Patriotism and Nationalism – what’s the difference?

Apparently “patriotism” and “nationalism” used to mean the same thing. Their definitions in our current society are different though. Some simply say “patriotism = good”, “nationalism = bad”, but it’s maybe not so simple.

Patriotism: Being proud of your country for what it does. Love for or devotion to one’s country. The patriot believes that both the system of government and the people of their country are inherently good and work together for a better quality of life.

Nationalism: Being proud of your country no matter what it does. Exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups. Feelings of nationalism are based on a belief that one’s country is superior to all others. This exclusionary aspect is not shared by patriotism. (definitions are from various Google results)

I think the difference is likely easier for people who are not born in the US. We grow up here, we learn American History. We hear about the “5000 year leap”, where our founding documents and government were literally earth shattering – unlike any other social experiment in history. People from around the world came here to experience freedom and opportunity that was unheard of elsewhere. It’s easy to feel proud of our country and feel like it is better than other places for reasons x, y, and z.

People continue to come here for that freedom and opportunity. It is now considered bad for us to believe that the United States offers freedom and opportunity that isn’t found anywhere else. So we divide ourselves among those who are “nationalists” and those who are just “patriotic” (and honestly, those who enjoy the benefits of living here but have great disdain for the US and what it – used to – stand for.)

I think that maybe we are naive. At least I will give us the benefit of the doubt on that.

1) How many of us have actually visited other countries – or international communities here in the US – to see how other cultures live? We see nations like Venezuela, crazy prosperous 20 years ago – where the people are literally eating their household pets – because despite working 2-3 jobs, they cannot make enough money to buy lunch. Yet, many of us believe the socialist model of government is somehow better than what we have. Which brings us to… number 2!

2) We don’t see how much our society has changed or how many of our freedoms we have handed back to the government in exchange for things like tax benefits, freebies, or the illusion of security (that last one is a biggie!)

Do we realize that our founding fathers fought the American Revolution over what we are just blindly handing over today?

Do we have any grasp of how little freedom we have today? Remember about “taxation without representation”? Our “representatives” are so far removed from the people and so beholden to special interests and their own pocketbooks that we are NOT being represented.

We have to ask the government before we sell bread from our kitchen, eggs from our chickens, install a toilet into our home, or build a storage building in many cases. The government tells us how we can use our land. It taxes us on our land and our belongings. In some places, it tells us we can’t have a wood burning fireplace or that we have to add more windows to a room being renovated (this has happened to me personally!) We have to pay taxes for things that we morally object to. We have only what control – or illusion of control – that the government gives us.

We risk the all-powerful charge of “hate speech” if we disagree with people.

We have just completely handed over any semblance of privacy that ever existed. Our TVs, tablets, phones, doorbells and thermostats are recording us. (How many of you got a free Alexa device during Prime day yesterday while you were purchasing something else?) We are recorded at intersections and by passing police cars – and by strangers with cell phones.

While the government can determine that food and water should be withheld from you due to what they deem a pointless existance or where a hospital can refuse medical care to your premature infant, the government can also take your child if you refuse medical treatment that you disagree with. How is this logical? Do you want the freedom to decline the flu shot this year? That freedom is rapidly being eroded – and the government and the industries that control it are using fear to accomplish what they want.

Remember when we used to be “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”? People thought such a thing was worth risking their homes, family, and lives for.

We are no longer free and we have a government and press that are preying upon our fears to control and divide us.

How can we hold our leaders accountable and how can we once again be men and women who are identified by freedom and bravery? Can we be brave enough to show compassion to people that we fear? Or are we too far gone? That “Greatest Generation” is fading away fast and those of us who have risen to take their place are sorely lacking.

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” Abraham Lincoln

(Total random ramblings as I try to work some things out in my head… Also pondering our refugee crisis and how we should feel about this – not just as Americans, but as Christians! WARNING: More ramblings may ensue…)