Do you think that a lot of US citizens mask their fanaticism as patriotism?

Good question, and yes. I do.

A true patriot acts and sometimes sacrifices him/herself for the good of his/her compatriots.  Beating one's chest in melodramatic support of jingoism or getting all misty-eyed at the singing of a beer hall song (or the waving of a piece of friggin' cloth) has nothing to do with true patriotism.  Edward Snowden is a true patriot, but many on both sides of the imaginary aisle are too stupid to realize it.

Good seeing you around again, you've been missed. As for your question, yes.

Indeed, I do. There is a narrow line between patriotism and fanaticism, between valuing your homeland and forcing that value on others, whether they like it or not.

The biggest difference is simple----the value you place on others' freedom. Patriotism celebrates your nation because your nation protects people. Fanaticism wishes to enforce your own version of freedom on others.

Edward Snowden is a true patriot

Amen to that.

Sure! I see it all the time.  I see it from all different sides.

A great example are those who call people traitors because they have a differing opinion. Both sides love their country, each has a different mind-set on how it should be run, but that doesn't mean that one is more patriotic than the other. 

It can be vice-versa too. 

Their fanaticism maybe masked to other fanaticists, but not to we multicolored, multicultural, not-so-free foreigners. It is odd how Americans claim such patriotism, only to have the government or its agents shoot them in the street because they are black-skinned, or kick them into the gutter when they return from one of your patriotic foreign wars, with one arm, one leg one eye, or a random combinations of any of these debilitating war-wounds. But true, when you are injured, psychologically frail, or bed-ridden, you are of no further use to the government. You have become nothing more than a bloody great drain of scarce resources and potentially a damper on those government sponsored family-included fact-finding trips to Bali.

It is all very sad and I quite expect the government to send a hit team in to annihilate me for thinking it should be different. But, I am the first to allow the government is entitled to an opinion different to my own.

  

Fanaticism and patriotism ... Aren't they two different names for the same thing?... The only difference seems to be the matter of degree ... We all love our own countries but one aspect of American patriotism that concerns me is the seeming general idea  of"my country right or wrong" concept ... It's a dangerous as Hitler proved

A nice answer  .. the only problem is who gets to decide what constitutes "the good of his/her compatriots" .. most heinous acts are generally committed for someone's"good"

No.

absolutely not

I think many mistake their fanaticism for patriotism.

They don't mask it at all. They are fanatical patriots.

History. History normally decides/defines such things.

You're right, though: the difference between traitor and patriot all too often depends on which side comes out on top. Consider Benedict Arnold. :-)

Correct.  I wish more liberals understood this. :-^)

si.. gringos