THEY̢۪RE AT IT AGAIN.

A few weeks ago, I was sitting at my desk in The Collegian̢۪s office when I noticed a CNN story on the TV behind me about a photograph showing presidential hopeful Barack Obama with his hands at his sides as those around him held their hands over their hearts.

The caption claimed the photograph was taken during the pledge of allegiance.

Obama said he is “irritatedâ€Â by the photograph, countering that it was actually taken during the singing of the national anthem.

He said that his grandfather taught him to hold his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance and sing during the national anthem.

I let out a groan as the story unfolded, and everyone in the room knew why. I wrote a piece decrying the media̢۪s penchant to obsess over the irrelevant details when Obama came under fire for no longer wearing a flag pin on his lapel.

So I joked that I should write a follow-up column, and our opinion editor took me up on it. But after my initial irritation, the story really got me thinking about another topic altogether.

What is true patriotism?

Is it placing your hand over the flag pin on your lapel during the pledge of allegiance and knowing the words to “The Star Spangled Banner?â€Â

Is it fireworks and hot dogs on the Fourth of July?

Is it the American flag on a building and a yellow ribbon magnet on a car bumper that says “Support Our Troops?â€Â

I wonder how many of the people who bought those yellow ribbons and American flags have actually taken a moment to write a letter or put together a package for a soldier serving overseas.

I wonder how many people have written off our soldiers in their minds because they don̢۪t support the war in Iraq.

Princeton University’s WordNet dictionary defines patriotism as “love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it.â€Â

True patriotism is standing behind your government and giving your life for your country, whether you believe the cause is right or wrong.

It’s spending 15 months in Iraq in 130 degree weather -— and you thought Fresno was hot — with inadequate supplies and no letters from home, while missing birthdays and family funerals, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It̢۪s Nathan Hubbard, my high school classmate who signed up to serve after his brother was killed in Iraq and then lost his own life in a helicopter crash while a third Hubbard brother looked on.

It̢۪s the 3,882 others and counting that have lost their lives in Iraq along with the Hubbard brothers.

It̢۪s the tens of thousands still serving overseas, many of whom enlisted well after the war had begun, knowing full well where they would be headed.

At the end of the day, I could honestly care less if Obama held his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance.

But personally, I get tears in my eyes every time I look at a flag and think of the true patriots.

Joanne Lui is a senior at Fresno State majoring in mass communication and journalism with an emphasis in print journalism. She sends letters and packages to soldiers through a Web site called AnySoldier.com