What we need are critical lovers of America - patriots who express their faith in their country by working to improve it.

Humphrey contrasts uncritical nationalism with a more demanding, civic-minded patriotism. A “critical lover” is someone who cares enough about the nation to scrutinize its failures—social, political, or moral—and to press for reform rather than retreat into cynicism or blind loyalty. The line frames dissent and improvement as expressions of faith: criticism is not betrayal but a form of commitment to the country’s ideals. In this view, patriotism is measured by constructive work—participation, advocacy, and responsibility—aimed at narrowing the gap between America’s professed principles and its lived realities.