Today, I wrote this li'l response paper for the class that's taking me to Paris. It made me think about the benefits and drawbacks of nationalism, and how it really hasn't been around all that long, in the big scheme of things. This is something I'd like to think about more someday maybe...but not today ;)
A Definition of Patriotism in Le Marseilles
The world is trying to change. There is a strong movement toward international cooperation, especially in Europe. People are increasingly being encouraged to see themselves and one another as fellow members of the human race, not just as citizens of one country or another. In a time that is meant to be inclusive, sweet and reconciliatory, many national anthems do not fit well and patriotism is increasingly unfashionable. At the same time, feelings of patriotism cannot be wholly denied or suppressed. France’s national anthem, Le Marseilles, is a good example of an anthem that speaks powerfully, but perhaps too powerfully for current trends.
The lyrics of Le Marseilles cannot be interpreted as neutral or friendly in any way. Even the tune itself stirs something in the blood. After watching the clip from Casablanca, I was ready to stand up and shout “Vive la France!” with the young woman in the club and wishing the bloody deaths of those stinking German officers. And I’m a mild-mannered Norwegian. In Le Marseilles, patriotism is very persuasively declared a sacred thing, worth dying and killing and dying again. The article from Newsweek called “Aux Armes, Citoyens! A Wimp Attack,” reported the attempts of some French people to change the lyrics to make them fit better with these globalizing times. The article said that effort was met with considerable resistance in France. I was not surprised. It is impossible to change “I will slit the throats of my enemies and water my crops with their blood,” to “Let’s all hold hands and sing,” and still claim to be singing the same song, or even about the same France.
I agree that recognizing the humanity of all people, regardless of their heritage, is a good thing; but recognizing humanity also means seeing that humans need to belong somewhere and believe in something. For many centuries, national identity and patriotism has filled those needs. For all nations including France, it will take more than a few politically correct phrases to change a citizen’s heart attitude from “My neighbor had better not mess with my liberty…or else,” to “I love my neighbor as myself.”
I'm going to miss school.
