| Patriotism: The Good, the Bad, and Yes, the Ugly Americans Search for Identity in a Painful Time By Jeanie Davis Reviewed By Michael Smith WebMD Medical News Sept. 27, 2001 -- There are the flags, the chants of "U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A," and stirring renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner." They have helped bring this country together. But what of patriotism's dark side, when things are taken to the extreme? Is there a danger that extreme patriotism could be used to justify acts of violence against people who look Middle Eastern, or are most Americans simply trying to understand their own fears? Visitors have been weighing in on the WebMD message boards. Here are a few comments: Jmgr62: Fear-based hate is always prevalent in times of extreme fear. It is human nature Fanaticism is on the rise but mostly among those who were not extremely stable or particularly tolerant to begin with. Tbonfiglio: I agree, those are true fanatics; these people don't need a reason ... just strike out at who ever happens to be on top of the vulnerable list. Andyzan: It seems to me that there are many on this board who are extremely patriotic, but are also trying to understand Middle Eastern culture, and understand that the innocent majority shouldn't be punished for the acts of a criminal few. The Internet has had a growing role in monitoring both the pride and prejudice in the country. Since 1995, HateWatch.org has served as a watchdog of extremist thinking. "There's been a tremendous burst of traffic on our site, as often happens in times of crisis," says David Goldman, the web site's executive director. The Sept. 11 tragedy has brought the nation's focus on what it means to be an American. "I think 'Americanism' is not something that is fixed," Goldman tells WebMD. "I think most people -- even those with rabid anti-Arab bigotry -- are evolving through that process. Ultimately, it will be a healthy thing for most people -- illuminating -- but it's also scary, painful at times." On his web site, he says, "We're seeing a lot of expression of what it means to be an American -- people coming together in a unified voice. That's the type of patriotism that people not only enjoy but find quite valuable." At the other end of the continuum, there's a small minority of "incredibly agitated groups," Goldman says: "We're seeing expressions of xenophobia [fear of foreigners] and a much more isolationist type of rhetoric -- that we need tougher immigration laws, we need to protect ourselves from 'them,' the outsiders," he tells WebMD. "There are also expressions of horrific, anti-Arab-American bigotry -- ... rabid, horrific hate speech against Arab-Americans and Muslims all over web sites and chat rooms -- a profound amount." "We've seen the best and worst of America," says Stephen Zunes, PhD, a specialist in Middle Eastern history and politics, and an associate professor of politics at the University of San Francisco. "The best has been obvious: the bravery of firefighters who gave their lives, the rescue workers, people lined up to give money, donate blood, the prayer services, candlelight vigils," he tells WebMD. "But there's also been racism, jingoism -- a national chauvinism," Zunes says. "It's the difference between pride in one's country, which is a very positive thing, and the viewpoint that people who don't look like you, who are different from you, are bad." While the hate groups are "very small, hard-core, they are committed to their cause of extremism," Goldman tells WebMD. "This has to be monitored very, very carefully." Bernard Branson, PhD, a New York City psychoanalyst, offers his perspective as an older American. "You're talking to a guy who put in 20 years in the service [World War II], both active and reserve," he tells WebMD. "I've been around a while." "Certainly in New York City, patriotism has really been great," Branson tells WebMD. "People have really, really come together. I'm very proud to be a New Yorker. That's the good side of patriotism." But talk of extremist patriotism is too reminiscent of fears felt against Japanese-Americans during the 1940s, he says. "During World War II -- when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor -- there was not one act of sabotage by any Japanese living there," says Branson. "Yet Japanese-Americans were put in labor camps right here in the United States. I don't want that to happen again. The danger I see is that civil liberties could be violated." The majority, says Goldman, are people who consider themselves patriotic, who are "just trying to make sense of this." Part of the equation could be learning more about the cultures of people living in this country. "We posted one short article on "What is Islam" -- frequently asked questions. It was nothing in-depth, but we had hundreds of people looking at that," he says. "There's such a lack of awareness of this religion." © 2001 WebMD Corporation. All rights reserved. |