
The existence of the Balkans shows us that nationalism doesn’t need a reason to exist. It just does. There will always be people who believe their country is the best whether it’s a superpower or microstate, simply because that is where they are from. And very often for those people that means ignoring anything bad their idealized nation has done.
I think this country is fucked up in a lot of ways but I’ve always been a big believer in the American vision that people from all walks of life can come here and find civil liberty, economic mobility, and community. This vision has been stolen from us by a corporate oligarchy. I grew up on a street with white families, black families, Indian families, Jewish families, Arab families, etc. Where else in the world does that happen? It’s beautiful to me but unfortunately so fragile
I’m patriotic when I see how many civilians fight for their neighbors and protect people they don’t know, I feel patriotic when I see people being welcoming and interested in other cultures as that is what makes America beautiful to me. However, it’s hard to feel patriotic when the leader of our country ruins everything good about our country and our foundations and is just flat out cruel. America isn’t perfect but I used to be proud to be from here and now I’m just embarrassed