America Deserves Our Love, Even When It’s Hard

It should never be controversial to say you love your country. But today, that sentiment is increasingly filtered through party lines.

A recent poll has sparked a wave of concern, and rightly so. 

According to newly released data, only 24% of Gen Z Democrats say they are extremely or very proud to be American. Among all Democrats, that number rises to just 36%. In stark contrast, 92% of Republicans report feeling proud of their country, a figure that has remained consistent even when Democrats held the White House. Perhaps most sobering of all: nearly a third of Gen Z Democrats say they have little to no pride in being American.

What does this reveal about the direction of our nation?

It tells us that for some, love of country is now conditional, filtered through the lens of politics, power, and personal worldview. But that’s not the America we inherited, nor the one we should pass on.

This nation was built by those who sacrificed everything.

Immigrants who left behind their homelands in search of hope. 

Soldiers who stormed beaches, not knowing if they’d return. 

Civil rights leaders who faced violence with courage. 

Enslaved people who endured the worst of humanity, yet still dreamed of freedom. 

These stories and this legacy should fill us with pride, even when our political system falls short.

Yes, we can criticize our country. We should. That’s how it gets better. But to love America only when our preferred party is in power is to misunderstand the very essence of patriotism. 

True patriotism means engaging with your country even when it’s difficult. Especially when it’s difficult.

And that’s where we, as parents, teachers, and mentors, must step in. We can’t allow an entire generation to be raised believing that civic pride is something to be turned on and off based on who sits in the Oval Office. The ideals of liberty, justice, and free speech aren’t partisan; they’re American.

Diversity and inclusion should also apply to ideas, allowing space for differing opinions, political beliefs, and even the messy discomfort of disagreement. Among some in Gen Z, particularly on the activist left, civic pride seems tied to power rather than principle. That’s a dangerous trend. A rigidity that claims: “If I don’t control the system, the system is broken.”

Inclusion isn’t just about welcoming different identities. It also means welcoming different ideas, even those we disagree with. Because the truth is: you can love your country and still demand change. You can be proud of America and still want it to be better. That’s not hypocrisy. That’s hope.

Hope has always been one of America’s greatest traditions. But hope requires faith. And faith begins with pride, not in perfection, but in possibility.