Patriotism suppresses tribal sentiments
Jul 30, 2009
AN educated Ugandan lawyer once said: “Some third world governments act without thinking...†He made the remarks at a forum involving participants of diverse nationalities. My question is: is this view from a patriotic mind?
By Felix Kulayigye
AN educated Ugandan lawyer once said: “Some third world governments act without thinking...†He made the remarks at a forum involving participants of diverse nationalities. My question is: is this view from a patriotic mind?
There have been deafening choruses questioning the motive and the wisdom of teaching patriotism. From these choruses, one gets the impression that every individual is patriotic by birth.
Patriotism is defined as love of or devotion to one’s country. There is a tendency to think that patriotism is synonymous with nationalism, which is a misnomer.
However, patriotism has had different meanings over time, and its meaning is highly dependent upon context, geography and philosophy.
Among the ancient Greeks, patriotism consisted of notions concerning language, religious traditions, ethics, law and devotion to the common good, rather than pure identification with a nation-state.
Many contemporary notions of patriotism are influenced by the 19th Century ideas about nationalism. During the 19th Century, "being patriotic" became increasingly conflated with nationalism, and even jingoism.
However, some notions of contemporary patriotism reject nationalism in favour of a more classic version of the idea of patriotism which includes social responsibility.
It is the absence of this social responsibility at national, sub-regional and continental level that makes it necssary to have lessons on patriotism. In the most elementary sense from Latin patria, patriotism is the loyalty that all citizens owe to their country or nation.
With varying degrees of intensity, nearly all Americans claim to be patriotic citizens of their country. But the term also has a narrower, more specific history, with sharper political implications.
Patriotism has always been defined as love of one’s country or zeal in the defence of the interests of one’s country. Patriotism as such does not necessitate a programme of action; it stimulates and informs nationalism, but is not always nationalistic.
Contemporary scholars of ethics, Paul Gomberg, has compared patriotism to racism. He argues that a person has more moral duties to fellow members of the national community, than to non-members.
Patriotism implies a value preference for a specific civic or political community. In the European Union, thinkers such as Habermas, have advocated a European-wide patriotism, but patriotism in Europe is usually directed at the nation-state. Having seen what others say, we may need to ask: How many of us regard ourselves as Ugandans first and then our ethnic identities later?
Have we not heard people refer to themselves as “we people of this tribe want representation, or jobs or certain opportunities?†Have we not seen people withdraw into their tribal domains when sacked for wrong-doing or accused of misconduct? Then my dear friends where are our patriots?
Our patriots are those willing to pay the full price of belonging. It is not enough to be able to sing the national anthem, know all the colours of the flag and recite the Constitution from memory.
The price of patriotism is what ordinary citizens expect their men and women in uniform to pay for, with their blood on behalf of their civil masters who send them into war in the name of patriotism.
The writer is the UPDF spokesperson
AN educated Ugandan lawyer once said: “Some third world governments act without thinking...†He made the remarks at a forum involving participants of diverse nationalities. My question is: is this view from a patriotic mind?
There have been deafening choruses questioning the motive and the wisdom of teaching patriotism. From these choruses, one gets the impression that every individual is patriotic by birth.
Patriotism is defined as love of or devotion to one’s country. There is a tendency to think that patriotism is synonymous with nationalism, which is a misnomer.
However, patriotism has had different meanings over time, and its meaning is highly dependent upon context, geography and philosophy.
Among the ancient Greeks, patriotism consisted of notions concerning language, religious traditions, ethics, law and devotion to the common good, rather than pure identification with a nation-state.
Many contemporary notions of patriotism are influenced by the 19th Century ideas about nationalism. During the 19th Century, "being patriotic" became increasingly conflated with nationalism, and even jingoism.
However, some notions of contemporary patriotism reject nationalism in favour of a more classic version of the idea of patriotism which includes social responsibility.
It is the absence of this social responsibility at national, sub-regional and continental level that makes it necssary to have lessons on patriotism. In the most elementary sense from Latin patria, patriotism is the loyalty that all citizens owe to their country or nation.
With varying degrees of intensity, nearly all Americans claim to be patriotic citizens of their country. But the term also has a narrower, more specific history, with sharper political implications.
Patriotism has always been defined as love of one’s country or zeal in the defence of the interests of one’s country. Patriotism as such does not necessitate a programme of action; it stimulates and informs nationalism, but is not always nationalistic.
Contemporary scholars of ethics, Paul Gomberg, has compared patriotism to racism. He argues that a person has more moral duties to fellow members of the national community, than to non-members.
Patriotism implies a value preference for a specific civic or political community. In the European Union, thinkers such as Habermas, have advocated a European-wide patriotism, but patriotism in Europe is usually directed at the nation-state. Having seen what others say, we may need to ask: How many of us regard ourselves as Ugandans first and then our ethnic identities later?
Have we not heard people refer to themselves as “we people of this tribe want representation, or jobs or certain opportunities?†Have we not seen people withdraw into their tribal domains when sacked for wrong-doing or accused of misconduct? Then my dear friends where are our patriots?
Our patriots are those willing to pay the full price of belonging. It is not enough to be able to sing the national anthem, know all the colours of the flag and recite the Constitution from memory.
The price of patriotism is what ordinary citizens expect their men and women in uniform to pay for, with their blood on behalf of their civil masters who send them into war in the name of patriotism.
The writer is the UPDF spokesperson