in reply to Capatrioalism

I agree with you. We are a nation of individuals, each having unique (or at least different) ideas about patriotism, nationalism, and civic duty--as well as how to express those values.

Each of us expresses our support (or lack thereof) for what happens around us in different ways. And we should allow people the freedom to do so unhindered by our preconceptions or ideals--provided, of course, that those expressions do not prevent others from doing the same.

In the same way that I've argued previously about how our fellow PerlMonks should not judge others' motives before inquiring about said motives, I believe we should be as flexible in our daily activities. When someone cuts us off on the freeway, we assume they're morons who don't know how to drive well. Yet, we don't know. There may be a spider in the car. There may be an emergency at the end of their trip. Or, they may just be morons. However, that's not our call to make.

It concerns me when we feel that others should express their values the same ways that we do. To some degree, that strikes me as the same sort of intolerance that led to slavery, discrimination, Japanese internment, The Holocaust, and other crimes against humanity.

I don't mean this to sound Amerocentric; I'm simply quoting examples from the history most familiar to me. Of the various themes I've seen in my studies of history, none recurs so often as man's capacity for cruelty against his neighbors, regardless of motive, politics, or creed. That cruelty and the ambitions, lust, and greed that fuels it are the real enemy.

I believe, though can't completely confirm, that these ideas are true for everyone one the planet. Each of us, every handle, name, face, and statistic refers to a living, breathing, and (presumeably) thinking individual with a life experience as real ours is to us. Remember that as you read the names (or numbers) involved in this and in other terrorist attacks.

What I decry most about the recent attacks is the complete disregard--and violent theft--of that dynamic life experience for everyone hurt in those attacks. Not only the people who died, but those that survived (at Ground Zero, at the Pentagon, or anywhere else). I am not niave enough to think we shall ever agree on everything, but I do believe that we should allow others to live their lives, too.

As individuals, we also need to take care not to take our frustrations out on those that did not participate in those attacks. For example, someone tried to arson a local mosque. The local news has reported hateful comments left on answering machines at other locations, as well as intimidation of Arabic Americans. That is wrong. Odds are that these people are just as hurt, angry, and hungry for revenge as you. If you must express your rage, then do so in a way that helps the recovery and the hunt for justice. Donate blood (as many have), give money to the effort, spend time helping educate others about the dangers of complacency, of ignorance, and of intolerance.

Do not perpetuate the cycle of violence. Do not deprive another individual of the rights you value. And, above all else, do not assume you know what someone else is thinking or doing to help.

(Sorry for the rant; I just got started and, well, you know...)

--f

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Re: Re: Capatrioalism
by stefp (Vicar) on Sep 16, 2001 at 03:27 UTC
    I am not sure anymore if it is a quality or not if you balance all the outcomes, but America fuel is mythology. Faith in mythologies can move mountains. Probably mythology works for the good if the "high priest" is inspired and honest.

    Example: the myth of new frontier has created America, a country where everyone is deemed to be a potential entreprenor, and many are indeed. This is quite an accomplishment. But what worries me is that most american actions are done in complete ignorance of the rest of the world. They have waited for the native culture to be almost completely wiped out to get interested in it. I am not judging here: every human action, be it by an individual or a group (here a nation) are colored in various shades of grey, so was the making of America.

    In the WTC case, I am very worried that, for sake of a retaliation, America will eventually bomb citizens who have suffered various masters, the talibans beeing the last ones. I am also worried that this "war" is a diversion to forget about internal "wars" America is incapable or unwilling to fight: against guns and drugs.

    Wanting to make a case, when searching numbers I supposed that the expected WTC casualties would be roughly equivalent to one year of gun casualties. How naive I was.

    According America own government agency, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), cited by the Violence Policy Center: In 1997 more than 32,000 Americans were killed with firearms. Probably this is bad taste to suppose that not all americans are born equal, and that a great proportion of these casualties are blacks and latinos. I did not check out this specific assertion.

    If I got it right. the incapacity to deal with one's own unacceptable pulsions leads to attribute them to other individual(s). In Freudian terms, this psychological mechanism is called projection. A nation being composed of inviduals, I suppose that the concept can be transposed to nations. This is probably an explication for integrism: one's own nation is Good and some other is picked to represent Evil. And like a witch, it must be burned.

    Interistingly enough , in the French military jargon projection is the military operation that consists in sending an armed force in a remote operation "theater".

    A side note: Freud taking a boat to America boasted to Jung that they will bring the plague. But the "plague" was really brought by Jung himself, his spiritual son. This "plague" was the spiritual concept of individuation that the always pragmatic americans mutated to the industry of self-improvement. Freud's intuition about the reenaction by Jung of the murder of the father was quite right!!

    Final remark: in the name of freedom, ESR confuses gnu and gun. Sorry I could not resist the pun and (Sorry for the rant; I just got started and, well, you know...). Also I am working my English, so feel free to /msg me my mistakes.

    -- stefp

[reply]
      Actually, we need to get rid of cars before guns or drugs. 43,501 deaths in 1998. The USA already has "a war on drugs", and many think we shouldn't (for some widely differing reasons). And a huge number of Americans see absolutely no need for a war on guns (many see a need for just the opposite).

      I guess my point is that I just can't see why you'd put guns and drugs at the top of the list and I really can't see Americans turning to terrorist bashing to hide from those two particular things. I can see some zeal being directed at the tragedy in part to distract from things like racism, corruption, intollerance, ...

      I think you are displaying a lack of insight into the USA, which is a bit ironic given part of your rant.

[reply]

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