Patriotism please
Nationalism is wrong, said columnist Jim Duffy, but he might back a Scottish Patriot Party. “Perhaps we should be thinking about patriotism that is more positive and not nationalism that could tear us all apart,” he wrote.
It was Charles De Gaulle who said: “Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.”
Nigel Fraser He got some things right, some things wrong: “The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” Can’t fault him there.
Common Sensei For once someone has written some home truths, Nationalism is destroying Scotland for a nightmare dream of a group of clever/ underhanded political wannabes,
Fish Supper “But, nationalism will then eat the country apart as we compete internally and become “clan-like” again in our mentality.” What does Jim Duffy mean by “clan-like”? The clan system was fundamentally a paternalistic system similar to a family, led by the chief acting as a father figure. Moreover, the Highland clans were known for their hospitality, even towards their enemies. If Jim Duffy claims to be a patriotic Scot proud of Scottish language and culture he should learn to read sources written in Scots Gaelic.
Ewan Macintyre What he means is that the rise of separatist sentiment at the same time as a strong desire remains to keep the (very successful) union together will inevitably result in Britian becoming a far less integrated society. “Clan” is merely a slightly less pejorative euphemism for “tribe”. Tribalism is the curse of the developing world and we in the developed world ought to have left it behind centuries ago. And we largely had, but then devolution came along and raised it from the grave. Nationalism does not imply ethnic solidarity. It is not racist. It is about a country, a culture, a way of life, none of which are ethnically exclusive.
Euan Gray Samuel Johnson: “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.” The writer says “I’m proud of being Scottish”. You can be proud of an athletic or academic achievement. Because you achieved it by your own efforts. But why should anyone be proud of an accident of birth?
Soracte