Patriotism is Definitely a Virtue

First of all, I would request any and everyone reading this article to visit and read the article Is Patriotism a Virtue? I request this because the following article is my stand point on the issue and a contradiction of the example cited in the above article. 

I must say I agree to the stand point on patriotism and do wholeheartedly agree that national pride or patriotism should be intense but not to the extent that the proud patriot fails to identify the failures of his society or country and the belief that everything that has got to do with another country to be incorrect or evil. I definitely agree to this.

But when it comes to the example cited about India and the type of patriotism we as Indian nationalists showcase, I would rather not agree to the author’s views which I felt, I am afraid, were channelized to only show a tiny minority in a country with a population of over a billion! I do not have the proof to suggest the above article is an attempt to show India in a bad light but it definitely is an overtly negative publicity of a great country even if not deliberate. Being an intensely patriotic Indian but not blindfolded with national arrogance and also a thoughtful global citizen, I will put forward my argument.

The sad and untimely demise of Kalpana Chawla and the entire crew aboard Columbia was not just a moment of deep loss and mourning for NASA and America but also for the entire scientific community and the human civilization as a whole. The loss was equally acknowledged in India if not more, the population being generally more emotional and it was the death of a fellow Indian who had made the whole country proud with her achievements. I do remember the services in her memory which were organized all across the country and how the whole country mourned the loss of a proud Indian. What I do not remember is the burning of effigies of Kalpana Chawla though I am not claiming that this did not happen. It is only that I do not remember.

One might argue that this is the failure of intense patriotism we are talking about in which one remembers the good things done and forgets the wrong doings. But I would say this is not that. I know that such burnings of effigies at the slightest opportunity is not only common but very rampant in India and if the author says that it happened in Kalpana Chawla’s case, I do believe that it happened and I must have seen it on TV.