Love Thy Neighbor: A Different Kind of Patriotism

By L. Hurt

I could talk about love winning, or about everything working out in the end. But instead, let’s start with the truth: America has never been "great" for everyone.

The whole concept of "Make America Great Again" has always rubbed me the wrong way because, for me and for a lot of other folks, America has never been "great." America as we know it today is all I’ve ever known, and all my family has known for generations. The old folks in my family are proud to trace some of our roots back here, to before America was the thirteen colonies. And let me just say, from my own experience and from the stories my greats have passed down to me, the American dream has always been just that—a dream for some, a lie for others, and a privilege for a few.

America, our very dear and young country, was taken and named through violence and bloodshed. Our first cities and roads were built by the hands of slaves, their lives stolen and their stories erased. Our great railroads, a great achievement we all learn about in elementary school, were built with the sweat of immigrants. And when coal and industry boomed, it was the people of Appalachia who bore the cost. They dug the coal that powered the nation and were left with company dollars and black lung, while the profits flowed to distant cities, faceless corporations, and greedy coal barons.

So while I agree that America has been a dream for many, I think it’s worth asking: Who has America been great for? Because while, of course, I’m grateful to be here; and of course, I love this land; and of course, I never want to call any other place home—America has been great for the elite. For those who could buy their way into the dream, for those who could exploit the labor of others without consequence, for those who wrote the rules and rigged the system in their favor. And while some of us or our families have been lucky enough to find a foothold in this system, let’s not pretend it’s been equal. For every success story, there are countless others who’ve been left behind. America is still young—we got a long way to go yet.

So no, I don’t want any of this "Make America Great Again" bullshit. I don’t want to go back—because quite frankly, there’s nothing great to go back to. I don’t need made-up boogeymen to blame for my problems or this country’s problems. I don’t need to be divided from my neighbors, from people who are just like me. People who work hard, who care about their families, who want a better future for their kids.

What I want is to talk about the people who make this country what it is. The immigrants who came and come here with nothing but dreams and determination (and sometimes less than that in our history), who build lives and communities despite the walls put in their way. The LGBTQ+ folks who fight every day to exist openly and authentically, who remind us that love is love, no matter who it’s between. All the women who have forever existed in a man’s world. The many minorities who have been told, time and time again, that they don’t belong or aren’t enough—and yet, they persist, they thrive, they lead. All the people who have been silenced, underestimated, and overlooked, but who continue to break barriers and demand equality.

These are the people who make America great. Not the politicians, not the corporations, not the systems that have failed us time and time again. And where I come from, there ain’t ever been a politician worth their salt—but it says a hell of a lot when our leaders throw out executive order after executive order, further marginalizing, criminalizing, and wholly disregarding the lives of human beings.

It says that they don’t see us as people. It says they’re more interested in power than justice, more invested in division than unity, more concerned with their own pockets than our futures. But here’s the thing: we don’t need their permission to care for one another.

We don’t need their approval to build communities that uplift and protect. Because while they’re busy playing games, we’re out here living real lives—lives that are messy and complicated, lives that are worth fighting for, worth protecting, and worth knowing.

These problems aren’t just national; they show up in our own backyards, too. The effects of inequality, exclusion, and struggle — they’re right here in Pulaski County too. Do you know your neighbors? Have you had the chance to chat with and get to know some of the immigrants living here today? Have you shared space with our queer communities or been to the local Pride event yet? How well do you know our town’s history?

If there’s anything at all to be hopeful for, I think it’s this: getting to know your neighbors. Listening to and sharing stories with folks who are similar to you and folks who are different. I’ll be the first to admit that while I’m not very religious, I do believe Jesus had it right with a few things—like ‘love thy neighbor’ and ‘cast no stone.’ It’s all too easy to find a reason to dislike someone, to blame another for whatever problems exist. But I think that joy is found in genuinely trying to understand others, in getting to know them, and by doing so, it’s usually a little easier to love them too.

So, things are really hard right now for a lot of folks. There’s housing issues and climate challenges, and let’s be honest — does anyone really have a perfect job or a perfect family? But let’s be real here: things are a lot harder and a little scarier for some of us right now. For immigrants, for LGBTQ+ folks, for minorities, for women—the stakes are higher.

If there’s ever a time to reach out to your friends and neighbors to check up on them, now is that time. Life ain’t ever easy, but we can always extend a hand and help each other. We can listen when someone needs to be heard. We can show up when someone needs support. We can remind each other that we’re not alone.

The truth is, no one can fix everything. But that’s not a reason to stop trying. You’ve probably heard some version of the Starfish Story before—but in case you haven’t, here’s one version:

IT ALL STARTED WHEN…

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

“Well, I made a difference for that one!”

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.

And that’s the thing — while we're all working on digging our heels in and surviving, we can make a little space for our neighbors and help them too. And as we do, let’s remember who gains from keeping us divided—and who actually makes up our communities. Who will be there for us when times get tough? Not the corporations, not the silver tongued politicians, not the ones who benefit from our struggles. It’s our neighbors, our friends, the people standing beside us. And frankly, if you’re only standing beside people exactly like you, you’re not just missing out—you’re missing the point.