a reply to:
VermiIion
A few posts on facebook does not a "traitor" make. Only the most extreme nationalists would use that term based on a few posts on facebook (which they
haven't even seen nor know any details about what she actually said that was so "criminal" and 'traiterous'; one of the main reasons I'm using the
term "extreme". Cause from going from a few unknown FB posts to 'she's a traitor' is a rather extreme leap of propagandistic spin).
It's not really surprising that these people exist though. The education most receive—whether from parents or from nationalistically oriented
school systems—inculcates hatred, intolerance, and notions of superiority based on nationality, ethnic and tribal origin, or language.
Nationalism, called by the weekly magazine
Asiaweek “the Last Ugly Ism,” is one of the unchanging factors that continues to provoke hatred
and bloodshed. That magazine stated: “If pride in being a Serb means hating a Croat, if freedom for an Armenian means revenge on a Turk, if
independence for a Zulu means subjugating a Xhosa and democracy for a Romanian means expelling a Hungarian, then nationalism has already put on its
ugliest face.”
We are reminded of what Albert Einstein once said: “Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.” Nearly everybody gets it
at one time or another, and it continues to spread. Back in 1946, British historian Arnold Toynbee wrote: “Patriotism . . . has very largely
superseded Christianity as the religion of the Western World.”
Nationalism is well described by the psalmist’s expression, “the pestilence causing adversities.” (Psalm 91:3) It has been like a plague on
humanity, leading to untold suffering. Nationalism with its resultant hatred of other peoples has existed for centuries. Today, nationalism continues
to fan the flames of divisiveness, and human rulers have not been able to stop it.
Yes, human society is steeped in nationalism. Each nation and ethnic group is driven by the desire for self-determination. National sovereignty
combined with the spirit of competition and greed has produced a volatile mix. In one case after another, when national interests conflict with global
interests, national interests win out.
Many authorities recognize that nationalism and self-interest are the root of the world’s problems. For example, former United Nations
Secretary-General U Thant observed: “So many of the problems that we face today are due to, or the result of, false attitudes . . . Among these is
the concept of narrow nationalism—‘my country, right or wrong.’”
Keep the following in mind when you see another rally with a bunch of people waving around the flag of their nation or the nation they are supporting
in that rally that is centered around conditioning and indoctrinating people with nationalistic propaganda, or an expression/demonstration of its
effects:
“Nationalism’s chief symbol of faith and central object of worship is the flag, and curious liturgical forms have been devised for ‘saluting’
the flag, for ‘dipping’ the flag, for ‘lowering’ the flag, and for ‘hoisting’ the flag. Men bare their heads when the flag passes by; and
in praise of the flag poets write odes and children sing hymns.”—
What Americans Believe and How They Worship (1952), by J. Paul
Williams, pages 359, 360.
Of course, that doesn't just count for Americans.
edit on 21-11-2023 by whereislogic because: (no reason given)