I'm an Anglo-Scot ... I suppress the English side because I favour the notion of being a Scot. I love the saltire ( a political emblem) snd the red lion rampant (an emblem of the monarchy). But I do not love Scottish politics, nor am I a monarchist. So maybe I'm a simple romantic when it comes to patriotism. I also wear a kilt on occasion ... so maybe I'm a transvestite too.

I have never been called upon to risk life or limb for my country (either of them) and I'm not sure I would want to. Let's put that down as a "Don't Know."

I admit to being ignorant about patriotism, nationalism and all the rest ... and I haven't read Ficht and/or Herder ... I haven't even heard of them. So I cannot comment on their views, or Tom's rebuttal. But history seems to say that Patriots are those who fight for their (embryonic) nation's freedom - e.g., the rebel colonials in America, or the French Resistance in WW2. It also seems that Patriots are always on the right side (i.e., the winning side). Those on the other side are "insurgents" or something. Whatever the truth about that is, it seems to me that Patriots were fighting for ideas and ideals rather than a specific political nation and they united under their flags, symbols and devices AGAINST a common enemy. The nations that emerged - USA in one example, or the umpteenth French Republic in the other, were not necessarily the desired result ... they just happended to be the actual result. Someone ...Washington, or de Gaulle just took over. Where does this get us? I don't know - I'm rambling ....

But I am sure everyone of us perceives him/herself to be a part of the nation s/he belongs to, despite its faults, is proud of its history, and is happy about it.