このページはフレーム対応ブラウザ用に作成されています。下のリンクは非フレーム使用ページですのでそちらをご覧ください。
この記事をプリントする
誇りを持って旗を振れ
日本にとって初めてのサッカーW杯出場。それにしても、日本も含め各国のサポーターの熱狂ぶりはすごかった、と筆者は振り返る。国旗を振りかざすその姿は、筆者にあらためて「国を愛する」とは何かを考えさせるきっかけとなった—。
Still, there's something about international sports competitions like the World Cup and the Olympics that brings out the patriotism in a country's citizens. Normally quiet people paint their faces with their national colors and wave their flag tirelessly in an explosion of national pride. Even people who are not normally sports fans will stay up hours past their bedtime to watch a game.
In the United States, this doesn't surprise me, as the country generally has a good opinion of itself. But here in Japan, except for these special events, it's quite hard to find anyone doing any flag-waving or shouting, "Gambare Nippon!" Personally, I think that's too bad. Unabashed patriotism is vital if one hopes to live in a nation that is economically and socially healthy.
In the end, what is patriotism? "Love of country" is the usual definition. So what is a country? Though it is generally defined by lines drawn on a map, I don't think that's the key. People are the key. Patriotism is caring for the neighbors who live in your community and the values that you all share. That community doesn't have to be a single town. It can stretch from shore to shore of an entire continent.
I believe it is this caring that creates a strong society with a strong government, one that helps all its citizens live better lives. After all, without a little patriotism, who would ever want to take those low-paying government jobs? Or risk their lives in their nation's armed forces?
That's why I'm in favor of having students recite their country's anthem or pledge, or make gestures of respect to their flag. Instilling pride in one's country cannot start too early.
It has been suggested that this is an insult to students from other nations in that school system, or that patriotism has caused "wars every generation." A person who has traveled to another country to live of their own free will has, I believe, a moral obligation to support that nation in the broadest sense. I'm not referring to any specific government policy, but to the social community, as I discussed above. To do otherwise would be like being a vegetarian who walks knowingly into a steak restaurant and then complains that they didn't want to be fed meat. If that's the case, perhaps they should consider eating somewhere else!
As for wars, the suggestion that they have been caused by patriotism is stunningly simplistic. Just the opposite, patriotism has prevented many more conflicts than it has caused. Strong national pride leads to a strong national defense. The historical record clearly shows that wars almost always begin when an aggressor nation perceives a neighbor to be weak. I'm not willing to give up patriotism any more than I'm willing to stop taking cold medicine, even if it makes me drowsy. The benefits far outweigh the side effects.
So keep that flag waving with pride! Genuine love of country is the greatest gift any citizen can give back to their community, no matter what color their passport may be.
Well, it's official: The world's two economic superpowers have proved that when it comes to soccer, they are still developing nations. Neither the United States nor Japan could manage even a single victory in the World Cup finals, much to the dismay of their millions of supporters.
Still, there's something about international sports competitions like the World Cup and the Olympics that brings out the patriotism in a country's citizens. Normally quiet people paint their faces with their national colors and wave their flag tirelessly in an explosion of national pride. Even people who are not normally sports fans will stay up hours past their bedtime to watch a game.
In the United States, this doesn't surprise me, as the country generally has a good opinion of itself. But here in Japan, except for these special events, it's quite hard to find anyone doing any flag-waving or shouting, "Gambare Nippon!" Personally, I think that's too bad. Unabashed patriotism is vital if one hopes to live in a nation that is economically and socially healthy.
In the end, what is patriotism? "Love of country" is the usual definition. So what is a country? Though it is generally defined by lines drawn on a map, I don't think that's the key. People are the key. Patriotism is caring for the neighbors who live in your community and the values that you all share. That community doesn't have to be a single town. It can stretch from shore to shore of an entire continent.
I believe it is this caring that creates a strong society with a strong government, one that helps all its citizens live better lives. After all, without a little patriotism, who would ever want to take those low-paying government jobs? Or risk their lives in their nation's armed forces?
That's why I'm in favor of having students recite their country's anthem or pledge, or make gestures of respect to their flag. Instilling pride in one's country cannot start too early.
It has been suggested that this is an insult to students from other nations in that school system, or that patriotism has caused "wars every generation." A person who has traveled to another country to live of their own free will has, I believe, a moral obligation to support that nation in the broadest sense. I'm not referring to any specific government policy, but to the social community, as I discussed above. To do otherwise would be like being a vegetarian who walks knowingly into a steak restaurant and then complains that they didn't want to be fed meat. If that's the case, perhaps they should consider eating somewhere else!
As for wars, the suggestion that they have been caused by patriotism is stunningly simplistic. Just the opposite, patriotism has prevented many more conflicts than it has caused. Strong national pride leads to a strong national defense. The historical record clearly shows that wars almost always begin when an aggressor nation perceives a neighbor to be weak. I'm not willing to give up patriotism any more than I'm willing to stop taking cold medicine, even if it makes me drowsy. The benefits far outweigh the side effects.
So keep that flag waving with pride! Genuine love of country is the greatest gift any citizen can give back to their community, no matter what color their passport may be.
Shukan ST: July 17, 1998
(C) All rights reserved
- (is)official
- 公になっている
- two economic superpowers
- 2つの経済大国(日本とアメリカのこと)
- when it comes to 〜
- 〜 のこととなると
- developing nations
- 発展途上国
- Neither 〜 nor 〜 could manage even a single victory
- 〜 も 〜 も、一勝もできなかった
- dismay
- 落胆
- competitions
- 試合
- brings out 〜
- 〜 を呼び起こす
- patriotism
- 愛国主義
- tirelessly
- 疲れを知らずに
- in an explosion of national pride
- 国民の誇りをほとばしらせて
- stay up
- 寝ないでいる
- has a good opinion of itself
- 自国をいい国だと思っている
- Unabashed
- 気後れしない
- vital
- きわめて重要な
- healthy
- 健全な
- definition
- 定義
- is caring for 〜
- 〜を思いやること
- values
- 価値観
- share
- 共有する
- stretch from 〜 to 〜
- 〜から〜まで広がる
- entire continent
- 大陸全体
- low-paying government jobs
- 給料の少ない政府の仕事
- risk their lives
- 命を危険にさらす
- armed forces
- 軍隊
- (am)in favor of 〜
- 〜に賛成だ
- recite their country's anthem or pledge
- 国歌を歌うか忠誠を誓う
- make gestures of respect to their flag
- 国旗への敬意を示す
- Instilling pride in 〜
- 〜に誇りを持とうと教え込むこと
- insult
- 屈辱
- free will
- 自由意志
- moral obligation to 〜
- 〜する道徳上の義務
- in the broadest sense
- 広い意味で
- (am)not referring to 〜
- 〜について言っているのではない
- specific
- 特定の
- vegetarian
- 菜食主義者
- knowingly
- 承知の上で
- complains
- 文句を言う
- be fed
- 食べさせられる
- is stunningly simplistic
- あまりに単純化しすぎている
- has prevented
- 防いできた
- conflicts
- 争い
- has caused
- 引き起こす
- leads to 〜
- 〜につながる
- national defense
- 国防
- aggressor nation
- 侵略国
- perceives
- 悟る、気づく
- (am)not willing to 〜
- 〜するつもりはない
- cold medicine
- 風邪薬
- makes me drowsy
- 眠くなる
- benefits far outweigh the side effects
- 効果の方が副作用よりずっと大きい
- Genuine
- 真の
- give back to 〜
- 〜に還元する
- no matter what color 〜
- 〜が何色であろうと