Well, I bet you are sick of all the news about the royal wedding, but here’s one more perspective on the whole affair, this one from an American point of view. Is patriotism as positive as this writer claims? Is flag waving a good way to measure it? Is having a royal family a good way to boost it? Would something like this help make Slovakia less divisive or more patriotic?
It’s a bit symbolical that this royal wedding took place on the same day as the opening match of the first hockey world cup in Slovakia. I am not British, and I would have never slept on the street just to see the royal family but are there any Brits who would have stood five hours in a big tent in order to watch some men passing a small black thing on a big screen? For that reason I am fully able to empathize into the British patriotism about the wedding.
ReplyDeleteFlags all over the city, prolonged weekend for everyone, all eyes on the highest state representatives, all of this makes you feel proud of your country, suddenly all our problems seem unimportant. I have experienced this feeling when I went to a football match in Prague (where I have lived for a few years and where my friends always made fun of Slovakia) two years ago. We have beaten Czechs in an incredible battle, with an atmosphere like at home. I believe there must be a boy of my age who sees the royal wedding for the first time in his life and is as proud as I was. But when it comes to the poor results of English footballers, there is nothing to be proud of, fortunately they have their royal family. It is important to say that this sort of (royal) patriotism isn’t now used to steer people into war.
Evidently, as this article says it was high time to awake the fading British patriotism. Britain as well as other countries can solve their problems only when its people unite. Even a well developed country like Britain is suffering during the hard times, it experiences vast cuts in all areas. But once will all people think less of themselves as individuals but as one strong nation( like during their „finest hour“), then they will be able offer some sacrifices.
People say that British are cold and selfish, missing a unique culture, but it is their patriotism that moved Europe „forward into broad sunlit uplands“.
*Churchill’s speeches cited