A Discussion of Patriotism

Americans have a lot of symbols to remind us of our faith in America. We have the National Anthem or the Star-Spangled-Banner which is played at ALL national sporting events. We also have the Pledge of Allegiance, the Bald Eagle, the American Flag, the American soldier and “Uncle Sam“. This list could probably continue and admittedly (and unfortunately) I am not as familiar with German symbols other than those relating to WWII. Blame that on the American education system perpetuating the information and stereotypes that many German youth feel forced to wear like heavy weights. Until I was in college all I learned about Germany I learned in high school and that information ended with their demonization following WWII or their separation into two states, one free and one communist. My husband says his education regarding Germany was different and extended beyond the one I received.

Today (Monday October 3rd) interestingly enough is German Reunification Day, a national holiday celebrating the merging of the FRG (Federal German Republic) & the GDR (German Democratic Republic) thus creating one Germany with federal states. This came after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. In my town it seemed like any other Sunday, people rested and shops were closed. There unfortunately wasn’t much, if any fanfare for the historic event, at least not here in the city I live in the far south west.

I suppose the final thing I will say about this topic is that I have always felt that I can be and actually am very patriotic even without sharing with the world an obvious outward sign of patriotism. This has always been rather hard to explain in America, when people seem to think that to be patriotic means showing the flag (possibly at all times). As an American I exercise my right to not outwardly share a patriotic symbol with the world as a show the love and pride I have for my country. I choose to do this because I do not believe in everything my government does because I do not believe it always has my best interests at heart.

I am very proud of the people who serve in uniform to protect the rights and freedoms that I enjoy and often take for granted, but I do not respect their superiors who make decisions based on a financial bottom line or resources over people. Or actually any other reason that puts soldiers unnecessarily in harm’s way. Or do I agree with the trauma inflicted onto these same soldiers who are left only to return to battle when what they need is help, or to have them return home only to feel abandoned by the same government they were risking their lives to protect.

The bottom line here, in my opinion, is that no government is perfect and we don’t have a choice in the matter of where we are born. Yet instead of just dwelling on the good parts of one’s nation – or the bad is not good enough. To live with regret is not to live but to live and learn from the actions of the past are a way forward through what we might otherwise regret and let to once again regrettably live through again. It is okay to have pride in the accomplishments of the country in which you were born and/or live as they help shape who you are, both individually and collectively as a community. The point is to be a patriot and not necessarily a nationalist.

In another clip from Stephen Fry’s Planet Word, at the end of the second episode, around 56:00 he explains how, at least for him language helps him be patriotic or proud to be from where he is from and to have the heritage and history behind him. He also makes a solid distinction between patriotism and nationalism, in that a patriot is proud of where they come from but doesn’t necessarily believe it to be superior to any other place while a nationalist believes just that, perhaps Germans have these two ideas confused.