(November 2, 2019 at 9:45 am)Gae Bolga Wrote: Not in the context of what we're discussing. You can hate your country's laws and policies and still love your country, and experience a profound surge of emotion in ritual activities, like standing together for the anthem. As Boru noted, you can do all of this with your eyes wide open, knowing it's silly.
It might even be the case that this experience motivates you and drives the intensity of your opinions about those policies you detest. Watching something you deeply love be put to ruin by feckless assholes isn't pleasant.
Personally, my money would be on a True Believer changing those things, rather than someone who makes it a point to distance themselves from love of country.
Twain phrased it as, 'Love your country always, and your government when it deserves it.' That seems fair.
Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson
