Americans Say Patriotism Is Fading. One Army Veteran Is Pushing Back With Steely-Eyed Optimism

As the United States prepares to celebrate her 249th birthday, a growing number of Americans say they’ve noticed a marked decline in patriotism.
More specifically, 44% of respondents in an Economist/YouGov survey published this week said they believe the U.S. is becoming less patriotic. In comparison, a much smaller 14% said they think the nation is becoming more so.

Jesse Parks, a former U.S. Army Sergeant who served in Afghanistan, has noticed this shift in attitude.
“[Seeing] flags being burnt and seeing protests being more frequent,” Parks told the Daily Wire, “it tears down the country.”
Born into a military family, Parks said he was inspired to follow in the footsteps of those who came before him.