Patriotism and Inclusiveness- The Malaysian Insider
November 17, 2010 - The age old question has surfaced again: which race is more patriotic? If we define patriotism in terms of being good citizens, then the majority of people will qualify, irrespective of race or occupation. But if it is defined in terms of being proud of the country to the point of laying down our lives in its defence, it becomes another question altogether.
The armed forces of any country are a peacetime luxury for the contingency of war. We are willing to pay for their upkeep with our taxes in perpetuity, because we recognise that one day they may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect us. But to do that, they need to operate in unison and obey commands as a group not individuals. The uniforms, the haircuts, the drills and parades are designed to reduce individual differences like race and religion in order to raise the esprit de corps.
There needs to be therefore no discrimination on the basis of ethnicity and religion in recruitment, promotion and life in general as a soldier. When this unity of purpose is achieved, troops can be expected to expend every breath of their being in the service of the cause.
For them to lay down their lives for us, they need to feel that they are as one, and so is the country. Otherwise, the armed forces will reflect the state of society in general with its divisions along racial fault lines, real or imaginary perceptions about the ‘other’ and consequent weakening of its morale and purpose.
Now, ask yourself this: if a section of the citizenry feels actively discriminated against by the country, is it realistic to expect them to lay down their lives in its defence? As an analogy, to expect this would be akin to not just turning the other cheek when slapped, but sacrificing your life to protect the one who slapped you.
Of course, equal opportunity does not exist anywhere in the world, and affirmative action is not unique to Malaysia. But the increasingly charged racial rhetoric and branding of the ‘other’ as pendatang is certainly not conducive to instilling broad based patriotism. It is only natural that the segment of society that feels it is getting a better deal will be more invested in protecting the status quo than the one that feels it is getting a raw deal.
What about the pride of a civilian in her country? This is increasingly becoming a two way street. To feel proud, we need to feel that the country is also invested in our well being as citizens, that it has allowed us to pursue opportunity, flourish, and generally lead happy, purposive lives in a spirit of equality and fairness. The days when JFK could say “ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country” and rouse an entire nation are long gone.
In many ways, the very fact that a slogan like 1 Malaysia is needed is testimony to the fact that we are currently not 1 Malaysia. Some people are clearly more proud of their nationality than some others. After all, why is there a need for a Talent Corporation-why are citizens leaving in droves? Not just because of economic reasons, but also because of perceived discrimination.
Of course the cause of patriotism would be greatly helped if there was an external enemy perpetually at the gates. Nothing focuses the patriotic spirit more than the prospect of a foreign invader. But in the absence of that, genuine inclusiveness of all segments of society is the first step to a more patriotic country.
Finally, as JFK said in the same speech “United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do - for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder”. The choice is ours.
The armed forces of any country are a peacetime luxury for the contingency of war. We are willing to pay for their upkeep with our taxes in perpetuity, because we recognise that one day they may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect us. But to do that, they need to operate in unison and obey commands as a group not individuals. The uniforms, the haircuts, the drills and parades are designed to reduce individual differences like race and religion in order to raise the esprit de corps.
There needs to be therefore no discrimination on the basis of ethnicity and religion in recruitment, promotion and life in general as a soldier. When this unity of purpose is achieved, troops can be expected to expend every breath of their being in the service of the cause.
For them to lay down their lives for us, they need to feel that they are as one, and so is the country. Otherwise, the armed forces will reflect the state of society in general with its divisions along racial fault lines, real or imaginary perceptions about the ‘other’ and consequent weakening of its morale and purpose.
Now, ask yourself this: if a section of the citizenry feels actively discriminated against by the country, is it realistic to expect them to lay down their lives in its defence? As an analogy, to expect this would be akin to not just turning the other cheek when slapped, but sacrificing your life to protect the one who slapped you.
Of course, equal opportunity does not exist anywhere in the world, and affirmative action is not unique to Malaysia. But the increasingly charged racial rhetoric and branding of the ‘other’ as pendatang is certainly not conducive to instilling broad based patriotism. It is only natural that the segment of society that feels it is getting a better deal will be more invested in protecting the status quo than the one that feels it is getting a raw deal.
What about the pride of a civilian in her country? This is increasingly becoming a two way street. To feel proud, we need to feel that the country is also invested in our well being as citizens, that it has allowed us to pursue opportunity, flourish, and generally lead happy, purposive lives in a spirit of equality and fairness. The days when JFK could say “ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country” and rouse an entire nation are long gone.
In many ways, the very fact that a slogan like 1 Malaysia is needed is testimony to the fact that we are currently not 1 Malaysia. Some people are clearly more proud of their nationality than some others. After all, why is there a need for a Talent Corporation-why are citizens leaving in droves? Not just because of economic reasons, but also because of perceived discrimination.
Of course the cause of patriotism would be greatly helped if there was an external enemy perpetually at the gates. Nothing focuses the patriotic spirit more than the prospect of a foreign invader. But in the absence of that, genuine inclusiveness of all segments of society is the first step to a more patriotic country.
Finally, as JFK said in the same speech “United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do - for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder”. The choice is ours.
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