Was it real Patriotism? There are times When patriotism is bad. The Patriot Act is a threat to personal Freedom and Democracy. While Mainstream America is fine with government protecting us and keeping us safe, mainstream America is also for the Constitution, which requires government to get a warrant to make arrest. This is found in the fourth amendment. It also has been claimed to censor certain writings (such us that supporting Islamists), which goes against the First Amendment. If you're an American and you oppose it they'll try and pretend you're unpatriotic.