Patriotism
I really struggle to know what this term means. Does it mean “my country, right or wrong”? If so this seems so Hitleridic that why would anyone see value in that? It is not clear how patriotism helps create a peaceful and just world. Every country has patriotism, whatever it really means, and that being the case, what is special about patriotism? Patriotism and religious fervor often go hand in hand. Other times they clash fiercely. When I was young we had to stand every day and pledge allegiance to our country. Hitler was the best at this sort of thing and look what that led to.
Like most people, I reckon, I don’t ever spend any time reciting the pledge of allegiance or humming/singing the national anthem. My own personal pledge of allegiance is to the universally acknowledged ethical principle called the Golden Rule. And the more my country, our President, or our people in general practice this, I am filled with pride about my nation. The more our current President tweets the more I begin to wonder whether there is any single admirable personal trait embodied in his being. Here is a man who inherited a lot of money, stiffed contractors and investors to make even more millions, has a ‘trophy’ family of some sort, declared bankruptcy multiple times—each time amassing more millions of wealth, has been elected President of his country, has immense power over others, and he seems angry round the clock, even at 3 AM in the morning, about everything and everybody, disrespecting friend and foe at every chance he gets.
Many good people have stepped up to protest this endless assault, mostly on those least able to defend themselves, but he attacks his own ‘friends’, if I can use that term very loosely(he doesn’t seem to have any long time friends), but one I liked the most is the following one.
