Q&A# 8

There are several definitions of patriotism that must be considered before deciding whether or not to agree or disagree with Jensen’s position that American patriotism needs to die out. The first definition of patriotism that Jensen gives is that patriotism relies on loyalty to the war effort. If this is so, then American patriotism is long gone, as most Americans do not agree with the current war in Iraq and disagree with the government’s decisions, actions, and beliefs. The second definition given is that patriotism is a critique of the war effort as opposed to support of it. I believe that critique is closer to real patriotism than blind loyalty, as by critiquing the war people are using their right to express their opinions and safely disagree with government policies. Citizens of every country need to think about what is being decided for them and what their government is doing in the name of the people. Blind loyalty creates a country of sheep that do what they are told, when they are told to do it without thinking about why or what the consequences could be.
Jensen claims that people should concentrate on being globally patriotic as opposed to nationally patriotic, and I agree with this. As the world gets smaller and people can reach each other more easily, it becomes more and more important for people to feel pride in their planet and everything living on it. Pride in one’s country was a good thing, but it is better for people to concentrate on what can be done for the benefit of the entire world. This doesn’t mean sticking our noses in other country’s wars, but becoming more aware of what is happening outside of our borders and appreciating all cultures. As most people know, the environment is suffering due to human behavior. In order for this problem to be fixed, people need to become globally patriotic as Jensen suggested, and start becoming conscious of what is going on outside of our borders.