[billbears]

You're not getting the point. Like it or not, they were still members of the British Empire. If we are to take this author's view of patriotism, then the Framers were bad patriots. Which in the world of some flag wavers makes them bad Christians (and yes I've heard that sermon before, can't be a Christian without being a 'patriot'. If you're not 'patriotic' you're not adhering to Romans 13, etc.)

It has nothing to do with the actions themselves. Is it unpatriotic then to stand up to something you feel the government should not be involved in or doing?

[Fiji Hill]

Standing up against what one sees as an injustice or wrong action by the State then is just as patriotic as the one out there waving the flag until their (sic) hand falls off.

By doing something about the injustices perpetrated on America by London, the signers of the Declaration of Independence were certainly good patriots by your definition.