Words mean things
“One of the most nationalistic things Americans do is reserve the word ‘nationalism’ (which implies something sinister and potentially homicidal) for other nations, while holding on to ‘patriotism’ (which is invariably seen as noble and good) for ourselves.”
-Barbara Ehrenreich, The Progressive, February 2003
I’ve been using “jingoism” to refer to U.S. attitudes since September 2001.
I had a discussion with a lady after Church yesterday. She started out asking if I thought I would be drafted, then asked if belived in the war. She had just heard a sermon from some pastor citing examples from the OT how the Isrealites were commanded by God to kill evildoers etc. and how we as Christians must stand up for what we believe in and put down evil. My basic replies were 1) “America is not the nation of Isreal. Bush is not King David” and 2) “After Christ came, what with all the Gentiles, we are no longer a ‘nation’ in the national sense as Isreal was in the OT times, and ‘those who live by the sword die by the sword'”, but I didn’t seem to be getting through to her. I eventually said “We need to agree to disagree.”. It was somewhat frustrating. Anyway, Just a little insight into what my camp is thinking.