If citizenship, either in a family or clan, or geography, or a nation-state, defines us; then our sense of patriotism or love for that family or group or community is assumed to be primary and always presumed to define one’s loyalty.
That loyalty, I think, is primary and must become our public but also declared identity of responsibility and identity. When we do not, or create an artificial or arbitrary new one, not recognised by the rest of the world, we create a problem called Islamic State or IS.
For example, we have rulers or royalty in Malaysia who are normal human beings but are culturally treated as if they are greater than their normal human qualities. Therefore, others kiss their hands and show personal allegiance to the quite human other. As a Christian, I do and cannot do this as it may be seen as idolatry. Idolatry is not tolerated by God.
In yet some other cultures, I understand that ordinary mortals are required to crawl on all fours to meet their royalty. To me, that is even more demeaning and dehumanising. Human beings are created equal and given the honour and dignity befitting of the Creator. No one person, for whatever reason, should submit and oblige himself to another; for God is a jealous God.
Patriotism as gender equality
Gender equality in Asia and the world became a conscious global issue at the United Nations Summit Meeting China in 1995. Now the president of China is hosting another gathering in New York to recognise the 20th anniversary of a landmark women’s rights conference in Beijing. At least the Chinese now believe fully in this ideal.
Some 74 presidents and prime ministers are scheduled to attend the meeting, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. President Barack Obama will not be among them. Maybe China should invite Hillary Clinton to address the meeting. After all, she was there 20 years ago, too.
Talking about this kind of patriotism of equal humanity, in the first US presidential debate this issue of human equality became focus on one of Donald Trump’s failures in life. The potential new lady president put this agenda on the table. The former first lady defined the agenda and the Latino lady from Venezuela stole that show. The entertainer was left dumbfounded. The show ended.
The storyline was that she was “verbally abused by Donald Trump” when she was not quite 20 years old. CNN anchor for the Anderson Cooper 360 show interviewed this now new mother of one daughter and I genuinely thought she gave a patriotic performance about what the US and democracy means of freedom for as a new migrant.
From her public testimony, and her self-declared involvement in this moment of political publicity and glory, it is obvious she has learned to harvest American media for maximum advantage. Maybe Trump has found his equal for this reality TV reality. The squeaky wheel usually gets the oil in US.
And, why not, right? She has stated that she is the voice for the Latino community and she wanted Trump to learn to respect the dignity of other women. It is obvious that she has a personality and conscience which will not be bullied by simple acts of disrespect by Owner Trump and is now challenging ‘President Trump’ in his face. That is true patriotism and true spirit of freedom in any democracy.
After all, this United States of America cannot bully the disunited states of the Americas either. Democracy guarantees and ensures all citizens as human beings that they can protect and preserve their rights and equality in a modern world.
So, Donald got trumped and it looks like Hillary has found a voice equally soft and gentle but loud enough who will take him on, point for point. Trump cannot triumph. They are many others out there who can and will say ‘No to Trump’; the small town bully.
Core allegiance of patriotism
The debate about patriotism will continue ‘ad inifinitum’ because in most new nation-states, and especially newer ones, it is mainstream because of cultural pluralism in ordinary human life.
Therefore, for example, in the United States of America, all new citizens make and take a pledge in an important but meaningful and significant ceremony and which carries and provides for all positive emotions of import; most primarily taking pride in the newly-acquired citizenship.
In every society in the world, we get a full range of colours and peoples, who now constitute or make-up that society or community. In my personal analysis of such new cultural variety; the Brexit vote was obviously related to identity politics; about the colour, type, and make-up of the British community.
Therefore and consequently, in all such communities, or societies still aspiring to become communities, identity politics and all its implications define the nature of truth speaking and truth seeking.
Authenticity is essential
What was beautiful about the newly-minted American Latino and her message against Trump and mainstream culture of organisational imperialism is exactly what the core issue of patriotism is all about. One is usually patriotic to ideas and ideals one subscribes to; not simply what others dictate to us, or teach us to believe.
Any integration with integrity includes not just being right with ideas but equally about how one pursues such ideas and ideals with authenticity. The Latino lady is authentic and continues to be but will be heard because she is not a presidential candidate. She is one voice for the Latinos and she is comfortable with that.
He lost that privilege of being Big Boss Trump in his own kingdom when he accepted the Republican nomination. Even Republicans are abandoning him.
Any public role has to be fully assumed and submission of accountability to others; even those one does not know. It takes more than simply closing business deals. It is all about how one chooses to lead by character. Leadership does not equal ownership.