Patriot, we are, finally, in total agreement! Yes, patriotism is acknowledging the injustices and doing something to make your country a better place. That's what I totally believe in.
I am familiar with the Vietnam war era. I know the people changed the government. The people are ALWAYS the ones who change the government, because the people in a democracy ARE the government. I am proud of that period in our history, of the people banning together, as you say, to eliminate a war *in which the American government's policies were clearly misconstrued,* of the American spirit flowing in the streets and the activism on college campuses. That was patriotism of the best kind.
But as you well know, the views of those people that you agree with today, were not welcomed at that time. That's why you said: *The anti-Vietnam war movements of the late 60's and the early 70's, were in hind sight, probably the most patriotic acts...* I would say that they were SOME of the most patriotic acts.
But they are called that, in hind sight, and that's OK if we learn from them. But must we continue to look at the history books and react in hind sight? What if one day hind sight was too late for our country? What then? Can you not see then that sometimes speaking out as your conscious dictates, on the spot, is better than keeping quiet against everything you believe in, in the name of patriotism?
That's all I am doing here Patriot. That's all I am doing.