For the full, written story, visit the Sept. 2 issue of e-Inside at http://einside.kent.edu (to be posted the week of Sept. 2). |  A student is silhouetted through an American flag as he waits for the Homecoming parade to begin. Many of the parade floats incorporated a patriotic theme in response to the September 2001 tragedy. Back to Kent State University Home Page | Patriotism is a word that is easily bandied about in American popular culture and attached to everything from hot dogs to T-shirts to Chevrolets. It can give you goose bumps when the national anthem is sung or make you stand a little taller when a service person walks by or the U.S. Olympic Team advances in world competition. But some might argue that patriotism, or love of one’s country, involves much more than catch phrases and warm feelings. Rather, patriotism involves the open and insightful verbal interchanges of thoughts and ideas about democracy. Because of its unique history, Kent State University has an enduring dedication to scholarship that seeks to promote such democratic values as public service and civil discourse, in an effort to apply the lessons of the past to create a more peaceful, more democratic society for the future. This dedication is embodied in several Kent State academic, research and co-curricular programs. |