Posted by nu-monet v9.0 on 07/17/06 00:18

Alric Knebel wrote:
>
> Patriotism is a value that's taught by the state...

Your extended rant against patriotism was definitely
taught to you. For most people, patriotism evolves
with their on consciousness. First they are focused
only on the self, and then they see a higher value in
their family, then their community and region, and
finally their nation.

But there is no patriotism to the world, anywhere.
It is superfluous. There is no other habitable world
that it can be compared to, so there is no vive le
differance.

Though I agree that in any patriotic situation, there
are those that neither embrace patriotism, nor are
accepted in kinship by others of their nation. This
does not mean that they are internationalists, only
that they are isolated, either intentionally, which
should be their choice, or prejudicially, which can
often be unfair, but can also be a reasonable act of
the majority.

In America, the tiniest amount of patriotism is taught,
mostly an insistence that honored symbols or ideas be
respected. This is not to say that they must be
worshipped, but it is a demand of society that you do
not defile or loudly scorn that which you do not
appreciate, but is deeply held by others. It is the
same demand that an avowed atheist is not permitted to
defile someone's church because he strongly despises
all that it stands for. It is not oppressive.

Weirdly enough, there is a strong anti-patriotic
movement in America, of people who are even ashamed to
call themselves "Americans", who despise our flag, and
any other symbol of pride that Americans have. But even
that is not enough for them. They feel a need to attack
those that do honor those things.

It is a strange sickness of the heart, and perhaps the
head. And yet such people would never leave the US to
those that appreciate it; they wish to destroy and defile
it. Again, a strange manner of behavior.

Is it like hatred of your mother? A hatred of one's
self? A bitterness for never feeling accepted, or of
having one's anti-patriotic ideas rejected by others?

But patriotism survives all these things. It is an
intangible that improves the lives of those who enjoy it,
and those around them who benefit from its generosity.

For those who hate it and its trappings there is only
pity. The pity for the castrato, or for someone who is
blind and despises sight in others. What misery could
have twisted the heart so?


--
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***********
Trust No One.
Always Look To The Skies.
The Truth Is Not There.
-- nu-monet

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