Wednesday, April 18, 2007
PATRIOTISM, NATIONALISM, GEORGE ORWELL AND HOWARD ZINN
In October 1945, George Orwell made a clear distinction between Nationalism and Patriotism ("Notes on Nationalism", Polemic).
In April 2007, Howard Zinn also makes this distinction clear (The Amy Goodman Chomsky-Zinn Interview) :
"The Government is set up by the people in order to fulfil certain responsibilities : equality, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness.
"And according to the (American) Declaration of Independence, when the Government violates those responsibilities, then, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish the government.
"In other words, the Government is not holy. The Government is not to be obeyed when the Government is wrong...what's holy is human life and human freedom, and the right of people to resist authority.
"So today, for instance, the highest act of PATRIOTISM, I suggest, would be opposing the war in Iraq, and calling for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, simply because everything about the war violates the fundamental principles of equality, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness; not just for Americans, but for people in other parts of the world."
The same applies here in England...
In April 2007, Howard Zinn also makes this distinction clear (The Amy Goodman Chomsky-Zinn Interview) :
"The Government is set up by the people in order to fulfil certain responsibilities : equality, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness.
"And according to the (American) Declaration of Independence, when the Government violates those responsibilities, then, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish the government.
"In other words, the Government is not holy. The Government is not to be obeyed when the Government is wrong...what's holy is human life and human freedom, and the right of people to resist authority.
"So today, for instance, the highest act of PATRIOTISM, I suggest, would be opposing the war in Iraq, and calling for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, simply because everything about the war violates the fundamental principles of equality, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness; not just for Americans, but for people in other parts of the world."
The same applies here in England...
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And it Spain, Poland, Japan, in general all of the countries that have participated in that abominable war.
I have just posted a revision to your January 31 2007 2.48am blog about the Mitford sisters living at Pitshill House in Tillington. This branch of the Mitford family had nothing to do with the famous Mitford sisters. I know this because I asked Diana Mosley about it before her death having discovered the Mitford name in Tillington churchyard (I think) back in the 1980s and jumping to the same conclusion as you. She knew of no branch of the Mitford family in West Sussex and had never lived there with her sisters.
The days when you could dismiss the BNP by just hanging labels on them like 'racist' and 'nazi' are long gone. It was a lazy substitute for political argument at best. The BNP are sweeping ahead on all fronts and are fully expected to have MPs elected at the next General Election. You are only listening to what the media and the BNP's political enemies say about them. The one million British voters who voted BNP in the last Euro-Elections did so because they are addressing the problem which is causing ordinary people the most pain - immigration. Other parties daren't touch the subject, too frightened of loosing ethnic votes. Funny thing is, I know Black people (1970s immigrants from Ghana) who are going to vote BNP they are so angry about the unrestricted immigration. Funny old world. I have 30,000 Koreans living on my doorstep in New Malden. Since when was Korea part of the Commonwealth? I am living in a cosmopolitan city I don't like and for which I never voted. I wish the people of all nations well and enjoy the company of many but I want to live in ENGLAND not some International Airport Departure Lounge. Just don't let me hear politicians of the old parties say 'How on Earth did this happen?' when the first BNP MPs are elected.
The days when you could dismiss the BNP by just hanging labels on them like 'racist' and 'nazi' are long gone. It was a lazy substitute for political argument at best. The BNP are sweeping ahead on all fronts and are fully expected to have MPs elected at the next General Election. You are only listening to what the media and the BNP's political enemies say about them. The one million British voters who voted BNP in the last Euro-Elections did so because they are addressing the problem which is causing ordinary people the most pain - immigration. Other parties daren't touch the subject, too frightened of loosing ethnic votes. Funny thing is, I know Black people (1970s immigrants from Ghana) who are going to vote BNP they are so angry about the unrestricted immigration. Funny old world. I have 30,000 Koreans living on my doorstep in New Malden. Since when was Korea part of the Commonwealth? I am living in a cosmopolitan city I don't like and for which I never voted. I wish the people of all nations well and enjoy the company of many but I want to live in ENGLAND not some International Airport Departure Lounge. Just don't let me hear politicians of the old parties say 'How on Earth did this happen?' when the first BNP MPs are elected.
"War violates the fundamental principle of equality"? There are far more down to earth reasons to get out of Iraq now. We are making enemies of people who should be our friends - mainstream Arabs and Moslems. We are seen to be the friends of America who has supported Israeli terrorism against the Palestinian people for 60 years. The Isealis more than anybody else should know YOU DON'T TREAT HUMAN BEINGS LIKE THAT. If World War Three ever happens it will be directly traceable to Europe and America's years of neglect of Israel's inhuman and cruel policy towards the Palestinians.
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