x Betty Jean Craige Director of the Center for Humanities and Arts University Professor of Comparative Literature Author of American Patriotism in a Global Society. SUNY Series in Global Politics. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1996. (cloth and paper) |
MICHAEL F. ADAMS • KAREN HOLBROOK • GEORGE BENSON • BETTY JEAN CRAIGE • CONRAD FINK • JAMES COBB • TIM BARTHOLOW
In a letter written to the Athens Banner-Herald and published Tuesday, September 18, 2001, Betty Jean Craige wrote:
We can be patriotic and still honor the global community
| • Dr. Craige was quoted in an Oregonian article on patriotism: "The flag hasn't changed. Love of our country hasn't changed.... What is changing is the recognition that we are an interconnected global society." |
| • In a letter to the editor of Newsweek, Dr. Craige said that we should "take care to punish only those who have demonstrated their intent to harm us." |
| • See FORUMS: "HUMANISTIC VALUES IN A TIME OF CRISIS" |
An attack against any nation will naturally intensify an ''us'' versus ''them'' patriotism among its citizens. And a nation needs such solidarity to wage successful war. The proliferation of flags and surge in military enlistments indicates a love of our country and a willingness to go to war for it. Our anger is indeed deep, and we are united by it.
There is a danger, however, that our anger and desire for revenge will only be satisfied by a war against a much larger group of people than those involved in the attacks. If we inflict the same degree of misery on their innocent civilians as the terrorists inflicted on us on Sept. 11, we risk perpetuating a cycle of violence and retaliation that will render the world even more unstable than it is presently. And, the harm we might do to innocent civilians will detract from the good we attempt to do.
Patriotism need not signify militancy. Recognizing the interdependence of all the world's nations, patriotism should signify pride in the goodness of our country, in its traditions of democratic governance, in its maintenance of our freedoms, in its pursuit of justice and in its efforts to contribute to a more peaceful global society. Patriotism may also be expressed by criticism of our government's actions, when such criticism is offered on behalf of our nation's well being. If we understand that our nation's real long-term power in the world is rooted in our influence, rather than in our military might, we will take care to punish only those who have demonstrated their intent to harm us.
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SPECIAL REPORT / September 11, 2001 : UGA Responds is produced by the UGA News Service, a unit of UGA Public Affairs.
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