I hear what you say, but I don't believe that being patriotic makes me racist. I won't deny that I have been very off with other countries for some reason or other, but if I say "I am proud of my country." I am most definatly not saying, "My country is better than yours." Sometimes we stereotype, ramark on particular people who may not be from this country, get a little bit over excited and passionate in wolrd cup games and olympics, for example, but that is not to say we are racist at all. Just because you drink tea does not mean you hate coffee, nor does the fact you own a cat mean that dogs are not welcome in your house. It is wrong and racist to judge a country on the basis of 20 people who originate from there, but not if you both value a different opinion but agree to disagree. It is self support, which is why it isn't racist to be patriotic.
Taking the football example, this relates all the way down to villages and schools. It isn't wrong to support your own school, your own town, your own family. I'd be interested how you can say patriotism is a disease without then saying that family is a disease, for surely that's all it is?
Maybe it depends on what you term as 'patriotism'... I know america are very over the top with it, but at least at a more simple level, one should be proud to represent their nation, town, family.
This was certainly not aimed at just Americans. But unfortunately the US could be seen as an obvious target in this discussion, for the simple fact that they are probably the most patriotic country in the world?
America is a country full of other races. So I don't really understand why you're comparing patriotism to racism. Being patriotic to me means that i'm proud to be on this team and we're all on a team. We're all on a team and we're all trying to play with each other peacefully knowing that there is no loser. We're all winners in this just as long as we don't start trying to take over someone else's team. So I'm patriotic in the way that i'm proud of my country and I share a lot of the beliefs that this country was founded on. Unfortunately some take it too far and I'm thinking that you're talking about the people that truly put down other countries and assume the worst about every country except ours. I agree that that's wrong but I'm worried that you and some others are thinking that only we do it because it certainly doesn't only happen in the U.S..
I for the most part don't see the problem with loving and showing pride in your country just as long as you don't get stuck and become ignorant to other countries.
no, see patriotism is a way to feel connected. it works on all levels - from lowest to the largest. family, friends, cliques, gangs, clans, tribes, nations, religions etc... because humans desire to be apart of something a structure - we al...l are individuals but, who are we? we're all dynamic and unique but just to say for example "I'm john smith" to someone doesn't suffice - who is john smith? :example: Hello, Im John smith, my religion is Christianity, I'm From the united states, i hang out with (insert social genre here), my family, the smiths are recognised for Blacksmithing.. and so on. its a sense of identity to be patriotic, to belong to a nation or a culture
I loved that quote- patriotism is racism with a flag- when researching the zeitgeist movement myself. I do believe to some level that it is true. In your example with soccer, people do go overboard with a team or country just as they would with a race. Its a interesting topic because while some people do act out to cause harm or to promote themselves and feel superior, others are completely oblivious and feel they are just promoting and loving their country.
Sometimes we stereotype, ramark on particular people who may not be from this country, get a little bit over excited and passionate in wolrd cup games and olympics, for example, but that is not to say we are racist at all.
Just because you drink tea does not mean you hate coffee, nor does the fact you own a cat mean that dogs are not welcome in your house.
It is wrong and racist to judge a country on the basis of 20 people who originate from there, but not if you both value a different opinion but agree to disagree. It is self support, which is why it isn't racist to be patriotic.
Maybe it depends on what you term as 'patriotism'... I know america are very over the top with it, but at least at a more simple level, one should be proud to represent their nation, town, family.
I for the most part don't see the problem with loving and showing pride in your country just as long as you don't get stuck and become ignorant to other countries.