... taking an Australian flag towel to the gym in late January.
It was the first one I pulled out this morning. My pump instructor gave me a special smile and thumbs up imagining that my towel choice was an act of patriotism.
It really really was coincidental. But I don't expect anyone to believe me.
Yep, that's embarrassing, Simone!
ReplyDeleteIs this in the line of being too enthusiastic about studying for exams at school? I didn't realise patriotism was so uncool.
ReplyDeleteI am very patriotic in some ways. I love my country etc etc. But I do not demonstrate it by doing the flag thing on Australia day. No no no!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand.
ReplyDeleteAndrew has written a post. Have a read. http://somethingmoreseemedpromised.blogspot.com/2010/01/5-reasons-patriotism-is-wrong.html
ReplyDeleteAlso, the level of patriotism we're seeing in Australia at the moment is new. Only been around since maybe the cronulla riots, which is concerning.
I'm aware the level is different. Being away for years on end gives a different perspective. I'm not sure I agree with Andrew, though. There are levels of patriotism and I think the extreme end of it is what is bad. We (my husband and I) are definitely not at that end, yet are very happy to be Australians. You could even say we are much more aware of the rest of the world than many Aussies. We're quite level headed about the good and bad points of our country, yet feel very blessed have been born here. I'm happy to cheer Australia on in sports, yet very aware that our opponents are God's creations too. To say it is wrong is like saying all movies are bad.
ReplyDeletemethinks she protesteth too much.
ReplyDeleteI am.
You are.
We are.
You reckon? Actually we've probably thought more than most native born Aussies about what being an Australian means. Living overseas will do that for you.
ReplyDeleteThis comment on my blog helped my understanding:
ReplyDelete"Patriotism has become the first refuge of bogans. You have to suspect it is a result of everyone in the world being sucked into the American empire. So the young think that patriotism is a matter of flags and violence against "foreigners".
The Australian flag has become a very dubious symbol. You don't want to meet a gang of bogans drunk and wrapped in the flag. They will probably make you kiss it or else beat you up. Were you away for the Cronulla riot?
At Jan's school (an Anglican high school in Sydney's Hills district) some of the kids stopped their car behind the car of another Asian student. They wouldn't let him leave the carpark until he sang the national anthem.
This was all pumped up in the Howard era with all that rhetoric about "this is our place and we'll decide who comes here". In the end many of us were ashamed to be Australian. I suspect this was the main reason Howard was the second PM to lose his own seat in an election." Ken Rolph