I did. Excellent article. Amazing how the pro and anti Israeli, pro-Southern (there are few true pro-Northerners), and pro and anti Catholic groups here on FR (among others) illustrate his points perfectly. All rationality disappear when "their side" is viewed as under attack.
I have seen numerous people, who one presumes are normally decent human beings, call for the slaughter of more than a billion humans for having the nerve to be of the same faith as that claimed by the killers of 9/11.
Though rationality certainly disappears among some people when their tribe is under attack, I fear this is being used as an excuse for shirking any form of loyalty whatsoever. Orwell's definition of patriotism is too brief, and seems to me a toothless one; it can't accept anything more than the most transient loyalty. A man without such loyalties is quite fit for a journalistic trade, but I fear such a man is not rooted enough to be of great use. He is like a homeless fellow who, after dispensing some wisdom here and there, will not accept an invitation to shelter for fear he'll be compromised, and so his few insights are left in abject vagrancy.
I was thinking much the same as Restorer--but with the extension that Democrats and even Republicans have a core of this nationalism. Or am I stating the obvious here?
Are all political parties basically nationalistic at the heart?
I may sound stupid, but a good way to learn is to ask.