threaten the nation's core values. Acts of compassion and civic courage, often whispered instead of shouted, have defined the country's greatness more than symbols or ceremony. Reviving democracy requires collective action, kindness, and a renewed focus on social and economic justice.