I have been criticised by nationalists, particularly the English nationalists, for having an anti-nationalist stance. This criticism/accusation is patently untrue; although, to be fair, I do have some problems with the idea of nationalism, especially in its more extreme forms. I have no problems with the acceptable face of nationalism at all; that is that face of nationalism which concerns itself with civic and cultural identity, and which is tolerant of those who are possessed of a different sense of their own civic and cultural identity within any given nation state. However, where I do have problems is with the other face of nationalism, the unacceptable face, this is the face which embodies intolerance, harbours and fosters racist and bigoted attitudes and which has a fear and dread of “the other”; this is the face of nationalism that I find completely and utterly abhorrent, this is the face of nationalism that ultimately leads to conflict.
Here I want to deal with what I see as the unacceptable face of nationalism, that face which embodies intolerance, racism, bigotry, fear of the “other” and which leads to conflict. This is a face of nationalism which is pandered to, at least in the UK, by the tabloid/gutter press which goes out of its way to find stories and in which are to be found editorials which foster and promulgate the ideas to be found in this idea of nationalism. In the UK such stories and editorials promote the ideas of withdrawing from Europe, anti-immigration, anti-Scottishness etc. etc. Most nationalists seem to want to resort to a time when “things were better”; when there were jobs for all because there were no immigrants “taking our jobs”, when “the others” knew their place and did what they were told. In other words most of them would like to turn the clock back to “Empire” days.
Well we have all seen where “empire building” leads us, there are numerous examples of conflict which result from the imposition of an empirical attitude; these range from the conflicts within the British Empire to the most devastating of all conflicts of recent times, World War Two, and the conflicts which have followed it, namely Korea, the Suez crisis, Vietnam, the Balkan problems and so on. All of these conflicts have had some greater or lesser degree of nationalism as their cause, and I personally don’t want to see the world going down this particular path again.
Such nationalism not only leads to conflict, it also leads to alienation; those who adopt a nationalist stance do have a tendency to alienate themselves from those who “do not think like us”. They find solace with those who have the same ideas, who think the same, and who, ultimately, wish to see the same goals achieved. Most of these nationalists are quite rational, albeit somewhat misguided, people, but it is their very ideas and goals that provide the fodder for the intolerant, the racist and the bigoted, who flock to the cause like moths to a flame. It is at this point that the voice of the minority (the rational and misguided) becomes muted in favour of that of the more unsavoury factions who have the tendency to shout loudest. It is the fear of “the other” that drives these more unsavoury factions, their desire to only mix with those like themselves, the intolerant, racist and bigoted, because these are the only people they feel comfortable with.
These are just a few of my thoughts on nationalism, just a few of the reasons why I have distinct problems with any form of nationalism that does not concern itself with civic and cultural identity, or which is tolerant of those who are possessed of a different sense of their own civic and cultural identity within any given nation state. I am not saying that there is no place for nationalism; but any form of nationalism must be embodied of tolerance and inclusion, the tolerance of those who don’t agree with the nationalist ideas, and the inclusion of those who are “different” in which ever way. It must also be imbued with ideas of freedom of thought and speech, those who are included must not feel that they have no voice, or that they cannot freely express their thoughts - whether this be verbally or in the form of the written word. I know that I will not live long enough to see the intolerance, racism and bigotry stamped out, but I would hope that the morons who are possessed of these particular qualities will no longer be around.
P.S.
Comments are welcome, but for those nationalists out there please read this first and be very careful what you say if you don’t want to be made to look like an idiot.
