You might think that this is ironic that I say that nationalism is an irrational sentiment, when I claim myself as a proud Palestinian Muslim. Well, let's define nationalism and its smaller brother, patriotism.
Nationalism, in my opinion at least, has a load of other labels I'd like to give it. Nationalism is a plague of reason... a cancer of accountability... a scourge of sovereignity. Nationalism fails to reason because nationalists can't accept the fact that all governments are different as they differ because of the different needs for each country. For example, the spread of "democracy" on part of Dubya Bush is a nationalistic spread: him and his supporters fail to grasp what their country's leaders have done concerning foreign policy in the past 50 years, and in that sense, many pro-Bush fanatics out there never question the policies of their government. Nationalism fails to reason because it will never realize that sovereignity is an inalienable right to every state out there, even dictatorships.
Moreover, Nationalism fails to hold its own accountability for its actions: nationalists convince themselves that their actions are blameless, and that they are free from responsibility for what they do. In one case, many Israelis feel that their forefathers of 1947 onwards are not responsible for the forceful expulsion of Palestinians from their homes. Then, there are those like Saddam, who will not hold themselves accountable for mass murders, such as the massacring of the Kurds in Northern Iraq... for the pithy reason that they are heads of state and can do no wrong. Similarly, there are those that argue that Israel is a democracy, and thus it is a "stable nation" and "can do no wrong". Well, Israel's track record proves otherwise, but it has gone to actually denying the fulfillment of the 200+ resolutions filed against it. What people fail to realize is that nationalism can blind one's perception in finding the faults of their own states. To quote two morals,
Also, nationalism is a scourge on sovereignity. By default, every nation is sovereign: it is entitled to its own government and changes its own policies in accordance with the type of government. Trying to change the policies of another government to suit one's own ends, or to usurp the current political leadership and replace it with one of your own whims, is violating the sovereignity of the subject nation. Of course, this results from the belief of imposing one's political beliefs over another nation, while at the same time violating its right to exercise self-rule; in that sense, nationalists consider other nations unable to rule themselves to meet their views and standards, and this can lead to a form of racism in that one can believe that the race of the said country can't form a government. Also, in invading and usurping the sovereignity of the subject nation, the nationalistic nation will, in the course of its action, commit actions unbecoming of honor and holding a namesake, but will not stop the nationalistic nation in its blind pursuit of violating sovereignity for what it thinks is "right". But is this right?
Not at all. It is said that dissent is the highest form of patriotism and the sign of a healthy government (namely, democracy), and when dissent is treated as treason, we start down the nationalistic path to fascism, a heavy form of nationalism. Of course, with fascism, an irrational form of government, one can see why nationalism in its essence is dangerous. A state is never perfect and never will be. As long as continuous reformation is in progress, nationalism will not plague the state.
As a Palestinian, I know the faults of my government and the previous bodies that "represented" the Palestinian people. I know the wrongs that my people committed, though it was out of what Israel has done. However, I shall not stay blind in my faith towards my nation, the Palestinians. That's why I'm a patriot. I conclude with this advice: be a patriot, not a nationalist.
Salaam, from
Saracen
Patriotism denotes positive attitudes by individuals to their own civic or political community, to its culture, its members, and to its interests.Judging by the definition of nationalism, it can be deduced that nationalism holds that the state that one belongs to is the only allowable form of government, thus holding it superior to all others, which are thus inferior. This leads to not being able to question the faults in one's state, whether obvious or not. Thus, one can deduce that blind faith to one's own nation is a principle core of nationalism, and this is what makes it irrational.
Nationalism is an ideology that holds that (ethnically or culturally defined) nations are the "fundamental units" for human social life, and makes certain cultural and political claims based upon that belief; in particular, the claim that the nation is "the only legitimate basis for the state", and that "each nation is entitled to its own state."
Nationalism, in my opinion at least, has a load of other labels I'd like to give it. Nationalism is a plague of reason... a cancer of accountability... a scourge of sovereignity. Nationalism fails to reason because nationalists can't accept the fact that all governments are different as they differ because of the different needs for each country. For example, the spread of "democracy" on part of Dubya Bush is a nationalistic spread: him and his supporters fail to grasp what their country's leaders have done concerning foreign policy in the past 50 years, and in that sense, many pro-Bush fanatics out there never question the policies of their government. Nationalism fails to reason because it will never realize that sovereignity is an inalienable right to every state out there, even dictatorships.
Moreover, Nationalism fails to hold its own accountability for its actions: nationalists convince themselves that their actions are blameless, and that they are free from responsibility for what they do. In one case, many Israelis feel that their forefathers of 1947 onwards are not responsible for the forceful expulsion of Palestinians from their homes. Then, there are those like Saddam, who will not hold themselves accountable for mass murders, such as the massacring of the Kurds in Northern Iraq... for the pithy reason that they are heads of state and can do no wrong. Similarly, there are those that argue that Israel is a democracy, and thus it is a "stable nation" and "can do no wrong". Well, Israel's track record proves otherwise, but it has gone to actually denying the fulfillment of the 200+ resolutions filed against it. What people fail to realize is that nationalism can blind one's perception in finding the faults of their own states. To quote two morals,
"Don't worry about perfection, because you will never reach it..."In that sense, by analyzing the faults and problems of a state, you're on the way to fixing it. Nationalism seeks to blind one from this very perception.
"Nothing is perfect. Everything needs to become better."
Also, nationalism is a scourge on sovereignity. By default, every nation is sovereign: it is entitled to its own government and changes its own policies in accordance with the type of government. Trying to change the policies of another government to suit one's own ends, or to usurp the current political leadership and replace it with one of your own whims, is violating the sovereignity of the subject nation. Of course, this results from the belief of imposing one's political beliefs over another nation, while at the same time violating its right to exercise self-rule; in that sense, nationalists consider other nations unable to rule themselves to meet their views and standards, and this can lead to a form of racism in that one can believe that the race of the said country can't form a government. Also, in invading and usurping the sovereignity of the subject nation, the nationalistic nation will, in the course of its action, commit actions unbecoming of honor and holding a namesake, but will not stop the nationalistic nation in its blind pursuit of violating sovereignity for what it thinks is "right". But is this right?
Not at all. It is said that dissent is the highest form of patriotism and the sign of a healthy government (namely, democracy), and when dissent is treated as treason, we start down the nationalistic path to fascism, a heavy form of nationalism. Of course, with fascism, an irrational form of government, one can see why nationalism in its essence is dangerous. A state is never perfect and never will be. As long as continuous reformation is in progress, nationalism will not plague the state.
As a Palestinian, I know the faults of my government and the previous bodies that "represented" the Palestinian people. I know the wrongs that my people committed, though it was out of what Israel has done. However, I shall not stay blind in my faith towards my nation, the Palestinians. That's why I'm a patriot. I conclude with this advice: be a patriot, not a nationalist.
Salaam, from
Saracen
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