Thursday, February 18, 2016

What actually is Patriotism?

Christopher Manion explains:

What ever happened to patriotism?

Webster’s defines the term as “love for or devotion to one’s country.”
But before there were countries, there was patriotism. The term itself derives from ancient languages (Greek and Latin) and refers to the land of one’s fathers.
Patriotism is pre-political. It is essentially human – which noun, by the way, derives from the Latin humus – dirt, soil. “Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return,” we are told on Ash Wednesday. “humus.
Patriotism is founded in the natural law. It represents the honor we owe our forbearers and the land they tilled and bequeathed to us. We do not live in abstractions, we live a concrete, historical life.
One’s native land is as human as life itself. Our fathers taught us patriotism. Patriotism means family — love of our family for giving us life (making us “human”), love for our kin, our tribe, our neighbors, and the God who gives us life.
Patriotism does not mean love of government.
And that bothers politicians. Big time. Major league.


Read the rest here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Patriotism, the healthy sort, also appears to bother ecclesiastics of the post Vat-II generation. Maybe my observations are incorrect but most Catholic bishops and Cardinals have undue reverence and faith in the activities and pronouncements of the UN. Don't they realize if the World Govt. they seem so fond of actually comes into existence, they will likely be the first ones to get the chop, assuming of course that the Caliphate doesn't get them first. Or perhaps they see cushy sinecures for themselves ensconced in that ivory tower by the East River.

Aged parent said...

Well said, Anon.

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