Patriotism?

Question

I've read some of the definitions of patriotism that some of the contributers have provided, including loving your country, and trying to do good for it. My question is, who was the greater patriot; Adolf Hitler, or Claus von Stauffenberg? Both could be considered patriots, according to some of the opinions I've read.

Claus von Stauffenberg was a Colonel in the German army, in WW2, who lost his left eye and most of the fingers on his right hand in combat. He was a devout Catholic, who had some serious moral objections to the NAZI regime. He established a network of anti-NAZIS, who formulated several plots to overthrow Hitler. In one, he spread the word among junior combat officers on the Eastern Front, that he planned to have someone grab Hitler, during a demonstration of new combat uniforms, and blow himself and Hitler up with a grenade. He had over 30 volunteers (talk about patriots). Hitler didn't show up. Stauffenberg orchestrated the July 20, 1944 bomb plot to blow Hitler up. Due to incredible luck, it didn't succeed, and Stauffenberg was executed, along with about 3000 suspected co-conspirators, the most famous of whom was Erwin Rommel.

I can't believe how many people don't know who Claus von Stauffenberg was.

Answer 1

That's a very good question, and you make an excellent point. Like religion, or any strongly held belief system, patriotism can be taken to frightening extremes. Look at the McCarthy era of the 1950's.

Mark Twain said, "Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and excusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may."

George Bernard Shaw had a much more cynical take: "You'll never have a quiet world till you knock the patriotism out of the human race."

Everyone's idea of patriotism is different - take the issue of burning the American flag. Some people, in the name of patriotism, would change the Constitution to make this illegal. Personally, I think burning the American (or any country's, for that matter) flag is despicable and stupid (exactly who's mind is it going to change?), but outlawing it - ESPECIALLY by changing the Constitution - is about the most UN-American thing you can do.

I'll bet somewhere online you could find Ann Coulter's definition of patriotism and compare it to that of Michael Moore. Hopefully yours will lie somewhere in between.

Excellent food for thought!

Answer 2

Hitler was a Patriot who became a tyrant, Stauffenberg was a Revolutionary. In this instance Stauffenberg was the good guy but he did not support the authority of his government, so by definition he was not a patriot.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
It is its natural manure." - Thomas Jefferson

Answer 3

That's the silly part about all this.

Patriotism IS a good thing.

Patriotism by itself is not enough.

Some who argue against patriotism do so by suggesting that it is bad because it can be abused (like with Adoph Hitler).

That's like saying, don't feed someone, because some people overeat and die, or stuff their kids until they are obese.

Kind of a silly argument.

Patriotism is what it is, the act of putting your country ahead of your personal ideology.

Sometimes, that means speaking up for what you believe in even if everyone else is going the opposite way.

It NEVER means hating half the country (political bigotry) or bad mouthing your country in public. It might mean opposing certain goals, policies, etc. by legislation, dissent, or even protest (legally and respectfully).

Those who don't know the difference are not patriotic. They put their personal ideals ahead of their country, they are willing to break laws, lie, spread unfounded rumors, and treat our representatives as "guilty until proved innocent".

That sounds a whole lot more dangerous to me.

Answer 4

Hitler! the other name is to hard to pronounce!!??lol

Clues on Stuffdberger!!??

Answer 5

idk who that second guy is but Hiltler didnt really care about his country he just wanted the world, so uh... yeah