Surely the problem with patriotism is that it is - like racism or homophobia - yet another arbitrary and potentially irrational division that we draw up to separate ourselves from humanity as a whole. In this day and age, facing the global issues that we do, patriotism is a backwards step - and moreover, it seems to me to be the refuge of that primitive/childish urge to blame someone else for the things that go wrong in our lives. "It's not us that cause the problems of the world, it those damn Iraquis (or whoever)"

I think Northern Europe is different, not least because the countries are small and next to each other, so one tends of necessity to know about one's neighbours. Both Britain and America are slightly different by dint of being geographically separate, and whilst i make no claims for the UK (empire, etc blah blah), America has reinforced this historically with isolationist policies. i think the thing that amazed me about 9/11 most was the number of relatively intelligent Americans whose reaction was "But why would anyone want to do this to us? We're the good guys?". Obviously there is no excuse for mass murder, but how is it possible to be so ignorant of the world not to at least understand that some people just don't see things your way?

i'm afraid that we sort of laugh at all the US flag waving - people with flags outside houses, cars, schools etc. Surely you can remember what country you're in? Perhaps it's time to learn more about the planet you're on too. Although i must just say that i don't think that this is necessarily true of all or any given American individual, just more of the image of "America" that we get over here.

Quote Originally Posted by Logic1 View Post
+ Tom of Finland is a beautifully drawn gay comic. not saying anything about Tom of Swedens sexual preferences or anything like that. http://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/
Yes. Raising the hopes of innocent homosexuals, just to dash them onto the rocks below. That's what i call that!