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patriotism

"It seems trite but necessary to say that the First Amendment to our Constitution was designed to avoid these ends [patriotism] by avoiding these beginnings. There is no mysticism in the American concept of the State or of the nature or origin of its authority. We set up government by consent of the governed, and the Bill of Rights denies those in power any legal opportunity to coerce that consent. Authority here is to be controlled by public opinion, not public opinion by authority." -- U.S. Surpreme Court, WEST VIRGINIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION v. BARNETTE, 1943. The case decided that the flag salute (that is, the pledge of allegiance) cannot be compulsory.