I pledge to put patriotism over party, and commit to the hard

The words of Tom Malinowski—“I pledge to put patriotism over party, and commit to the hard work of real reform over cheap political wins, quick fixes, and empty promises”—resound like a solemn oath carried across the ages. They call us not merely to listen, but to remember. For in them lies the ancient struggle between loyalty to the higher good and the temptations of shallow gain. To place patriotism above party is to declare that the love of one’s homeland, the defense of its dignity and justice, must outshine the transient banners of faction, tribe, or political advantage. The true servant of the people does not bend his will to the applause of the crowd, nor to the chains of partisan command, but to the eternal flame of truth and duty.

This oath is not new, though Malinowski clothed it in modern garments. Its spirit echoes from the voices of the ancients, who warned that republics perish not by invasion alone, but by the corruption of their guardians. When quick fixes are chosen instead of honest labor, when empty promises replace the hard path of reform, then nations drift like ships without anchor, bound to wreck upon the rocks of deceit. The ancients would say: better the long road paved with sweat and sacrifice, than the false bridge that collapses beneath its own vanity.

Consider the story of Cincinnatus, the Roman farmer. He was called from his plow to save the republic in its hour of peril. Though offered power, he refused the temptation to make himself a tyrant, and once victory was secured, he laid down authority and returned to his humble field. His patriotism was greater than his ambition; his devotion to the republic higher than the lure of personal glory. In him we see the embodiment of Malinowski’s call: to serve not for cheap political wins, but for the preservation of the common good.

The pledge also speaks to the human heart, to the struggle within every soul. For each of us faces a choice: shall we pursue what is expedient, what wins applause, what comforts us in the moment? Or shall we endure the hardship of truth, commit to the discipline of integrity, and stand firm when others yield? The battle between empty promises and real reform is not only for the rulers of nations but for the smallest of households, the simplest of friendships, the quiet work of every day.

History itself offers warnings. Nations that chased the fleeting satisfaction of spectacle and demagoguery fell into ruin. Athens, drunk on its own cleverness, allowed smooth-tongued leaders to guide it into folly. Rome, weary of virtue, surrendered itself to emperors who promised bread and circuses. But those who remembered the higher calling—the patriotism that demands sacrifice, the reform that demands labor—kept their societies strong, at least for a time.

What lesson, then, shall we pass to those who follow? It is this: let not your allegiance be to the factional banner, but to justice itself. Do not fall for the honeyed words of those who offer ease and pleasure, but rather labor with the builders, those who strive to mend what is broken. The oath is not for leaders alone. Each man and woman must take it, in whatever corner of life they dwell. To choose sincerity over show, endurance over ease, truth over deception—that is the meaning of this ancient-sounding vow.

And what of practical action? Begin where you stand. In your workplace, honor diligence over shortcuts. In your community, speak truth even when silence would be safer. In your family, let love guide you more than pride. And in the life of the nation, weigh policies not by the emblem of the party, but by the measure of justice, compassion, and long-term strength. These are the small daily reforms that, when joined together, preserve the soul of a people.

So let us pledge, as Malinowski pledged: to put patriotism over party, to embrace reform over empty promises. For though this path is hard, it is the path that leads not to the ruin of nations, but to their renewal. The ancients would tell us that virtue is the only fortress that cannot fall. Let us then be its builders, and not its betrayers.