Airing our grievances and engaging in political debate are the very spirit of patriotism and the foundation of American life. Of course there will always be people who take things to the extreme, or stick to the party line of their choice; and then there are a whole bunch of people who fall somewhere in the middle. Since it's generally the extremists who are most vocal (and usually make statements and points worthy of argument), it seems like there are only two choices -- but that's not really the way things are. There are shades of gray and the result of debate is that we hopefully end up with some sort of compromise that puts us in that gray area. The people on either end of the spectrum probably end up unhappy with the result, but that end is likely to satisfy the most people (who're more middle of the road).
I disagree with, and even despise, much of the ideology ascribed to the Right; but I can't imagine calling anyone who DOES subscribe to that ideology "unpatriotic" or an "America-hater." I cannot fathom how those people who want to see America declared officially a Christian nation, or would squelch the right of free speech of those whose ideas are contrary to their own can possibly maintain that they're upholding the American way, but I'd never call them unpatriotic. Deluded, perhaps, but not unpatriotic.
US history holds many stories of people who have been imprisoned and even died for exercising their right to disagree with public policy, and I personally feel it is a denigration to their memories to move toward an America where a person has to feel threatened for daring to voice their opposition to the way things are, or they way they feel things are going.
Our country and our system aren't perfect, that's for sure. But I certainly wouldn't want to live anywhere else. We have the right, and I'd go so far as to say even the duty, to argue against those things we don't like and have them changed.
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