The Everyday Patriot: How to Be a Great American Now 

By Tom Morris

138 pages

Published June 29, 2022

This was one of two books the Mules read in September. It’s short. A quick read. And it’s well intentioned. If you are in the mood for a temporary lift in your political or social outlook, this could do the trick. But if you’re looking for something more substantial, you won’t find it here.

The Everyday Patriot is a call to action. Morris is calling on his fellow Americans to do more than simply vote and have political opinions. He wants them to join him and other “daily patriots” – even those with different views – in making America a better place for all. The way you do that he says, is through one thoughtful action at a time.

Morris believes that a citizen’s political duty goes beyond voting and having political opinions. It includes acts of charity or good will every day. If everybody pitched in and did one thing every day, it would make America a better place to live in.

Noting that we are living in a politically and socially divisive country, he calls upon us to reject negativity and embrace the core principals of the founding fathers: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness… plus equality and justice for all.

A chapter is devoted to defining these terms as they were meant in the Declaration of Independence. He also dips into Aristotle quite a bit, who, he argues, inspired the ideas of the founding fathers.

On the one hand, Morris’s call to action is difficult to criticize. He’s saying, “Come on guys. We’re all Americans. Let’s stop the hating and start being nice to one another.” On the other hand, one can imagine how well this would work in the middle of a riot in Times Square, which is about the actual state of things in America today.