Neo-Nationalism

Since when has everyone become zealots and nationalists? It used to be frowned upon to be “too American.” No one wanted people from other countries to think we were stuck up or something. Nationalism has always been associated with weird countries like Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, North Korea or China. Of course, those countries don’t (or didn’t) have anything to be so proud of.

Now we’ve got everyone crying about the destruction of our democracy, or the annihilation of our constitution and the obliteration of our freedoms. We are punch-drunk over protecting the poor people of Ukraine as the mean horrible Russians invade their democracy killing and pillaging.  “Long live democracy!” we scream out, flying Ukrainian flags wherever we can put them, in schoolyards, hanging out of apartment windows, plastered on bumpers, on lapel pins, and flying in the courtyards of government buildings sharing the staff with our own flag. Yes, the Ukrainian people can be labelled as poor and pitiful, but for different reasons. Considering the US, and others, are pumping billions of dollars into the war effort either to pay for missiles and bullets that kill Russians (thus prolonging the carnage) or to pay for upgraded bathroom fixtures in one of Zelenskyy’s US mansions.