Most and least patriotic states

[JonathanSwift]

This website attempts to rank the patriotism of the states based on such factors as military service and voter participation. They find that Virginia is the most patriotic state, with New York being the least patriotic. Thoughts?

[Mehmentum]

I like how there isn't any apparent correlation between the how the state votes and how patriotic it is.

I'm not surprised by Virginia.  We have a large military presence, and our status as a battleground state boosts our voter turnout.

[Citizen Hats]

This would be skewed by how many poor people are in a state who join the military because they lack options otherwise

[All Along The Watchtower]

Virginia was a member of the CSA. Kinda hard to justify its ranking here...

[Mehmentum]

Virginia was a member of the CSA. Kinda hard to justify its ranking here...

Seriously?  That happened over a hundred years ago.  Nobody who actually seceded from the union is even alive now.  That's like criticizing modern day Germans for the Holocaust. 

Sure you can say that today's institutionalized racial discrimination should count against Virginia's status as most patriotic state, but that's something that plagues every state.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Way to go Colorado, as being a patriotic state.

[Mr. Smith]

Surprised with Utah.

Thought it'd be much much higher up.

[CountryClassSF]

California is the least patriotic. There are more Folsom St flags and rainbow flags  and Mexican flags than there are American flags.

Have to disagree on New York.  I'm from the east coast originally.  Tons of patriotism from NYC to upstate. Lots of good 4th of July celebrations

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

ranked in groups of five:

[YaBoyNY]

ranked in groups of five:

Unsurprisingly, the good states all happen to be ones that are shaded red on this map.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

ranked in groups of five:

Unsurprisingly, the good states all happen to be ones that are shaded red on this map.

…no?

[TNF]

Looks stupid, tbh

[Figueira]

I'm not entirely sure if this is the best measure of patriotism, or if patriotism is a good thing in the first place.

I'm not surprised to see Maine up there, though. It always struck me as more overwhelmingly American than the rest of New England.

[Zioneer]

Surprised with Utah.

Thought it'd be much much higher up.

The low rate of voter participation and military service is probably what's killing it. Utah is 49th in military service.

[© tweed]

Well we all knew New York hated America.

so, I asked them why they spent their time
with segregation on their mind
they said, "If you don't like to live this way
get out of here, go back to the U.S.A
live with all them Russians and New York folksingers"

[Murica!]

So does that mean that we can secede?

[Horsemask]

I'm not entirely sure if this is the best measure of patriotism, or if patriotism is a good thing in the first place.

I'm not surprised to see Maine up there, though. It always struck me as more overwhelmingly American than the rest of New England.

Agreed w/ your statement regarding Maine

[PJ]

Trying to quantify meaningless stereotypes is a hopeless exercise.

[Crumpets]

ranked in groups of five:

Compare to Clinton vs. Obama '08.

Also, as a resident of Washington, how...what? Not that our state isn't lovely, but patriotic is not a word I've ever heard used to describe it.

[PJ]

ranked in groups of five:

Compare to Clinton vs. Obama '08.

Also, as a resident of Washington, how...what? Not that our state isn't lovely, but patriotic is not a word I've ever heard used to describe it.

Higher turnout is skewing the Pacific NW towards patriotism.

[Mechaman]

I'm not entirely sure if this is the best measure of patriotism, or if patriotism is a good thing in the first place.

Amen to that.

I find it funny that now days liberal posters are trying hard to make patriotism sound like it correlates with their values when just eight years ago they were loudly criticizing American nationalism for things like the War in Iraq for starters.  It's kind of like the Debt, now that I think about it (ie, people only brag about it when their favored party is in power).