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There are those who think of patriotism as synonymous with the unthinking jingoism and the love-it-or leave-it platitudes so often heard in right-wing talk radio circles. But of course, mindless flag-waving and blind loyalty have nothing to do with patriotism.

With another July 4 upon us, it seems important to pay tribute to the true patriots among us -- those who sacrifice time and energy to protect the rights and freedoms that, sadly, have been chipped away at for years under this lawless administration.

Here are few sweet examples:

*True patriots are those who went to DC last week to participate in the Day of Action to Restore Law and Justice a rally in which thousands of activists joined with organizations and lawmakers to protest the roll back of basic freedoms in recent years such as illegal wiretapping, The Patriot Act, The Military Commissions Act and the institutionalization of torture.

*True Patriots are those, such as the people at Free Exchange on Campus, who are fighting everyday to protect freedom of speech on college campuses, who are intimidated and threatened by the vitriolic campaigns of Campus Watch, David Horowitz and others.

*Russ Feingold is another example of a true patriot, with his courageous (sometimes lonely) defense of our rights and his work to try and end this war and occupation. It is only fitting that his Political Action Committee is called the Progressive Patriots Fund.

*Camilo Mejia, the first combat veteran to denounce the war as illegal and refuse to participate in it any further, is another true patriot. In a recent article for the Progressive he writes: "Some Americans back home believe they are being patriotic, believe they are supporting the troops, when they back President Bush and his conduct of this war. But patriotism must mean something loftier than just assenting to the occupant of the Oval Office I submit that being patriotic means opposing this war."

There is much at stake on this Independence Day. The core American values--the very freedoms we like to think define us--have been weakened or stolen from us in the aftermath of 9-11. Meanwhile we are mired in a brutal and costly war. But there is reason for hope. For in the face of all of this, and in the face of censure and fear, our country is filled with patriots, who are fighting everyday to make ours a more just and free society, to preserve our rights and to end this war. And it is those patriots we celebrate this Fourth of July.
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