Patriotism can evoke the noblest of sacrifices and produce the most magnificent acts of heroism. It can also be an excuse for opportunism and treachery. In one word patriotism works as a double-edged sword. It can be also described as the last alternative of a crook. At a very undemanding level patriotism is love for one’s motherland. It is an almost primal attachment to one’s root. This makes patriotism the foundation pitch of some greatest works of ability and ingenuity. In India only, one can emotionally evoke through songs like Bande Mataram or Sare Jahanse Achha. Pride in one’s country and in achievements of one’s countrymen is almost a usual retort. One used to look to those who made us proud being born in the same country as Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Satyendra Nath Bose, Satyajit Ray and so on. Similarly when our nation competes in any sporting events, a kind of sentiment works due since our root is there only. This made us clear that how our patriotism too is deeply embedded in most of us.
Patriotism can be blind and lead to anywhere. Present world is facing a trauma i.e. terrorism, which can be called vulgar extreme led to mob violence. This kind of patriotism is drilled into young minds as an unqualified virtue. In this stance we may differ between simple patriotism and aggressive one. The later lead to exhibit aggression and inhumanness, while the former amounts to love and pride for one’s country with a passive sentiment.
Presently there’s no where in the world where terrorism had cannot break into. September 11, 2001 sent shock across the world as the terrorist took nifty ways just using ordinary aircrafts as weaponry to curb the twin tower i.e. the American Centre. Recent attack in the British capital on July 7, 2005 once more reminds us the terror attack on four commuter train in Madrid, Spain. Other countries like India, Kenya, Indonesia, South Africa, Philippines, Russia, and Sri Lanka had gone through terrorist violence in recent past.
Presently world politics had united to cut this terrorism in order to bring peace in the humanity. The US had made their military invasion in Afghanistan and defeated Taliban on the morrow of the war but it has not been destroyed. Osama bins Laden along with his operatives are still active and may strike any moment anywhere as opportunity seemed approving.
On the other hand America’s attack on Iran can be called a terrorist idealism. The basic ideology is one man freedom fight is others terrorism. There is a thin line of shadow between freedom and terrorism and it’s really hard to speculate which, is what in “true” sense. Benedict Anderson in his book “Imagined Communities” wrote, “Through print capitalism there is a continuous effort to create a sense of ‘false communion’ among people”.