Doce

_{I don’t know who the author of this cartoon is, but if you know, please tell me, so I can give proper credit.}

I swear I never understood the concept of patriotism. So somebody has to feel love by a piece of earth solely because they were born on it. They have to feel affection – maybe love – for some traditions that really have nothing to do with their inner beliefs solely because those traditions were lent to them by their fathers. They have to forcefully be some way, act some way, think some way because that’s the stereotype associated with said piece of earth.

I think to myself that, if I do happen to like this country, it’s mainly because I’m used to be here. I’ve never been anywhere else for long. I’m used to the landscapes and to the people who participate in my days. But that’s not exactly what my country is, right? My country is made by a whole lot of other people, with whom I do not identify at all. What do we have in common? A piece of earth. A language. I’d rather feel attatched to a language than a piece of earth. Even though, that’s not strong enough on itself to make me think I was born in a fundamentally better, special place. That I should feel special, or part of the group, because I was born here. The earth on its own is not strong enough for patriotism and, if I do not identify with the people or their culture or their history or their ways of life, then… Why should I feel like I’m a part of their group?

We’re all people, despite being born on this or that piece of dirt, of speaking this or that language, of our fathers believing this or that god. We’re all people. Why can’t I just, instead of pledging to a small group of people, pledge to the entire humanity? I think that the idea of being born in a planet and feeling attached to it if far stronger than feeling attached to a small piece of land.