Last night Fox Nation broadcast its 2021 Patriot Awards hosted by Peter Hegseth at the Hard Rock Casino and Resort in Hollywood, Florida. Rather than the self-congratulating award shows of Hollywood and the music industry, in the Patriot Awards the red carpet rolls for Americans who have displayed their patriotism by acts of service to their fellow Americans. Rather than long lines of limos, $50,000 dresses, and millions in diamonds and jewels, the attendees to this event dressed pretty casually reflecting a decidedly working-class audience of ordinary Americans. As much as half of the audience may have been police officers, firemen, former and actively serving members of the military.

Awards were given for Most Valuable Patriot, Unsung Hero, Service to Veterans, Everyday Patriot, Heroism, Courage, and Modern Warrior among others. Fox Nation also presented an In Memoriam award.

The Patriot Award for Courage was presented to the parents of Todd Beamer of Flight 93. On September 11, 2001, the passengers of Flight 93 banded together to fight the hijackers and prevent the airliner from being turned into another missile aimed at the U.S. Capitol.

The Fox Nation Courage Award was given to Ilan Strulovicz by Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson. Strulovicz, who owns Egard Watch company, produced a television commercial that supported law enforcement at a time when radicals on the Left were painting them all as deranged, racist murderers and were demanding that police departments nationwide be defunded. His television commercial served to remind us all that we are joined together as human beings before we assume the labels of our occupations.

Fox News show host Dan Bongino presented the Heroism Award to retired Green Beret, LCOL Scott Mann who led an organization called Task Force Pinneaple that worked to bring hundreds of friendly Afghans out of the country during the U.S. evacuation at the Kabul airport.

The In Memorium award was presented by Fox News commentator Sean Hannity. It recognized the 13 Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers who died at Kabul airport when a suicide bomber exploded in the midst of densely packed families seeking evacuation, killing hundreds of them.

Army 1stSgt. John Goudie was given the Modern Warrior Award. Serving in Afghanistan in April 2012, Goudie was shot three times by a Taliban terrorist who had joined the Afghan army. His injuries were severe. He lost his left leg below the knee and required a titanium upper arm and shoulder reconstruction. Rather than retire on an honorably won and total disability, Goudie, in an incredible feat of determination and resolve, underwent a torturous course of physical rehabilitation and reconditioning to return to active duty the following year. Following the presentation of his award, Sgt Goudie was given a new home personalized for his use by Building Homes for Heroes founder Andy Pujol.

While there was certainly a Conservative political tone throughout the program with the crowd at one point chanting “Let’s Go Brandon!” in mockery of President Biden, the awards themselves should be something Americans, in general, would be able to unite around. It may be indicative of the politically divisive times we live in that recognizing simple acts of patriotism seem to fall on the right side of the political spectrum. Patriotism simply expressed as respect for the American flag, service to other Americans, and love of country, really shouldn’t be a matter of Left or Right, but today it certainly seems to be. In this sense, the Fox Nation Patriot Awards are rather unique. While other media networks obsess over giving awards to themselves like Pulitzer and Peabody Prizes, Fox is giving them to its viewers.

Perhaps most moving was Young Patriot Award winner Charlotte Bevan who recited her essay Flying our flag high. Written when she was just 12 years old, in her essay Charlotte expressed her sense of patriotism as such,

“It is a place of faith, hope and happiness for me and my family. From the time of the American Revolution, people have held different perspectives of what patriotism looks like. Some see it as hanging a flag, wearing red, white and blue and some just hold it in their hearts and show their pride in their daily actions. However, my definition of patriotism is loving others and doing what is right for my country.”

Just as patriotism can be untaught and suppressed, it can be taught as well, and the Fox Nation Patriot Awards reflects the best of what teaching and embracing a love of your own country can do. This is not to say that Americans should or would ignore the times when America has failed to live up to its stated ideals of liberty, equality, and justice for all under law, but it rejects the unreasoning claims made by those who say that because America is not unerringly perfect in every way, it cannot still be very good, kind, and worthy of our love and respect as Americans.

We may all sometimes imagine ourselves as the hero, making some grand gesture or sacrifice that is immortalized in history books, but the Fox Nation Patriot Awards remind us that patriotic heroism can often reside deeply in ordinary Americans trying to make our country a better place through individual acts of kindness and at times great personal sacrifice that often goes unnoticed by the wider culture.

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