Over the winter break, Honors Student Tori Rowden (currently studying in Trier, Germany) posted a thought-provoking reflection on flag displays and nationalism. Tori was struck by the difference between American and German attitudes when it comes to displaying the national flag, especially on things like t-shirts, bumper stickers, posters, etc. She writes:Should we too be wary of the slip into nationalism (many would argue that we are too late, but I don't really want to get into that particular discussion)? I find more American flags here, than German. American flags are on every little thing that is reminiscent of America, good and bad. I once, while on a train platform, found a vending machine selling the most disgusting (yes, I tried one) preheated hotdogs...which came wrapped in an American flag.
We learn the Pledge of Allegiance before we learn to write. We wave our flags in front of nearly every home, and fly them out of windows of cars and trucks. We stick the flag on matchbooks, lighters, and soda cans. Children sing songs about how they are willing to die for their country, before they even understand the concept. We link together religion and patriotism, so that God and country always go together. We do all of these things, really without any thought. I know I did. And don't get me wrong, I love America. I still get a bit weepy when the 'Star Spangled Banner' is sung well, and I still think nearly nothing of seeing our flag everywhere.
But what would we think if another country did these things. What if currently you could find the German flag on everything in sight? Would we praise it as patriotism, or would we fear the nationalism inherent in that? If any other country in the world took patriotism as far as we do, it would scare us a bit. Some countries, equally patriot, scare us a lot. Nationalism does make us nervous, but so does any patriotism but our own. Perhaps that is because there is not much of a difference at all.Read the whole post and respond if you like here.
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