• remotelove@lemmy.ca
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    3 months ago

    Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.” - Charles de Gaulle

    Charles was a nationalist, so much so that Gaullism was actually a thing. However, it’s more important to use his definitions rather than his words, for or against, any specific action or justification. This article explains that very well: https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2018/11/43935/

    • Neuromancer@lemm.eeOPM
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      3 months ago

      I think hate is only when it’s jingoism. Every country should do what’s best for their people. You should be proud to be French, British, American or whatever country you are from.

      • remotelove@lemmy.ca
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        3 months ago

        This is what you are describing as good: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_conservatism

        Here is a national conservative group that aligns with that: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Freedom_Party

        By describing nationalism as a good thing, you are ignoring a massive amount of context. Jingoism only refers to hostile foreign policy and war mongering. As a veteran of the second Iraq and Afghanistan wars, I clearly saw the “jingoistic” nature of the Republican party as a whole. Hell, not only am a US veteran, I have nice firearms collection and enough ammunition components to survive two or three apocalypses. That doesn’t mean I have to tolerate the nationalist behavior of people that think they are “conservative”.

        The abhorrent anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric from the GOP should be just one single example of how Christian Nationalism is not “good for all people”. The repealing of Roe vs. Wade was not “good for all people”. Politicians publicly embracing Q-Anon conspiracy theories is not “good for all people”. Supporting and justifying the actions of the Proud Boys is not “good for all people”. Creating plans like “Project 2025” to convert the US into a dictatorship is not “good for all people”.

        Are you calling me unpatriotic because I refuse to accept that Republican politicians are doing all of the above? You, by accepting, tolerating and even supporting any of this is bizarre and is not patriotic. It’s disgusting, to be honest.

        • Neuromancer@lemm.eeOPM
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          3 months ago

          You keep moving the goal post around. American nationalism is good for Americans. French nationalism is good for France.

          I’m not a fan of Christian nationalism as it’s not American nationalism. It isn’t doing what’s best for your country.

          I’m a veteran of gulf war 1 and the war on terror. So thank you for your service.

          • remotelove@lemmy.ca
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            3 months ago

            You know what? Instead of getting into the weeds here, you keep telling people that nationalism is a good thing. Go right ahead.

            You the missed the point entirely, but whatever. My client is out of room to continue this thread properly anyway.

          • remotelove@lemmy.ca
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            3 months ago

            If anything, I am grouping nationalism together. Stop with that trite “moving goalposts” bullshit. There is nothing I am avoiding here. From the start, your flavor of nationalism is how I quoted Gaulle which encompasses your particular flavor of American nationalism.

            Nationalism has nothing to do with patriotism and you are conflating the two. American nationalism is just as toxic as any other form of nationalism and it aligns perfectly with the examples of rhetoric I called out. You gave a perfect example of “if you don’t agree with this thing, the you are anti-patriotic or anti-american”.

            Like it or hate it, Christian Nationalism has infected what was once american conservatism and the Republican party. The only thing “conservative” politicians do these days is complain about everyone else that isn’t “conservative” or “christian”. If you claim to be Republican and disagree with Trumpisim, you then become a RINO.

            Fuck that “thank you for your service” bullshit. It’s borderline insulting and not a single service member I know would ever say that to another.

            • Neuromancer@lemm.eeOPM
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              3 months ago

              I am not conflating the two at all. American nationalism happened after the civil war. It’s what defined us as a nation.

              Yet you start going on about Christian nationalism which has nothing to do with nationalism as a country. It’s just a weird rant

              Weird I know plenty of veterans who say it to other veterans.