In 1776 our founders knew fake ‘patriotism’ isn't real leadership
My favorite podcast is “The Rest is History.” Two British historians cover world history, examining both major events and lesser-known subjects.
A recent episode made me think about our 250th celebration and the displays of patriotism that will be a big part of it.
At about the same time the Civil War was raging in the United States, a conflict in South America left Paraguay losing to armies from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. In our Civil War, about 700,000 soldiers and 50,000 civilians were killed. Devastating, but far less tragic than the result in Paraguay.
Historians estimate only about one-third of their entire population (including civilians) survived and the woman/man ratio at war’s end was 4-1. Men rushed to join the armed forces when leaders made the call to Paraguayan patriotism in defense of national honor.
Of a total population of less than 500,000, nearly 100,000 men were in the military. The patriotic response to perceived transgressions by their enemies blinded them to what should have been obvious: The size of their opponents was overwhelming. They had no chance.
The soldiers were defeated, hunted down, and killed almost to a man — including their leader Francisco Lopez, who was one of the last to die.
How does that relate to the 250th birthday of the United States?
There is no reason to assume men and women throughout our history were more “patriotic” than those misled Paraguayans. We don’t love our USA more than the people of Paraguay loved their country. However, that Paraguayan patriotic enthusiasm for war is not something to be celebrated; exploiting it facilitated the utter destruction of their country.
Patriotism is praiseworthy as an unfaltering emotion that supports good actions but without a justifiable cause is not intrinsically a virtue to be honored or celebrated. Every country has patriotic citizens, same as the USA. Just watch the World Cup fans.
The German Nazi Party members were very patriotic.
For the USA’s 250th birthday, nothing should detract from acknowledging how patriotism enabled national achievements and benefited from such honorable individual personal sacrifice. My father, if still alive, would proudly recall his patriotic response to Pearl Harbor and his time as a soldier serving under Gen. Dwight Eisenhower in Europe. Let’s have this celebration of our history match up with a deeply held love of country and good things like that done with good intentions.
At the same time, let’s not whitewash past or present stains from things perhaps unknowingly supported by mistaken patriotism of the time. British author Samuel Johnson famously labeled patriotism “the last refuge of a scoundrel” — not opposing it but calling out those who cynically use it to shield self-serving bad behavior.
As we watch the parades and the fireworks and listen to the speeches, we endeavor to pair this deep pride in our history with a resolve to not let bad leadership exploit genuine patriotism and destroy elements of our two-and-a-half-century republic.
Mike Levsen is a former Aberdeen mayor and a regular contributor to The South Dakota Standard
Photo: public domain, wikimedia commons
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