Published: July 03, 2008 08:35 am         

Hawthorn Hill

By RICHARD J. deROSA
Patriotism

I have always been wary of zealousness of any kind, especially with respect to patriotism, an otherwise good and noble sentiment. Jingoism, patriotism in its most virulent form, nourishes only itself, certainly not the vital lifeblood of a nation. After all, there is nothing wrong and everything right about feeling a genuine sense of pride in one’s family, home, and country. Each of us is a creature of a place, despite the genetically inspired propensity of youth to rebel, at least for a time, against their essential selves, notably parents and place. It is impossible to escape who you are and where you have come from no matter how adamantly one sticks to false illusions about an imagined self. Even the most ardent of iconoclasts, deny it as one might, exhibits the indelible trappings of a place and its people. The mother of a good friend many years ago who advised me that no matter how hard I tried I might as well get used to myself knew what she was talking about. Feeling good about one’s country is a very good thing. When I say that I am proud to be an American, that does not imply a blind and thoughtless acceptance of our government’s actions and policies. All too often, we forget that responsible dissent is a core democratic principle, one not to be taken lightly. If ever we abridge our freedoms of thought and speech, we will have lost everything we stand for as a nation.

When I am weeding or transplanting lettuce starts, I would rather be replaying a piano exercise that has been causing me some difficulty (a tough row to hoe at 64!) or thinking about an upcoming canoe trip than to be burdened by what I see as the most pernicious of tendencies in this country, the obsession with being number one. Unfortunately, in addition to consumerism, it seems to be a rather infectious and rapidly spreading phenomenon. Why is it so important to be number one? What is wrong with simply being who and what you are and appreciating that without denigrating others, be they individuals or countries? I am quite capable of being quite proud of this wonderful nation, its people, and its incredible accomplishments without belittling other cultures or countries merely because they go about the business of living differently.

I have been fortunate enough to have seen a fair share of the world. Every country that I have visited has had a lot to be proud of. There is no such place as the best country on earth. Rather, there are many countries comprised of many cultures, each a unique expression of place. That is what makes this such a fascinating, if perpetually mysterious, planet to spend a bit of time on.

This past week I spent more time than I should have watching the European soccer tournament. It is, as the Brazilians have so labeled it, “the beautiful game.” Spain won the tournament by playing their version of that game. As exciting as the play was, what moved me most were the tears shed by individual players as their national anthems were being played. As the camera panned the sprawling crowds, few dry faces could be seen no matter what anthem might have been playing. These were tears of pride for team and for country. That every citizen of every country of the world feels a sense of pride in her nation is as it should be.

One of the things that is so edifying about travel is experiencing how others do things. It does not take long to discover that as good as we are at some things, we are not the best at everything, nor should we be. Just as visitors to this country learn a great deal and often take away some good ideas, be they technological, cultural, or political, we too, if our minds are open, can come away from visits to foreign lands with greater insights into how to live our lives in ways far more compatible with healing and then sustaining a healthy planet. In our travels, we have encountered methods and attitudes far more compatible with responsible environmental stewardship than is most often the case here.

Having read countless reports of high-level meetings between our representatives and those of other nations, our intolerance of difference has always astounded me. Our Secretary of State not too long ago insisted that we were quite willing to meet with the leaders of Iran so long as they, in effect, did everything we have told them they must do. There has been quite a bit of debate during the recent primaries about whether or not it is a good idea to sit down to chat with one’s enemies, if indeed that is what they are. I have never quite figured out a logic that sees continued tension, back and forth threats, and the very real possibility of bloodshed preferable to chats in comfortable armchairs often followed by, if not progress, a deepened understanding of differences. Such an approach is rooted in what I alluded to at the start of this essay: patriotism rooted in condescension and unfounded moral superiority.

There are certain times and moments when my eyes water and I feel a deep sense of camaraderie with fellow veterans or when while watching a film someone does or says something that pushes my patriotism button. As pure and genuine a feeling as it is, it is never felt at the expense of someone else’s equally heartfelt sense of national pride.