Whether raised JWs or we joined at some point in life, we learned to regard patriotism as wrong, part of the Devil's system of things. If we became JWs between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, we had additional social influence to regard patriotism as wrong, as being duped by the elite politicians who use citizens for cannon fodder in wars, or other nationalistic pursuits. The Hippie movement was partly a catalyst that spawned many anti-war, hence, anti-USA Government, hence anti-patriotism movement in this country. As a nation, we were nearly torn apart and were on the brink of civil war for many years.
The Reagan years brought back some national dignity, and then during the Persian-Gulf War, we saw a strong resurgence of patriotism, though not without some anti-war protests. All this eventually dissipated, but the generalized influence has lingered and resurfaced again as we are contemplating military action against the nation of Iraq.
It often seems that when JWs become Ex-JWs, they carry with them this sense of anti-patriotism and chide other Ex-JWs who take up a measure of patriotism as trading one false religion for another but still holding onto the need for some kind of organization. I am specifically thinking of Proplog2 recent post on this topic.
I find that this tendency toward all-or-nothing totalistic thinking by some former JWs to be far more disturbing. This thinking that any form of loyalty to a culture, a system, a nation, or even a religion must be wrong, simply because the Watchtower organization proved to be inadequate, perhaps a fraud, mixed with some felonious activity that this makes any level of loyalty wrong because of them this strikes me as irrational and unfair.
Patriotism can be dangerous, as most anything if done in excess. Certainly, Nazi Germany proved how dangerous blind loyalty and extreme patriotism can become. Clearly, those who resisted, objected, and fought the Nazi extremism were good and wise people who saw the difference between healthy patriotism vs blind loyalty to a national cult.
Patriotism can more often be healthy, if carried on with balance and maturity. Patriotism is not about insisting and demanding that our respective nations are better than everyone else, but rather that our sense of community, of national family has some healthy features. I can as easily say that my wife is the best wife on earth. Is she really? Do not other loving husbands equally think of their caring wives as the best on earth? Does this type of patriotism toward ones intimate partner in life mean that we are sucked into something unhealthy? I dont think so.
I love the United States of America. She is a good nation. She is not perfect, and some level of corruption and stupidity have pushed us to make serious mistakes. I see no real distinction between our government and our people because we the people place these leaders in their positions by our voting. We are not always right and if things get out of hand we replace those leaders who go beyond reason. We have been fortunate to have good leaders most of the time, and those not so good have at least not been that bad.
Other nations are equally as good as the USA. I highly respect and admire and love Canada, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland (god love the Finns) and many other good nations. They too are not perfect, but I expect the citizens in those countries to love their nations in a patriotic sense to love their country more than they love the USA. It is their national and cultural identity and were I to move to Canada or the UK, etc and make that my home, then they would command my patriotism.
Patriotism has its limits. It can become blind and dangerous as noted above. We need to have a nation where we can criticize our leaders, even in times of crisis or war. Freedom, balance, fairness, and love for our country demand that we listen to all sides and have the freedom to express a contrary view. To be anything else places the entire concept of genuine freedom into question. But by being critical, we need NOT develop anti-patriotism or a sense of national hatred. Why? Is that really healthy? Using the family as an example, I may criticize my wife or she may criticize me, but that does not mean that we have to hate one another; ... rather, the fact that we can talk and criticize and work out differences means that our love and relationship is good and will likely grow and remain strong.
I am an American patriot. I tend to vote Republican or Libertarian. I likewise respect and appreciate Liberals who tend to vote Democratic of Socialistic. I think the USA is in better shape than I have seen it in a long time, since the early 1960s anyway, and yes we still have problems, and yes, we could be wrong in wanting to disarm Iraq, as are now the rest of the world wrong to vote with us ... but simply because I was once a JW and had misguided loyalty for a religious organization does not mean that by returning to basic patriotism I am now a duped blind loyalist who is sucked into the vortex of being ruled by some conspiratorial Illuminati or right-winged big business conspiracy, or some left-wing pinko communists.
R ather ... t he fact that I, you, any of us can choose to be involved or not, to decide on one side or the other and act to effect change in our citizen management of our nation and governing, is in my mind, a very healthy thing ... patriotism does not mean blind credulity or loyalty no matter what. Instead, it means loving our fellow human in the context or our identity as a nation and culture and act in its best interests.
Patriotism will never lead me to stand by quietly should my nation and its leaders start engaging in morally outrageous behavior al la Nazi style, for if that were to happen, then I would gladly join the underground resistance, move to another country and work to liberate the USA from such evil because of patriotism, because of a sense of love and national identity for the concepts, the values, the rights that we as humans anywhere on earth should and must enjoy.
Currently, in the last ten years, no one has made a reasonable case to prove that the USA is not a good nation, acting for good most of the time and that any bad acts are of sufficient nature to seek to punish or over throw our leaders. Yes, the CIA has blown up some stuff, or caused drugs to be spread into the So. California area and we have supported some bad regimes, though most of the time they became bad after we helped and trusted them ... shame on us for doing these things and where it has been seriously wrong, we need a national accounting and court trials of the guilty ... yet, aside from folly here and there on the average we have acted well as a nation along side other good nations like the UK, etc.
And clearly, the entire world sides with us enough since 9/11 and with the recent UN unanimous vote ... such that it becomes all too clear that we are not acting in an evil way, but seeking to do things correctly and in the best interests of all nations ... and yes, President Bush did and does talk of war with Iraq this is good political tactics to get the rest of the world off the dime and doing something constructive ... yet, it does not make him a war-monger. So far, bombs have not fallen on Iraq and if they do, it will be done as surgically as possible to remove Saddam Hussein much like removing a gang leader and disarming the gang ... saving the village for the good and decent people of Iraq.
So, as we debate the merits of any national or international issue, it seems unfair to me to start attacking the sense of patriotism some have, but rather, stick to the merits of the issue, debate the points of relevance, and don't try to sneak in undermining attacks on someone simply because they happen to love their country, whatever country that may be. Jim Whitney
Edited by - Amazing on 10 November 2002 23:17:37