Janette Ramsey: “As I progressed into junior high and high school, I was enthralled with the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. I was 100 percent convinced the United States of America was a fantastic place, and I was lucky enough to be an American!”

Not a very well written article at all. And she relies on “old behaviors returned” as proof that patriotism has died. No polling data is cited either. So I don't buy her thesis. Americans are just as patriotic as ever. It's just that they're less willing to show it vigourously as they were right after Sept. 11.