Patriotism

Nobody these days has ever heard of Carl Schurz, but he had an interesting life as a German revolutionary, Civil War Union general, and the first German-American to be a US Senator.

Here's what he had to say about patriotism:

The man who in times of popular excitement boldly and unflinchingly resists hot-tempered clamor for an unnecessary war, and thus exposes himself to the opprobrious imputation of a lack of patriotism or of courage, to the end of saving his country from a great calamity, is, as to "loving and faithfully serving his country," at least as good a patriot as the hero of the most daring feat of arms, and a far better one than those who, with an ostentatious pretense of superior patriotism, cry for war before it is needed, especially if then they let others do the fighting.

That was way back in 1898.

And Schurz was a Republican!