BC SOCIETY
Saved by @troclodyte

Patriotism is an interesting concept in that it’s excepted to mean something positive to all of us and certainly seen as a morally marketable trait that can fit into any definition you want for it.+

 Tolstoy, found it both stupid and immoral. It is stupid because every patriot holds his own country to be the best, which obviously negates all other countries.+
It is immoral because it enjoins us to promote our country’s interests at the expense of all other countries, employing any means, including war. It is thus at odds with the most basic rule of morality, which tells us not to do to others what we would not want them to do to us+
My sincere belief is that patriotism of a personal nature, which does not impede on personal and physical liberties of any other, is not only welcome but perhaps somewhat needed.

But isn’t adherence to a more humane code of life much better than nationalistic patriotism?+
Göring said, “people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”+
We find a strange method in the workings of patriotism or nationalism (these concepts have been used interchangeably) of how allegiance to a certain idea is considered patriotism which leaves very little wiggle room for any other ideology to be accepted as even acceptable+
For example, how do you find space for critically examining state policy both internally toward minorities and externally within the confines of patriotism? In that, wouldn’t it be just used to censor criticism?+
Look at us, eating beef is anti-national, so is screening certain documentaries, opining that caste exists or making jokes, speaking against a draconian martial law, or against a specific party line, etc.

All these ideas are considered anti-patriotic now.+
How can a society every evolve out of its current moral paradigm if any exchange of opposing ideas is banned under the guise of anti patriotism? +
On the other side, what does not make us unpatriotic though is reducing the funding on Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) by 60%, while malnourishment rates in many Indian states are at the lowest in the world. +
The frame work of patriotism doesn’t account for an overall reduction in national health spending (including tobacco-induced cancer and AIDS research); reduction in corporate tax rates; any instance of crony capitalism etc+
Our pride does not suffer a mini aneurysm with Khairlanji or Bathani Tola or Manorama Devi or Konan Poshpora or Kilvenmani or mass graves in Bastar or Shopian and Mubina Gani, and Mrs. Ahanjaobi+
Acc to National Crime Bureau at least two Dalits were assaulted each hour in India.

Just between 2006-11 in North-East, about 7,000 rape case accusations and more than 11,000 kidnapping cases accusations were made against the Indian Army isn’t anti national. +
Tagore said, Patriotism can’t be our final spiritual shelter. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live.”+
I sometimes fear that those who are defining patriotism today will end up one day describing Rabindranath Tagore as anti patriotic, if they read that is. +
We are looking toward a future of mechanical, sterile ideas and people who’re but clones of each other. And yes, a patriotic state. /End.

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Ready?

Create a private foundation and give it all away. 1/

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