Recently, Boyce and I took our daughter Julianna to Boston. She had been learning about the American Revolution in school and was over the moon about throwing tea into the "hahbah" (sorry, I could not resist).

As we stood there on the historic waterfront, watching her excitement, it struck me how incredible the moment really was. Here was a little girl from Arkansas feeling a direct, personal connection to the bold men and women who risked everything for liberty two and a half centuries ago, 1,000 miles away in Massachusetts. In her joy and excitement, I saw the living thread of patriotism. Not as abstract history, but as an inheritance we are called to cherish and pass on.

Today, that inheritance seems underappreciated and under pressure. A recent Gallup poll shed concerning light on the state of patriotism today. Only 53 percent of American adults say they are "extremely" or "very" proud to be American.

That's a record low. For decades, influential (and often coastal) voices in media and academia have taught our children to feel guilt and shame about their national heritage rather than gratitude for the freest and most opportunity-rich society the world has ever known. Proclaiming your love for America has become, in some circles, taboo.

Folks, I can't believe I feel the need to say this: Your love for your country isn't something that must be uttered in hushed tones or softened with qualifiers. It is okay to love America, out loud, and in public. It is okay to pass down a legacy of love for America to your children as well. In fact, I would argue, it's your........

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