I love my country. I believe in the principle ideas behind the constitution of the United States. There is a language woven into the words of American ideals that frankly I believe are misunderstood and it may help to add my insight on some things I believe are confusing to a lot of people. I know that I struggled with several things over the years myself.
First of all I think it is very important to understand the difference between patriotism and nationalism. It is an area that I needed clarification for myself.
Starting with "Nationalism" it is important to know that it is not the same as "Patriotism" and you know the difference because you can feel the difference.
"Patriotism" is a healthy pride and love of your country. You fly the flag in celebration of its existence and your identification with all of the good things the country represents. Patriotism isn't a blind loyalty to the country, it is an open eyed objectivity towards it and the goal is to acknowledge shortcomings, weaknesses, and mistakes in the effort to correct them as well as knowing that the country is not perfect. It says right in the Preamble "...in order to form a more perfect union..." This is an admission of the fact that no matter how right we may think we are, there will always be things that come up which will need adjusting as time moves on so that we can continue to be proud of our country.
"Nationalism" is quite different. It isn't as if the term is necessarily negative, but I have always looked for the right term to describe the negative feelings I have when "Patriotism runs amok." I became especially sensitive to this during my years living in Germany while studying and performing operas about World War II. The many conversations I had with people who had experienced Germany in those years before and during the war helped me to get a sense of this difference, yet I still didn't have a name for it, although now I realize that the word for it was in the title of the regime that lead to a country that still is wounded by the shame it feels for the acts of its country during those horrific years.
"Nationalism" is a term that describes the idea that everyone and everything that is a part of a country is there to serve the good of the nation above all other priorities. "Nationalists" will accuse you of "not loving your country" or of being a traitor if you criticize or find fault with wrong things that happen in the country. The words, for the love of country, to protect our way of life, to defend against people or a certain type of people who are out to destroy the country and so on. Everything for the country no matter what atrocities you have to commit for it which may include spying on family members, reporting on friends, libeling public figures, and doing physical harm to others personally or to their property. So, even while some of the tenants of nationalism may seem plausible which makes it seem patriotic it really only uses patriotism to shift people to the extreme and convince them to go all in to serve the cause. It is a negative term that has some positivity to it, but only to get you to do things you would otherwise not normally do.
Germany learned the lessons of a "Nationalism" that went way too far. In a "Nationalist Society" there is no criticism of the government because it gets squashed by the military or secret police. I learned about the "Deutsche Schuld" or "German Shame" that came as a result of World War II. Germans struggle with the feeling of patriotism for their country because it can get so close to a blind nationalism that would return them to those dreadful years that destroyed their country and Europe too.
The National Socialist Party it was called. Nazis for short. One misconception in America is that because it has the word "Socialist" in its title that it was a liberal political party. It was not. It is was an extreme far right conservative party. My point is that the term "National" as in "Nationalism" is not patriotism, it is absolutism about the nation and its government.
So here in the USA we need to be careful about this difference, especially in these times. Why, because when "Nationalism" becomes the popular sentiment it leads to the possibility that a government can become almighty and be shifted to a dictatorship from a democracy very quickly and before anyone realizes it. Remember, the Nazis didn't take Germany by force, they were elected into power. You have to go no further than that to see how fast democracy can be lost and totalitarianism can gain a foothold where the ideas of narrow minded people can become the principle power of the nation and if you don't agree with them you will meet with very unfortunate situations.
I am greatly disturbed by the current state of the United States because it feels like it could shift towards becoming a nationalist state, which would not be good for anyone. What happens is everything gets put on its head, flipped over. No longer do the highly intelligent, educated and experience serve in the government but rather people who really have no qualifications to understand nuance begin to serve with their only ambition is to gain power for themselves. The use of half truths, lies, and rumor creates mistrust in long respected institutions and undermines their mission to serve the country with the best service possible. These institutions become tools of power seekers to further their own agendas while climbing in the favor of the nationalist leaders.
I consider myself a Patriotic person because I do believe in our country, but I also know that it can go very wrong in a hurry when the right conditions are met.
There is an election in a couple weeks and already the big powerful pick up trucks are driving around again flying flags of "Don't tread on me" as if anyone was. This tactic harkens back to the brown shirts riding around in their trucks intimidating people with the loud, obnoxious, and threatening behavior. I am seeing reports on TV where there are people intimidating people at the polls in some places, obvious but not illegal.
I am patriotic, but I have to say that seeing flags used in programmed ways around town really makes me feel a bit worried about the future of our country because it isn't individuals putting up flags their way, it is an organized effort and to me it reminds me of the extreme nationalism that seduced Germany into starting a World War.
I would have never entertained the idea that such could happen to the United States of America, but here we are and I am very, very worried about it.
"In God We Trust"
This motto is written on our money. Strange place to put it isn't it? But, what does "In God We Trust" actually mean?
Well, as much as I thought this all of my life it isn't about religion at all. It is a statement of "mistrust" in ourselves, people, or better stated ... human beings.
It should say "In people we don't trust. We seek the wisdom of higher and better thought than our own. We do not know it all. It is a statement of humility not a claim on a deity as in the phrase "God is on our side." That it doesn't mean.
Trusting your government is a very important thing. The Founding Fathers understood that "power corrupts". So they set forth to create a system by which everyone would be kept in check by everyone else. The Judicial keeps an eye on the Legislative, and the Legislative branch on the Executive, as well as back and forth.
In addition to those "Checks and Balances" American democracy allows for multiple parties from different political philosophies on many issues. But even that is a way to stay honest because the opposition keeps you honest. The opposition isn't your enemy, but your friend keeping you out of trouble. In today's America is this unfortunately not the case. Somehow the parties fight each other like enemies. That is wrong.
Recently there was a trial about a man who had killed 6 people and injured 70 more by driving through a parade in Wisconsin. The defendant fired his lawyers and decided to defend himself. He proceeded to interrupt the court in any way possible so to create such a disturbance that may get the trial declared a mistrial and he would go free. He ranted and raved, screamed and yelled, cried and complained during the entire trial. The Judge and the Prosecution worked very hard to make sure this guys trial was done by the book and give him a fair trial, even though the defendant did all he could to throw everyone off. This of course was his only option because if it was going to be a fair trial it meant he would be guilty on all counts because...clearly, he is.
That is the way a rational civilization is supposed to work. You go through things in a peaceful manner so you have a rational discussion and can make the right decisions on cases.
This is why democracy is important. Democracy and a country that respects the laws of the land in order to maintain peace and tranquility in the country can provide a stable environment for the economy to grow, business to grow, and help people to grow in so many different areas. If it melts down to guns, trucks and people being jailed because they are against their view, then there is no more peace and everything will be destroyed.
We must again see our opponents as our best friend not our enemies. But, when it gets to the enemy point, then there isn't much choice left.
"All Men are Created Equal"
What is meant by that?
As much as people claim it is about racial and gender equality it actually doesn't. Even though it doesn't it still includes supporting everyone of all races and genders.
What it really means is "Everyone is born equally" This has to do with the Monarchy where the idea is that just because you are the son of a king you will automatically become the King. Thus in this statement they collectively agreed that succession by birth at all levels of government is not going to happen in the United States.
I'm not done with this article but I can stay awake no longer....TBC