Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Creating our own history

By Rachel Hills - posted Thursday, 27 July 2006


Travelling through the US, one of the most striking things has been Americans' passion for their country - its history, its stories and the genuinely democratic ideals it was founded upon.

Patriotism rolls naturally off the American tongue - and across the political spectrum, too. Love of America may have become synonymous with love of the Republican Party - and not unintentionally either - but Caroline Kennedy's A Patriot's Handbook sits alongside George Bush magnets in museum bookshops.

The problem is when the display becomes purely symbolic.

Advertisement

Americans of all walks of life may have marched in Washington on July 4, but exactly which United States and which values they were marching in support of wasn't clear. Their voices were drowned out by the trumpets and drums.

Code Pink, a grassroots women’s peace group, marched the same day calling for US troops to be brought home from Iraq. More than the giant Yankee Doodle balloons and high school baton twirlers, their demonstration was a living expression of independence, free speech and democracy.

Ironically but unsurprisingly, they were not permitted to join the parade and instead marched through the crowd alongside it.

What's inspiring about US patriotism isn't the blind love of country, but the commitment to shared values and dreams: a commitment which sometimes involves challenging your country to live up to those values and dreams.

So what might a productive Australian patriotism look like, beyond the occasional vulgar reference to the ill-defined "unAustralian"?

Part of it comes down to telling our own stories more often, through literature, film and whatever medium is available to us. The Australian woman in Boston was right about one thing - there is a sense that we have no history.

Advertisement

Changing that means telling and consuming our own stories. It means creators digging up what is interesting about Australia and the rest of us not automatically dismissing anything home grown. It also means creating the history of tomorrow; creating our own visions and narratives for Australian culture, not through drawn-out discussions that ultimately lead nowhere, but through our lived existence.

Queuing for 15 minutes to see the first Australian flag isn't our style - and let's hope it never is - but good patriotism is about more than just symbols. It's about believing that the stories and experiences of people in this country are worth being told.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All

First published in the Sydney Morning Herald on July 19, 2006.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

40 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Rachel Hills is Managing Editor of Vibewire.net’s print projects division and a freelance writer based in Sydney.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Rachel Hills

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 40 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy