What an apt and timely post this is, Jeffrey. I share your views on patriotism. Might we import you to America as a model of how to communicate with those of differing views?
Thank you, Maureen. I guess it's a bit easier for me to be measured from a distance. In all honesty, while in the thick of it, I might also succumb at times to expressions of exasperation. Though I hope that acceptance of different views is something I've learnt through having to spend time with people around the world who I don't agree with, but have to get along with.
I am sure there are many millions in the US, as in the UK, as anywehere, who can get along with people of other views. But the noise of acute division can leave them unheard, I guess.
Of course, my comment was half-jest and half-serious, and of course you are correct that there are “many millions” here in the States who can agree to disagree. I am certain you were very good at handling others’ views.
I sometimes wish our schools required classes in civil discourse.
I think back to how Americans came together with the world, at least for a short while, just after 9/11. It was so heartening before it wasn’t. How our representatives and leaders and managers and parents conduct themselves does make a difference, as does every individual’s choice of how to behave.
One June night in 1967, wearing a rented gown and mortarboard, I marched down a makeshift aisle in my high school gym while the band played “Pomp and Crcumstance”—to me and my American peers the theme song of high school graduation. I knew nothing of what this music meant in England.
As an expat American once proud of her native country, I found this essay timely and sobering. Flag waving has a long tradition in America. Here in Canada, my second country, it’s been slow in coming. As a Canadian, I see the maple leaf as a symbol of this country’s independent spirit. As an American , I don’t know what the Stars and Stripes mean anymore. The American national anthem, its lyrics written in the War of 1812, celebrates the survival of the flag after a night of bombs and rockets. The flag is still there, but where is America?
Thank you, Rona. The process of writing this essay and reading and reflecting on the many incisive comments it has provoked has made me realise that I probably need to look more broadly at what a country or nation really is. On my 'to be read' list since about 1995 is Benedict Anderson's "Imagined Communities" (1983) and I've finally got round to starting it. Of course, in the UK we have for a long time been forced to deal with British vs English (or Scottish or Welsh or Northern Irish) identities. My passport says I'm British but I self identify as English. None of these things seem very clear cut and perhaps they display the fuzziness of "imagined communities".
So interesting, Rona—My family and I spent a week in Ontario over this last summer, along Lake Erie. My 15 year-old asked why there were so many flags everywhere, adding how it seemed to him so many more than in Michigan where we live.
All the American flags, displayed with such charged intent over the last many years, have largely come down. I too wonder what any of it, the flag itself and the display of it, means to me/us anymore.
In Canada patriotism has soared thanks to Donald Trump’s threats against our country. We were pretty low-key about our flag, but now grocery stores are displaying maple leaf icons next to Canadian products.
It was interesting, and a little confusing, to see. I've been visiting Ontario my whole life (my grandfather was born and raised in Kingsville), and couldn't remember a time similar. I told our boy as much... I imagine it's a strange overcorrection for you as an expat.
Yes, a very timely reminder that things the world over are taking a dark turn. It's strange, I never specifically considered myself a patriot until recently when I saw how quickly and easily certain people were willing to jettison the principles of free speech, etc to further their agendas -- that's the point at which I realized how dear I do in fact hold all of it, and how angry I am at those who seek to twist it. Keep shining that glorious light, Jeffrey!
I've long said that those who quote Johnson on patriotism mostly miss that its pith is aimed against scoundrels, not the patriotic, or as Oscar Wilde said, "Hypocrisy is the homage that vice pays to virtue." My own patrotism was of a profound and quiet kind, and I tolerated the loud, showy variety when it appeared tolerant as well. I well understand the natural inclination of people toward allegiance to what they are reared in and feel close to. I felt it too. But my American patriotism was founded in the nation’s unique ethos of seeking a patriotism of values and ideals that then imbued the land and its scarred history with an almost sacred aura. It was by these values and ideals only that Americans could earn Frost's "gift outright" of what had not been originally theirs.
Now, America and its institutions have betrayed its only unique claim to patriotic attachment beyond the same old blood and soil, and what appeared bugs are revealed as features. It is only an ethos of values that will hold the living humanely and justly together, and it is that ethos that is my true country and those who share it, wherever they may live, who are my fellow citizens.
"It is only an ethos of values that will hold the living humanely and justly together, and it is that ethos that is my true country and those who share it, wherever they may live, who are my fellow citizens." Remarkable and eloquent words, Jay, that belie the pain that comes through in the rest of your comment.
I cringe at the flags popping up outside houses in our village. Reform politicians bemoan the lack of civic pride in our young citizens and then propose that we have a flag in every classroom and sing the national anthem every morning!
How about they focus on being constructive and supporting young people in finding shared interests, jobs, education and affordable places to live? They then might feel some pride in their local communities rather than feeling scared to walk down the street.
My wife makes a delicious apple and blackberry crumble, served with custard. Patriotism starts at home, from within, rather than forced on us from without.
Thank you, James. It all feels a bit like displacement activity. Some of our politicians have little idea of how to tackle real issues, so they pick on flag waving instead. Getting kids to sing the national anthem, which has such a dire tune and which doesn't bother to name the country, seems an odd way to instill civic pride. It's hard for me not to see it as more of a family song for the Windsors than a true national anthem.
Your wife's apple and blackberry sounds wonderful. It's the kind of dish I miss when living overseas.
What distresses me is the refusal by some people to understand that Rule Britannia, as Sheku Kanneh-Mason has said, makes people like him feel deeply uncomfortable, to the extent that when he played in the first half of the Last Night, he retreated backstage not to hear it. Why is that so difficult to accept?
I wasn't aware of this particular issue, Ruth. But my feeling is that anyone who can't understand how the words to that song could give offence might lack sensitivty to the power of language and have minimal awareness of the country’s history. There might be other explanations too.
If Mr Kanneh-Mason is distressed by Rule Britannia, and chooses not to hear it, that is one thing. I would be surprised if anyone objected to his choice. But the inference that overtly patriotic music should be retired to spare him his distress is quite another thing. Especially in light of the role played by the Royal Navy in stopping the trans-Atlantic slave trade, an outcome literally made possible by Britannia ruling the waves.
You introduce a nuanced point - Britain both massively profited from the transatlantic slave trade and played a role in stopping it eventually. But I'd say that level of nuance doesn't come through in the lyrics of the song.
I really resonated with your idea, which you encapsulated so well here — “No one has a monopoly on how to be patriotic.”
I consider myself somewhat patriotic about Australia, or at least, I am proud of many of the values it’s instilled in me and I have a deep love for its beaches and bushland, but that doesn’t mean I want to wrap myself in the Aussie flag and proclaim my love of country to the world. In a sense, I feel that my relationship to my country is somewhat personal, and not something I need to put on show. And yeah, I feel like I’m rambling now, but the point is, I really liked this piece. :)
Great piece Jeffrey which mirrors my views exactly. It makes me angry that the English flag has been adopted and made a symbol by those whose views I find repugnant. I watched the Last Night of the Proms for the first time in ages. The music was a feast of delight (and not just the traditional pieces). What made it such a positive experience though was Elim Chan on the podium, a visibly pregnant Louise Alder dressed in a magnificent Union Jack dress, Alison Balsom in a dress that made me terrified we'd see a bit too much vibrato, and a wonderful performance of Bohemian Rhapsody. That's what united the kingdom for me not the horrible goings on outside.
Shortly before I read your piece, Jeffrey, I came across a short video from one of the local newspapers in the UK where I am from (via social media). The man had taken to hanging up St. George's cross outside his house, but he had received comments saying that he was racist. So, what did he do ... he decided to paint the exterior of his house like the flag! To be honest, I stopped the video at that point.
I mean, it's his house and I am not here to judge, but after watching the video, I was reminded of the concept of in-group bias, where simply, we are more likely to favour people who are like us. National identity plays a role in helping to understand more about who we are, including signs of patriotism. But I can also see how easily this can tip into 'othering' different groups because they don't conform to the same social identities.
It's a shame that national flags become this divisive. Ideally, we ought to feel free to use them or not, as we choose. I wouldn't want anyone to tell me to fly the flag - or not to. But that doesn't seem to be the world we live in.
Dear Jeffery, thank you so much for writing this piece. The sentiments you described struck a note in me.
I was a Chinese citizen for the first half of my 60 years, and an American for the second half. Patriotism, however the original meaning was set up to be, it just doesn’t sit well with me, at least not in today’s world. And all that flag flying, the symbol has long been hijacked. It’s sad, and it’s scary to me.
Now on the bright side, I am a huge fan of the BBC Proms and I regret that I never got to attend the concert live in my 3 trips to London.
Thank you, Yi. I'm glad this post worked for you. Yes, patriotism can show up in scary ways, though I'd to think that it also shows up in positive ways too. Countries are very large and complex entities which defy any simple slogans and are also too big, I suspect, for our minds to fully comprehend without massive simplifications. Day to day, our commitments to our local communites are arguably more significant for us.
I hope you get the chance to visit the Proms live one day. The Royal Albert Hall is far from being a perfect venue, but it works just perfectly for the special atmosphere of the Proms.
I couldn’t agree more. In Italy, my own country, we seem to bring out the flag only when supporting our athletes. Years ago, an English reporter based in Italy remarked that Italians were the only people who would stand respectfully for the visiting team’s national anthem, then sit down when their own was played.
Unfortunately, we haven’t been immune to racism and xenophobia - a bitter irony, given Italy’s long history of emigration and the mistreatment Italians once faced in their host countries.
Thank you, Gianni. Yes, the irony you refer to is indeed a bitter one. As for standing for national anthems, I guess that's a whole debate in itself. The British national anthem, which is more about monarchy than anything else, used to be booed by Scottish fans as football matches between the two nations, as I recall.
Maybe, sitting down when "Fratelli d'Italia" plays, is not a sign of disrespect, but it's like "OK, this is our anthem, so we can relax now and focus on the game", a way to get in the zone, so to speak.
And Jeffrey, English food in criminally underrated and unjustly badmouthed. I love fish and chips, bangers and mash, all the savoury and the sweet pies, you can also make great puddings and desserts. I even love Marmite on toast. I'm not keen on beer, but a good mug of Rosie Lee always makes the world right for me.
What I discovered when I moved abroad was a richer and deeper understanding of my birth country, both good and bad. On the other hand, it was pointed out that Brits got more British and Americans more American (Et al.) when abroad...But maybe that was only certain types 😉
In the US, it seems patriotism/flag waving is used as a tool to demonstrate whether your belong to one political team or another. Oh, the games people play!
I recall watching a televised British ceremony that involved the singing of Blake's Jerusalem. The cameras showed the people gathered in the streets singing along, as if it was the national anthem. It struck me because the only song Canadians would all know to join in is our national anthem.
Like the U.K., Canada is pretty quiet about its patriotism in general. Back in 2022, when a bunch of protestors of a certain persuasion co-opted our flag, the rest of the country backed off on any flag waving, not wishing to be associated with that. That suddenly reversed itself when it seemed our sovereignty was threatened, all of a sudden flags were everywhere, again becoming symbols of Canadians in general and not any one type of Canadian.
Lots of schools use "Jerusalem" as their "hymn". It's a stirring tune and the lyrics much more imaginative than the grim stuff in other "patriotic" songs. At some point in the 1980s, English rugby fans started singing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" in support of their team. It suggests we aren't just stuck with the symbols, emblems and hymns we have inherited. We can create new ones.
Yes, Blake had a way with words, and Hubert Party's setting is very singable. Rule Britannia isn't the U.K. national anthem, so it really doesn't have to be sung at national events.
Canada's national anthem is really the only patriotic song we have - old songbooks have 'The Maple Leaf Forever' but it wasn't greatest of songs and didn't really stick in the public consciousness for very long. 'O Canada' is pretty decent as far as anthems go, although the French words are entirely different than the English words, which leads to an odd effect when the 'bilingual' version - one line English, the next line French - is sung in public.
Ah, I hadn't thought about the anthem needing to be bilingual, even though I've heard plenty of Canadian officials dutifully giving their speech in both languages over the years.
timely! I've just been watching the news from London... Enjoyed reading your beautifully written piece on such a fascinating subject. With 3 nationalities to my name, all of which I mostly love, I've always found the concept of patriotism a bit perplexing. Reminds me of Hegelian fences... but also the cause of so many wars...
3 nationalities - that's a lot to juggle! Patriotism is perplexing and is surely only a part of much broader attachment to communities, large and small. I'd suggest it probably shouldn't be seen as the strongest bond we have.
agree! perplexing and oh so complex as your essay highlights. Seems there is little consensus on what patriotism actually is and how it should be expressed/lived. Everyone has their own take and mutual respect for differences is, as you say, so important. Also, sorry, hope that didn’t sound boastful or something, having three nationalities haha. Quite common for those of us from across the pond. In Canada, we talk of a mosaic where different ancestral identities/immigrant pasts are celebrated but there’s still some low key Canadian flag flying. I’ve always heard US described as a melting pot, American first. Sorry, rambling… anyway, great piece! thanks
I've just started reading Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson. I've been meaning to read it for years and the process of writing this essay and reading the comments - including yours - has given me the push I needed. Thank you!
What an apt and timely post this is, Jeffrey. I share your views on patriotism. Might we import you to America as a model of how to communicate with those of differing views?
Thank you, Maureen. I guess it's a bit easier for me to be measured from a distance. In all honesty, while in the thick of it, I might also succumb at times to expressions of exasperation. Though I hope that acceptance of different views is something I've learnt through having to spend time with people around the world who I don't agree with, but have to get along with.
I am sure there are many millions in the US, as in the UK, as anywehere, who can get along with people of other views. But the noise of acute division can leave them unheard, I guess.
Of course, my comment was half-jest and half-serious, and of course you are correct that there are “many millions” here in the States who can agree to disagree. I am certain you were very good at handling others’ views.
I sometimes wish our schools required classes in civil discourse.
I think back to how Americans came together with the world, at least for a short while, just after 9/11. It was so heartening before it wasn’t. How our representatives and leaders and managers and parents conduct themselves does make a difference, as does every individual’s choice of how to behave.
Indeed, Maureen. We are influenced by those around us and tolerance and respect needs to be the work of all of us.
One June night in 1967, wearing a rented gown and mortarboard, I marched down a makeshift aisle in my high school gym while the band played “Pomp and Crcumstance”—to me and my American peers the theme song of high school graduation. I knew nothing of what this music meant in England.
As an expat American once proud of her native country, I found this essay timely and sobering. Flag waving has a long tradition in America. Here in Canada, my second country, it’s been slow in coming. As a Canadian, I see the maple leaf as a symbol of this country’s independent spirit. As an American , I don’t know what the Stars and Stripes mean anymore. The American national anthem, its lyrics written in the War of 1812, celebrates the survival of the flag after a night of bombs and rockets. The flag is still there, but where is America?
Thank you, Rona. The process of writing this essay and reading and reflecting on the many incisive comments it has provoked has made me realise that I probably need to look more broadly at what a country or nation really is. On my 'to be read' list since about 1995 is Benedict Anderson's "Imagined Communities" (1983) and I've finally got round to starting it. Of course, in the UK we have for a long time been forced to deal with British vs English (or Scottish or Welsh or Northern Irish) identities. My passport says I'm British but I self identify as English. None of these things seem very clear cut and perhaps they display the fuzziness of "imagined communities".
So interesting, Rona—My family and I spent a week in Ontario over this last summer, along Lake Erie. My 15 year-old asked why there were so many flags everywhere, adding how it seemed to him so many more than in Michigan where we live.
All the American flags, displayed with such charged intent over the last many years, have largely come down. I too wonder what any of it, the flag itself and the display of it, means to me/us anymore.
In Canada patriotism has soared thanks to Donald Trump’s threats against our country. We were pretty low-key about our flag, but now grocery stores are displaying maple leaf icons next to Canadian products.
It was interesting, and a little confusing, to see. I've been visiting Ontario my whole life (my grandfather was born and raised in Kingsville), and couldn't remember a time similar. I told our boy as much... I imagine it's a strange overcorrection for you as an expat.
Yes, a very timely reminder that things the world over are taking a dark turn. It's strange, I never specifically considered myself a patriot until recently when I saw how quickly and easily certain people were willing to jettison the principles of free speech, etc to further their agendas -- that's the point at which I realized how dear I do in fact hold all of it, and how angry I am at those who seek to twist it. Keep shining that glorious light, Jeffrey!
Thank you for that comment, Troy. I guess we value things more when we feel them slipping away from us...
I've long said that those who quote Johnson on patriotism mostly miss that its pith is aimed against scoundrels, not the patriotic, or as Oscar Wilde said, "Hypocrisy is the homage that vice pays to virtue." My own patrotism was of a profound and quiet kind, and I tolerated the loud, showy variety when it appeared tolerant as well. I well understand the natural inclination of people toward allegiance to what they are reared in and feel close to. I felt it too. But my American patriotism was founded in the nation’s unique ethos of seeking a patriotism of values and ideals that then imbued the land and its scarred history with an almost sacred aura. It was by these values and ideals only that Americans could earn Frost's "gift outright" of what had not been originally theirs.
Now, America and its institutions have betrayed its only unique claim to patriotic attachment beyond the same old blood and soil, and what appeared bugs are revealed as features. It is only an ethos of values that will hold the living humanely and justly together, and it is that ethos that is my true country and those who share it, wherever they may live, who are my fellow citizens.
"It is only an ethos of values that will hold the living humanely and justly together, and it is that ethos that is my true country and those who share it, wherever they may live, who are my fellow citizens." Remarkable and eloquent words, Jay, that belie the pain that comes through in the rest of your comment.
It's an evolution later in life of earlier forms of thought, spurred by events. I think you're going through your own.
I cringe at the flags popping up outside houses in our village. Reform politicians bemoan the lack of civic pride in our young citizens and then propose that we have a flag in every classroom and sing the national anthem every morning!
How about they focus on being constructive and supporting young people in finding shared interests, jobs, education and affordable places to live? They then might feel some pride in their local communities rather than feeling scared to walk down the street.
My wife makes a delicious apple and blackberry crumble, served with custard. Patriotism starts at home, from within, rather than forced on us from without.
Thank you, James. It all feels a bit like displacement activity. Some of our politicians have little idea of how to tackle real issues, so they pick on flag waving instead. Getting kids to sing the national anthem, which has such a dire tune and which doesn't bother to name the country, seems an odd way to instill civic pride. It's hard for me not to see it as more of a family song for the Windsors than a true national anthem.
Your wife's apple and blackberry sounds wonderful. It's the kind of dish I miss when living overseas.
What distresses me is the refusal by some people to understand that Rule Britannia, as Sheku Kanneh-Mason has said, makes people like him feel deeply uncomfortable, to the extent that when he played in the first half of the Last Night, he retreated backstage not to hear it. Why is that so difficult to accept?
I wasn't aware of this particular issue, Ruth. But my feeling is that anyone who can't understand how the words to that song could give offence might lack sensitivty to the power of language and have minimal awareness of the country’s history. There might be other explanations too.
If Mr Kanneh-Mason is distressed by Rule Britannia, and chooses not to hear it, that is one thing. I would be surprised if anyone objected to his choice. But the inference that overtly patriotic music should be retired to spare him his distress is quite another thing. Especially in light of the role played by the Royal Navy in stopping the trans-Atlantic slave trade, an outcome literally made possible by Britannia ruling the waves.
You introduce a nuanced point - Britain both massively profited from the transatlantic slave trade and played a role in stopping it eventually. But I'd say that level of nuance doesn't come through in the lyrics of the song.
I think that’s correct. Our feelings about the song come from our opinions about England, not vice versa.
I really resonated with your idea, which you encapsulated so well here — “No one has a monopoly on how to be patriotic.”
I consider myself somewhat patriotic about Australia, or at least, I am proud of many of the values it’s instilled in me and I have a deep love for its beaches and bushland, but that doesn’t mean I want to wrap myself in the Aussie flag and proclaim my love of country to the world. In a sense, I feel that my relationship to my country is somewhat personal, and not something I need to put on show. And yeah, I feel like I’m rambling now, but the point is, I really liked this piece. :)
Thank you, Michael. I hope we can all continue to have our own private relationships with our country and communities,just as you describe.
Your rational stance on patriotism - and your calm reasonableness about everything else - has quite made my day. Thank you for this enjoyable read!
Thank you, Sue. Calm reasonableness hasn't always come easily to me, so I'm glad to hear read your kind comments!
Great piece Jeffrey which mirrors my views exactly. It makes me angry that the English flag has been adopted and made a symbol by those whose views I find repugnant. I watched the Last Night of the Proms for the first time in ages. The music was a feast of delight (and not just the traditional pieces). What made it such a positive experience though was Elim Chan on the podium, a visibly pregnant Louise Alder dressed in a magnificent Union Jack dress, Alison Balsom in a dress that made me terrified we'd see a bit too much vibrato, and a wonderful performance of Bohemian Rhapsody. That's what united the kingdom for me not the horrible goings on outside.
Thank you, Liz. I'm glad you enjoyed this piece, and the Last Night!
Shortly before I read your piece, Jeffrey, I came across a short video from one of the local newspapers in the UK where I am from (via social media). The man had taken to hanging up St. George's cross outside his house, but he had received comments saying that he was racist. So, what did he do ... he decided to paint the exterior of his house like the flag! To be honest, I stopped the video at that point.
I mean, it's his house and I am not here to judge, but after watching the video, I was reminded of the concept of in-group bias, where simply, we are more likely to favour people who are like us. National identity plays a role in helping to understand more about who we are, including signs of patriotism. But I can also see how easily this can tip into 'othering' different groups because they don't conform to the same social identities.
It's a shame that national flags become this divisive. Ideally, we ought to feel free to use them or not, as we choose. I wouldn't want anyone to tell me to fly the flag - or not to. But that doesn't seem to be the world we live in.
Dear Jeffery, thank you so much for writing this piece. The sentiments you described struck a note in me.
I was a Chinese citizen for the first half of my 60 years, and an American for the second half. Patriotism, however the original meaning was set up to be, it just doesn’t sit well with me, at least not in today’s world. And all that flag flying, the symbol has long been hijacked. It’s sad, and it’s scary to me.
Now on the bright side, I am a huge fan of the BBC Proms and I regret that I never got to attend the concert live in my 3 trips to London.
Thank you, Yi. I'm glad this post worked for you. Yes, patriotism can show up in scary ways, though I'd to think that it also shows up in positive ways too. Countries are very large and complex entities which defy any simple slogans and are also too big, I suspect, for our minds to fully comprehend without massive simplifications. Day to day, our commitments to our local communites are arguably more significant for us.
I hope you get the chance to visit the Proms live one day. The Royal Albert Hall is far from being a perfect venue, but it works just perfectly for the special atmosphere of the Proms.
I couldn’t agree more. In Italy, my own country, we seem to bring out the flag only when supporting our athletes. Years ago, an English reporter based in Italy remarked that Italians were the only people who would stand respectfully for the visiting team’s national anthem, then sit down when their own was played.
Unfortunately, we haven’t been immune to racism and xenophobia - a bitter irony, given Italy’s long history of emigration and the mistreatment Italians once faced in their host countries.
Thank you, Gianni. Yes, the irony you refer to is indeed a bitter one. As for standing for national anthems, I guess that's a whole debate in itself. The British national anthem, which is more about monarchy than anything else, used to be booed by Scottish fans as football matches between the two nations, as I recall.
Yes, it's really infuriating, but Italians are racists even between themselves (the North/South divide). They should really get their act together though, without immigrants Italy will be doomed: https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2025/feb/18/europes-population-crisis-see-how-your-country-compares-visualised
Maybe, sitting down when "Fratelli d'Italia" plays, is not a sign of disrespect, but it's like "OK, this is our anthem, so we can relax now and focus on the game", a way to get in the zone, so to speak.
And Jeffrey, English food in criminally underrated and unjustly badmouthed. I love fish and chips, bangers and mash, all the savoury and the sweet pies, you can also make great puddings and desserts. I even love Marmite on toast. I'm not keen on beer, but a good mug of Rosie Lee always makes the world right for me.
Thank you for your comment, Portia, and your support for English food! 😊
🥧🫖🩵
Unfortunately, you were disqualified when you admitted to loving Marmite on toast.
I've never actually tried Marmite.
Me neither! 😉
What I discovered when I moved abroad was a richer and deeper understanding of my birth country, both good and bad. On the other hand, it was pointed out that Brits got more British and Americans more American (Et al.) when abroad...But maybe that was only certain types 😉
In the US, it seems patriotism/flag waving is used as a tool to demonstrate whether your belong to one political team or another. Oh, the games people play!
Yes, humans like to play games! I have certainly seen Brits becoming more British overseas, but it's by no means a majority in my experience.
Thanks for giving context to the famous scoundrels remark. I'd always taken it at its most coarse meaning.
It's been alleged that Johnson had a particular scoundrel in mind. His pamphlet The Patriot is worth a read.
I recall watching a televised British ceremony that involved the singing of Blake's Jerusalem. The cameras showed the people gathered in the streets singing along, as if it was the national anthem. It struck me because the only song Canadians would all know to join in is our national anthem.
Like the U.K., Canada is pretty quiet about its patriotism in general. Back in 2022, when a bunch of protestors of a certain persuasion co-opted our flag, the rest of the country backed off on any flag waving, not wishing to be associated with that. That suddenly reversed itself when it seemed our sovereignty was threatened, all of a sudden flags were everywhere, again becoming symbols of Canadians in general and not any one type of Canadian.
Lots of schools use "Jerusalem" as their "hymn". It's a stirring tune and the lyrics much more imaginative than the grim stuff in other "patriotic" songs. At some point in the 1980s, English rugby fans started singing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" in support of their team. It suggests we aren't just stuck with the symbols, emblems and hymns we have inherited. We can create new ones.
Yes, Blake had a way with words, and Hubert Party's setting is very singable. Rule Britannia isn't the U.K. national anthem, so it really doesn't have to be sung at national events.
Canada's national anthem is really the only patriotic song we have - old songbooks have 'The Maple Leaf Forever' but it wasn't greatest of songs and didn't really stick in the public consciousness for very long. 'O Canada' is pretty decent as far as anthems go, although the French words are entirely different than the English words, which leads to an odd effect when the 'bilingual' version - one line English, the next line French - is sung in public.
Ah, I hadn't thought about the anthem needing to be bilingual, even though I've heard plenty of Canadian officials dutifully giving their speech in both languages over the years.
timely! I've just been watching the news from London... Enjoyed reading your beautifully written piece on such a fascinating subject. With 3 nationalities to my name, all of which I mostly love, I've always found the concept of patriotism a bit perplexing. Reminds me of Hegelian fences... but also the cause of so many wars...
3 nationalities - that's a lot to juggle! Patriotism is perplexing and is surely only a part of much broader attachment to communities, large and small. I'd suggest it probably shouldn't be seen as the strongest bond we have.
agree! perplexing and oh so complex as your essay highlights. Seems there is little consensus on what patriotism actually is and how it should be expressed/lived. Everyone has their own take and mutual respect for differences is, as you say, so important. Also, sorry, hope that didn’t sound boastful or something, having three nationalities haha. Quite common for those of us from across the pond. In Canada, we talk of a mosaic where different ancestral identities/immigrant pasts are celebrated but there’s still some low key Canadian flag flying. I’ve always heard US described as a melting pot, American first. Sorry, rambling… anyway, great piece! thanks
I've just started reading Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson. I've been meaning to read it for years and the process of writing this essay and reading the comments - including yours - has given me the push I needed. Thank you!
ooo Did a quick search and looks like an interesting read. Look forward to an eventual review. Happy reading.
I'm totally with Maureen Doallas on this one, Jeffrey.
And If I may, I'd like to add the post I did for Writers for Democratic Action here on Substack -- as I believe that here in the US we are in desperate times: https://writersforda.substack.com/p/time-for-we-the-people-to-do-a-doubletake
Thank you for sharing that powerful essay, Mary. And I loved the Heaney quote.
Isn't he grand. I miss him so ... and once stayed in a B&B where he had also stayed in Fergus, Ireland!
Yes, certainly he's a poet I find myself returning to often.
Me too! I own EVERYTHING!