Loving ones country [Archives:2005/860/Letters to the Editor]

S.Bailey
[email protected]
Personally, I don't believe it is practical to love your country, especially when that love is inspired by Hollywood blockbusters. Your country is simply where you have been born.

It is, however, absolutely right to have a proper knowledge and appreciation

of the good points of your country, just as it is proper to have an appreciation of the bad points. It is good that people love the traditions, culture, etc. of their country. But it should only stem from true understanding. The history of Europe is littered with the tragic results of ignorant nationalism (most recently Serbia in the 1990s). Revolt for suppressed countries is another matter. Then your love for your country is an expression of disaffection for corruption, brutality and the like. People understandably revolt with love for their country in their heart. But

those sentiments are no basis for day-to-day life. I don't know how every day life looks like in Yemen. But the struggle to improve life should be based on struggling to apply ideas that are universally good to your particular country.
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