Widow Testifies at a Military Court

[kandrathe]

Nevertheless, you made your point clear enough: for Americans it's patriotism, for others a crime.

All the other nitpicking aside, for brevity's sake, that is not it. You've missed the mark entirely. What I said is that "might makes right". If we were a defenseless Caribbean nation facing the might of Europe, or the US, then we'd capitulate making unholy deals for survival too giving up much of our liberties in exchange for peace.

We are not defenseless, and so when you come to enforce your laws, we have the power to rebuff you in favor of our quaint notions of liberty. Here, the power rests with the citizens of the US, and not with the Federal government. Theoretically, we choose and allow them to govern us, but we are not ruled by Washington DC, or any State capital either. Our liberty and freedom are innately bestowed by Natural Law, which is beyond the capacity of the Federal or State (or international) authorities to overrule.

Patriotism to a European is an expression of nationalism. Here its an understanding that we are not subservient to any ruler, and are willing to die to defend our "freedom" from being dominated by despots and tyrrants.