| Show The True Patriot Sixth in a series of guest editorials editorials edi edi- presented by the Rotary Hotary club of Bountiful in commemoration commemoration oration of the Golden Anniversary s sary ary of or Rotary I March 25 1955 In these days of acute tension between na lions the question arises Who i is ij the true patriot Is it the person who does what wha t he can to promote international understanding and good will Vitt o or r does true patriotism consist in rn n rejecting with suspicion any contact with persons of another country Apparently in some som e minds there is an absolute contradiction con between love of coun coup try and international friendships friendship s as if 0 a human being had only s so o much love at his disposal and his s own nation demanded all of it it To dismiss this viewpoint a aan as asa asan s a an expression of narrow nation is to beg th the the- question however So much need not be II conceded to the the current confusion con con- I f fusion that surrounds the con con- concept con 1 of ol patriotism For nationalism national national- ism ism so so far from being narrow narrow nar I row In its origin and essences essence essence- I I is s imbued with a generous and expansive I Looking backward ove over ovee Mans Man's journey through the ages we I Ican can see how this spirit has enabled enabled en- en bled him to overcome many emotional barriers that thwarted his development When primitive primi 1 tive man sought the shelter of a a common cave he paid unconscious unconscious tribute to the dictum of the he philosopher that the life of man without society is s solitary poor nasty brutish and short j As tribes submitted their proud II spirits to a common order o of of battle batUe as communications and and 1 trade linked towns and petty states as a common law accumulated accumulated accum accum- its protections for the rights of individual persons I accum-I regardless re reo regardless of station the enlarging and exalting feeling of nationhood nationhood nation nation- hood arose among the people nation I Nor was the expansive spirit satisfied by nationhood The nationalist nationalist na na- I cannot always be content con con- con I tent to stay at home Commerce and culture lead him into wider relationships The course of empires em em- I pires pares the systems of alliances the very wars that have produced ed cd so much destruction and s so o many bitter memories demon strate the drive to expand beyond beyond beyond be be- yond national boundaries Only because war has been such a co costant con constant constant n stant occupation of pf nations does doe s hatred fear and suspicion o of sf f foreigners come to toe Ibe associated associate d with patriotism But should this thi s unhappy accident or chapter o of sf f accidents be allowed to confuse e and obscure its true nature A statement of Rotary policy polley y provides a clarification Each h is is' expected to so order orde hr r his daily personal life and business business busi buss ness arid aria professional activities s that he will be a loyal and ser s rv v ing citizen of his own country He will l look ok beyond national nation patriotism and consider himself himsel f as sharing responsibility for th the e fe advancement of International un understanding ders and good will to to- toward toward toward ward all aU peoples Loyalty and service to country countr come como first And then as s an expression of these attitudes an enlarged ed vision that includes all nations and peoples There is no more contradiction between International international interns interns- friendship and patriotism than there is between being a good father of your family and being a worthy citizen of your community In fact the one can hardly be accomplished without the other The seeker after alter international understanding who finds his patriotism patriotism pa pa- impugned has a ready response He lIe is not the true pa patriot triot who seeks to perpetuate I the ancient grudges and suspicIons suspicions I ions that thwart the growth o of nations These are rather his country's shame and sorrow The true patriot looks beyond them themas as a healthy man casts from him bin the memory of sickness lIe Hi glories in the beauty of this piece of earth which Is his home homi and in the contributions of ot It its sons to human freedom and knowledge Its poets inventors philosophers and seers are Ui the objects of his nis pride Its record of generosity and service hI he extols extols ex ex- ex- ex tole the admiration of the tin world And in so doing he plainly plain plain- ly vindicates the positive con can and expansive nature of true patriotism for these anthe an are e I the things that can be shared ball b by byall y all p peoples oples |
