American patriotism: the very term incites complicated feelings. Maybe a sense of pride, a flashback to the 4th of July parades with marching bands blasting the Star Spangled Banner, warm summer nights, fireworks, or barbecues.

Maybe discomfort, or loyalty, or trust, or simple confusion. Can you love something for giving us the voice to criticize it? The definition of it varies, but the idea of patriotism has endured for centuries, especially as a core part of American culture.

Patriotism immediately brings to mind a few images: a flag, a song, and a soldier. “I stand for our flag and anthem, and I kneel for our fallen,” said Vietnam veteran Keith Harman in an interview with CNN. That love for family, community and country inspire people to serve, building America’s defense against threats—the ultimate act of patriotism, one that can result in isolation, trauma, and a disconnect from the country a veteran loved enough to protect.

Recently, people are expressing theories about what encompasses patriotism, questions of race and flaws in our country that could undermine American pride. “While 94 percent of the Silent Generation say that seeing the U.S flag flying makes them feel extremely or very good,” reported the New York Times in 2014, “only 67 percent of millennials could muster that same affection.”

Possibly, the strength of patriotic traditions and symbols are weakening, setting the stage for people to take advantage of their freedoms and actively speak out. The fluid nature of patriotism allows people to adopt it to participate in politics, support causes, and seek better options. It’s the foundational interest in the well-being of your country that leads to positive reform and progress. The inspiration for the hard work involved in keeping a country running on strong principles.

But “patriotic” acts are rarely that simple or honorable. People use it as a shield to accuse people and cover their racism or xenophobia. Even though it’s a drastic example, the KKK had American flags at their rallies.

Americans forget that the flag and the anthem, are just representations of ideas that inspire a connection between citizens and their country.

Patriotism, unvarnished and real, acts as a glue that holds the whole country together. But a patriotic facade that tries to veil poisonous ideas can tear it apart.