Red, White, and 48th: Louisiana’s Patriotism Check for the Fourth of July

The American South takes pride in its American roots, and that becomes obvious when you see the sky full of fireworks on the 4th of July. Despite Louisiana's dedication to the country, a study ranked the state as the 3rd least patriotic state in the country, based on both military and civic duties. What landed the Bayou State so low?

The study found that, based on military service, the state of Louisiana is among the more patriotic. Based on the average number of enlistees, veterans, active duty personnel, and the share of adults in military reserves, the Pelican State is the 26th most patriotic state.

In places like Bossier City, the military engagement is no surprise with Barksdale Air Force Base sitting firmly inside the city's lines.

When it comes to the civic side of patriotism, the Cajuns seem to fall behind. 3rd place for least civic engagement out of all 50 states. The civic engagement was calculated with data including the number of adults who voted in recent elections, Peace Corps volunteers, and volunteer hours.

Specifically, Louisiana's score was hurt by the state having the 3rd lowest turnout for the 2024 Presidential Election and the 4th lowest average of Peace Corps volunteers.

Heading into this year's 4th of July, remember that patriotism is more than just fireworks and BBQ, it's about bringing together the people of the country to celebrate the freedoms we can all share. Those freedoms include our civic rights as citizens to help make our country even better.