SYMBOLS carry a tremendous amount of force. When used deliberately and thoughtfully, they provide a crucial and effective means of expression. But as we continue to respond to the events of Sept. 11, we must be conscious of the symbolic value of our actions. We must keep in mind that patriotism isn't always noble, and we must be particularly careful to teach our children that being responsible citizens means knowing when to be patriotic and when not to be.
The nation has undergone a dramatic transformation - at least superficially - since the terrorist attacks two weeks ago. Red, white and blue are everywhere, as are "The Star-Spangled Banner," "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America." And nowhere is this warm wave of feel-good patriotic fervor more apparent than at our nation's schools.
The Alabama state legislature passed a resolution urging school boards to incorporate "patriotic education" into their daily curriculums. The Board of Education in Memphis, Tennessee voted to require schools to display a plaque with the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust." Schools in Maryland have scheduled "Patriotism Days" - days where schools officially ask students to wear red, white and blue. And many schools across America will take part in a synchronized, nationwide recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at 2:00 p.m. on Oct. 12 ("School Colors Become Red, White, and Blue," New York Times, Sept. 28).
Patriotism can be a good thing, but it isn't always. Not all things American are perfect, simply by virtue of being American. Every person must evaluate carefully our nation's specific responses to recent events before he or she recites the Pledge of Allegiance, hangs a flag on a building, or wears red, white and blue as a sign of support.
Caution is needed because displays of patriotism communicate something more specific than abstract pro-American-ness. Hanging a flag on your house in the week following Sept. 11, for example, says more than "I like America" - it says "I support what America is doing and what it stands for, here and now."
The specific nature of such acts may be best illustrated by an opposite example. For instance, demonstrators who burned flags during anti-apartheid rallies of the 1970s and 1980s weren't saying, "I hate America and everything it stands for." Rather, they were saying, "What America is doing right now - condoning apartheid through inaction - is wrong." Flag burning remains constitutional because of its function as political speech - speech with a specific aim and meaning.
|
Supporting America - at a particular time and in a particular situation - is different from loving America. In fact, loving this country and all that it represents may mean disapproving of it at times. Love of country can be tough love. As responsible citizens, we should care about America enough to criticize it when it does something we find objectionable.
Two weeks ago, I used this space to make a case for a peaceful, reasoned and restrained response to terrorism and to criticize our government's haste in declaring "war on terrorism." Whether you agree with that opinion or not isn't the point. Rather, my hope is that you will be conscious of the message you send by participating or not participating in patriotic acts. Choose whether or not to hang a flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, or wear red, white and blue, but make those choices with care. Distinguish between blind, unthinking patriotism and deliberate patriotic support. And help children make this distinction, too. Talk to your children, younger siblings, nieces and nephews. Help them understand that what makes this country great is the right to disapprove.
School systems are coming dangerously close to encouraging blind support - patriotism for the sake of patriotism. We shouldn't teach children to love the state simply because people in positions of authority tell them to do so. That's not civic education, that's propaganda. Rather, we should teach children to support their country if and when America's actions make them proud to be Americans. Administrators, teachers, parents, even older siblings all bear a responsibility for creating critical, thoughtful citizens, not unthinking patriots.
Keep an open mind as our nation continues to respond to recent events. And remember that sometimes, we must be willing to criticize our nation in order to preserve it.
(Bryan Maxwell's column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at bmaxwell@cavalierdaily.com.)
Read More
PARTING SHOT: No man is an island
By Ava MacBlane | May 16, 2024Retirement, as you can tell, has been treating me well. When people ask me now if I miss it, I laugh and tell them some things I definitely don't miss. But I don't always get to tell them about the things I really do miss.
PARTING SHOT: You never know unless you try
By Lexi Baker | May 16, 2024My time at the University was shaped by the people who showed me grace and kindness and by those who had confidence in me, even when I struggled to have it in myself.
PARTING SHOT: A love letter to Cav Daily and Connection
By Ava Proehl | May 15, 2024My time here taught me to look for the genuine, human connection in every moment.
