Thinking about what you wrote, I realized that I make a distinction between participating wholeheartedly and in a way that is true to who I am and what I value and allowing the institutions of a political entity to define me.

I found that when I lived in France, I was terrifically proud of being American at the same time as being outraged by the actions of the US government (this was 1991/first Gulf War). So perhaps it would be fair to say that if patriotism is a shared enthusiasm for the ideals of equality, diversity, and opportunity, then sign me up!