Because I am a fence sitter - middle of the road political views, with a leaning to care for all, by all - I feel uncomfortable with the word patriotism. A huge believer in communities, I feel it can split them.
The Guardian ran this article in their paper taking a look at the article by Lucy Powell, in the Observer, headlined As we unite for the jubilee, let’s believe Britain’s best days are ahead, not behind.
I find I can agree with much in Lucy's article. Until now, I think I would have said I had deep allegiance to my country. Patriotism seemed to me to be divisive, loud and unthinking. This article has made me think in more detail about it. Patriotism has, to some extent, been stolen from the quiet and thoughtful. If Labour can re-align our view of "Patriotism", I will be grateful.
If it can now be shown that division and hatred are not components of patriotism I can go with that. If it is that we see being patriotic to core British beliefs with those beliefs being tolerance, openness and generosity, that sits well with me too.
But more than this, I believe patriotism takes allegiance the extra mile. Patriotism means wanting the country's best for family, workplace, school, village, town and city. Patriotism gave the NHS workers - not the amorphous "NHS" - the extra strength to go very many extra miles during covid. More than anything we can see in Ukrainian that patriotism means that for their community, and their country they are prepared to go very much more than an extra mile.
Patriotism is not just about the people in one country. However, each of us needs to believe in the values of our country. And we need to be sure that those who lead us will uphold those values.
