Oddverse.com

Queen. In a hat.

Somewhere in me, I have a much longer piece about Patriotism. It's not a fully developed thought, but here's the gist of it.

Patriotism is great. It's fantastic to be really proud of your country, because let's face it you live there. I've lived in four different countries in my life, or three if you think that England isn't really a country in its own right. I'm proud of all of them, in their own ways.

Patriotism can also be evil. It can be an insidious, cliquey thing, that reeks of moral superiority simply due to an accident of birth. It can be used to justify evil acts, arrogance, and wars.

If a government to try to enforce patriotism, then I believe that this falls more into the second mood than the first. A people should be proud of their country and their government because of the history of the country and the actions of that government rather than because the government declares it is worthy of patriotism.

Which is why I cannot condone the celebration of patriotism on any date associated with invasion, attack or war, and indeed think that to do so is in exceptionally poor taste. Combining patriotic messages with images and feelings associated with attack and isolation seems designed to promote arrogance, small-mindedness, hubristic self-congratulation and unearned moral superiority.

But that's just my view.