When patriotism dies

“I don’t know, but National Day is merely another public holiday to me.”

When you hear people answering that to the question of “What does our country’s National Day mean to you”, dear leaders of the country, don’t you feel sad? Hello?

What has a country turn into when patriotism dies? Seriously, pause for a moment and think: if patriotism only means a soldier dying for their country during a war, what about us, “normal citizen” living in the “peaceful” country? What do we do to show our loyalty and patriotism to the country?

An advertisement filmed on TV in conjunction of our National Day shows a rainy day with people waiting and getting shelter from a bus stop. Suddenly the wind blows, and the country’s flag by the road side falls onto the road in the puddle. An old man looks at the flag and turn around to check if anyone noticed it.

An approaching vehicle was coming up the road and would run over the flag. The old man couldn’t bear the thought of that; that at the last minute, he ran out in the heavy rain to grab the country’s flag from being run over. The other people just looked on.

I don’t know about you but these days, how important is that flag to you? Is it just a flag that silly motorist decorate more than a dozen on their vehicles or some overzealous person in hopes of being patriotic- making the flag into an attire (and get charged for “defaming” it)? Or perhaps just creatively singing a song about your country and become the headlines in the country?

In fact, in those days when man fought hand-in-hand for their country, victory would be attained if one could bring down the enemy’s flag. The conqueror would proudly stick the pole with his homeland’s flag on the newly conquered land. In fact, in the PSP game Patapon, if your flag-carrier,Hatapon gets killed when you army is still alive, you still lose.
Hatapon - This Patapon is the first one available to the game, and functions to rally the army together. Holds high the Patapon banner and does not participate in combat. His death, or the death of every Patapon except him, results in mission failure. Hata (旗) means "flag" in Japanese

Pray tell, where has the patriotism gone to? Is it shown in the fact that when you die tragically in a suspicious way? Is it shown through the building of “white elephant” projects which is never completed? Or is it shown through depriving the people of badly needed facilities to fill your already-flowing pockets?

Pray tell, where is patriotism when justice no longer prevails? When people do not even feel save going to a petrol station next to a police station for fear of being robbed or worse, killed? Where then, shall patriotism be when people don’t care anymore? Where?

(All situations are vaguely pointed to some cases I read in the newspaper some time back.)

Finger pointing, cover-ups, denials, scapegoats, injustice, everything! *throws hands up in frustration*

What does patriotism means to me?

It means that I am proud to be the citizen of the country. It means I can feel safe in my homeland. It means I can proudly invite other people from elsewhere to my save “haven”. It means “home”. Alas, that’s only a silly naïve girls dream as the haze comes over to choke our dying and blinded society in this haven for thieves, robbers and murderers.

Gosh, how I miss Yasmin Ahmad's Petronas advertisement....

In the meantime, I forgot the 3 days special for 31% discount off for Baskin Robbin ice-cream!! Okay.. I still have half a pint in the freezer. hehe
Happy Merdeka Day!