Somewhere along the way, patriotism became a performance. Not for everyone, certainly, but for enough people that it is hard to ignore. The evidence is everywhere: giant flags, patriotic merchandise, slogans, campaign branding, and endless declarations of love for America. Yet the louder the performance becomes, the more I find myself wondering whether we have confused patriotism with advertising. Patriotism isn't what you wear. It's what you do. The American flag is supposed