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Dr.Mourad Beni-ich is a Political, Intelligence & Strategic Analyst based in Washington, DC. You can follow him on Twitter at: @MonarchKnight[/symple_box]
“The very idea of true patriotism is lost, and the term has been prostituted to the very worst of purposes. A patriot, sir! Why, patriots spring up like mushrooms!” Robert Walpole
Washington, District of Columbia- Often this question crosses my mind: What is a true patriotism? Is it posing with the national flag? Is it posting pictures of the country’s map? Is it bragging how national we are and how much we love the country? Is it posting portraits of leaders and rulers and hail them like there is no tomorrow? Is deification and apotheosis of a leader is a sign of a true patriot? These and many more questions raise in my head, and then I came across this wonderful quote by Ralph Emerson: “When a whole nation is roaring Patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and purity of its heart”.
This quote opened my eyes on many around who brag about how patriotic they are, how much they do for the motherland.. These individuals combine both ordinary citizens and officials.. They all meet at one point: all claim they are more patriots than any other around! That might be true, but only to certain extent..
Many officials keep bragging at any given occasion that they are serving the nation and people, they cannot stop talking about how hard they worked to make people’s dreams a reality.. By the end of their terms, the only dreams they realized were theirs, and as per people’s, they leave them to the following crooks to make them live in yet another pinky dream, which would eventually turn into a nightmare, which is the bitter reality they live in.. So, which patriotism these officials keep bragging about?
When it comes to non-officials, many citizens claim that they love their country more than any other human being.. I do not doubt that.. Again, what is their concept of love and patriotism? Some keep jumping at any occasion to thrive at the national interests’ expense.. They cannot wait to exploit on any national affair to make a name for themselves, yet, they call this an act of patriotism!
I think the more I hear people bragging about how much they love their country, the more I should question their real and true motive for that love.. It doesn’t seem to me that many people love the country out of the blue, there must be something in there for them.. They can’t wait to attack anyone criticises the general policies of the land or the actions of officials, as if they are infallible.. They make of politicians Saints and they won’t hesitate to engage to make this point clear.. These guys are turning the country from a State of Institutions into a State of Personas..
We become a nation that glorifies the imbecile simply because he has strings to pull.. We become a nation that deifies leaders and makes Gods of them.. We become a nation run by hypocrisy and opportunism.. Nobody does something just for the sake of it.. People jump on any wave that will take them where they aim.. People look for glory and no one gives a rat’s backside for any national matter.. Everyone wants to be and look like a hero.. Shall we still call these people patriots?
I don’t!
You want to know who are the true patriots. True patriots are those who know when to say no.. Those who stand up to corruption.. Those who live and die unnoticed.. Those who have been kidnapped and evaporated like a thin air because they said no to injustice and corruption.. Those who stood against the fake patriots who keep waving flags and hail Caesar willy nilly.. Those who wouldn’t care less about the country if they are not making money out of it.. True patriots live and die poor.. True patriots are those who are fought hard because they speak the truth..
You people want some examples. Sure, why not?
1- Allal Al-Fassi: Lived rich and died of natural causes.. Patriot? NO
2- Allal Ben Abdellah: Lived poor and killed defending the legitimate king.. Patriot? Yes
3- Mohamed Zarktouni: Lived poor and committed suicide in detention so he won’t be forced to reveal the secrets of the Resistance.. Patriot? Oh Yeah!
4- Mohamed Ouzzine: Lives large and lies large too.. Patriot? Hell NO!
We live in a crazy times in this wonderful country.. The concepts of what is right and what is wrong have been mixed up in our heads.. Most of those who seem and appear patriots are just like wolves covered in sheep’s clothing.. Yet, they succeed to convince the mass that their main focus is on the nation and the last thing they think of is themselves, while reality has proven the total opposite.. They milked the nation’s wealth in the name of patriotism until the nipples went sore, and still don’t care.. They won’t stop until they turn it completely dry.. Then they will get rid of the sheep’s clothing and show their true colors.. As per true patriots, their sole consolation is that they lived free and will die free, something the crooks will give it all up for, but they will never embrace it, because they simply can’t!
[symple_box]Please Note that the views expressed in all opinions on The Moroccan Times are the authors’s own and do not reflect The Moroccan Times editorial policy.[/symple_box]
