Editor, Gazette-Journal:

My father was a patriot. He was a Boy Scout and a veteran and he was active in his community. When I was young, he would take my siblings and me to fife and drum reenactments near Boston. He wanted to teach us that we were American, and that it was something to be proud of. One of my father’s heroes was John F. Kennedy. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” 

I like to think that I, too, am a patriot. I am not just proud to be an American, I am grateful. I am grateful that I have freedom of religion and the right to believe in a God of my own understanding. I am grateful that I have the freedom to live where I choose, I am grateful that I live in a country where I have the freedom to say what I want, even in the face of opposition. My father also taught me that if I didn’t have anything nice to say, I shouldn’t say anything at all. 

Recently, I took part in a con...