There’s nothing wrong about loving the country. In fact, military personnel swear to give their life serving their country and, regrettably, that does occur quite often. However, is that Patriotism or Nationalism?
One may think it´s only semantic; but it is not! Although the separation line may be very slim, the two concepts are different.
The concept of Nations is normally related to homogenic groups of people with the same ethnicity. It is mainly focus on the people and it doesn’t require a territory to excel its values. Nationalistic feelings lean towards a protective isolation of that specific group of people and, with few exceptions, it tends to look at their own people as different – for the better – from everybody else.
Patriotism introduces the concept of the Territory into the equation. Therefore, anybody (legally) living inside that territory are considered “country fellows”. The concept of Country (population + territory) takes over and Patriotism focus on the love to the land and all cultures within it.
A Patriot loves his/her country and does his/her best for that country to thrive; but he/she does not mind for other countries to proper also.
A Nationalist also loves his/her country, but more focused on his/her own people; almost in an elitist way. A Nationalist has issues regarding different groups inside his/her country and, above all, they do not normally appreciate other countries to be as prosper, let alone more prosper, than their own.
Therefore, Nationalism is dangerous because it not only isolates the country regarding the rest of the World, but it also segregates people inside that one country; – look at what happened in the Former Yugoslavia and, in particular, in Bosnia Herzegovina.
As a result of the Nationalist populist speech of the political leaders, almost a quarter of a million people died in the Former Yugoslavia´s wars. Now it seems that the same kind of ideology is showing-up in other contries and territories, provoking instability and non democtratic postures. Let´s stop this … please.
A Patriot connects himself/herself to the diversity of the cultural, linguistic, historical and territorial community identified as Homeland. A Nationalist, on the other hand, sees himself/herself as the bearer of an unfulfilled destiny, whatever it may be, independence, development, power or autonomy.
I love my country and all its people; I respect and enforce the fulfillment of the values expressed in its Constitution; and respect the international commitments it has; even with the risk of my own life (Portuguese military personnel oath to the Flag)..
I am a Patriot.
OPen samento 