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"For we are young and free"

Has patriotism become a dirty word in Australia? Is it possible to have 100% Aussie pride? Maybe its time to look at things more closely before making extreme broad staements.

Submitted 11/9/2008 By kayleehazell Views 1039 Comments 3 Updated 12/5/2008



Photographer : getty images

Do you consider yourself a patriotic Australian? What aspects are you proud of and what and are you ashamed of? Without sounding totally unpatriotic, I will admit to you, I always tend to cringe a little when I hear the lyrics “For we are young and free” in our national anthem. Young? Maybe since European settlement, but Australia also has the longest living culture in the world. Free? Maybe, but what was the cost of this freedom and who was screwed over to achieve it?

I love this country I was born in and would say I am patriotic to some extent but with caution. It shouldn’t be confused with nationalism or supremacy. I am not more important or more Australian because I born here than someone who came to Australia when they were 10 or 20. My mum is Canadian and immigrated to Australia when she married my Dad 30 years ago, but because she is white no one would ever yell “Go back to your own country” out of car windows to her...

It saddens and angers me that I have heard these comments more than a few times. I was sitting on the bus a few weeks ago and heard a 12 year old boy yelling “Asian invasion”. I was completely embarrassed as there were a lot of Asian people on the bus... no one said anything. This attitude that is held by a few obviously ignorant people totally baffles me. I don’t understand why every Australian doesn’t recognise their own heritage and history? Everyone is an immigrant unless you’re an Aboriginal Australian!

I was checking out a few websites after typing in “Patriotism” into the search engine. The results were mainly stories of young, aggressive male Australians. Cronulla riots appeared with the photos of young boys with writing on their chest “We grew here you flew here”. People getting tattoos for big day out with slogans including “F#*k off were full” inside an Australian map and “100% Aussie Pride”. What does it take to be 100% Aussie? I’m half Canadian with some English and indigenous heritage and probably a whole lot more I don’t even know about. It’s a shame that these negative, ignorant and racist views are associated with the word “Patriotism”. It makes me fearful that if I decided to stick an Aussie flag sticker on my face at an event it may be associated with these extreme views.

Nationalism definition: loyalty and devotion to a nation or ethnic group that places emphasis on promoting the interests, cultural and social values, or religion of one group above all others A set of beliefs whereby one group is deemed superior to another and thus justified in assuming a dominant hierarchical relationship. ...

How do I know this?

What Australia Means to Me, by Bob Carr www.australianpolitics.com  

Howard's way: multiculturalism is out, assimilation is in By Sushi Das January 27, 2006 www.theage.com.au  

Links to political internet sites for patriotism and anti-immigration:   
www.smh.com.au/news/national/young-wear-patriotism-on-arms-legs

members.ozemail.com.au/~natinfo
@ozemail.com.au/linksnataustralia.htm  

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kayleehazell 10-Nov-2008

Hey Pete, Thanks for your awesome comment!
It’s interesting that you got the impression I didn’t like the word patriotism. With your definition ‘love for ones country’ I would definitely say I am patriotic. I think the caution came when I asked my dad his views. He responded “patriotic, yes...but it shouldn’t be confused with nationalistic”. I believe the difference is when that love turns into feelings of supremacy, more of a “I am better than you” feeling.
I think it is beautiful that you associate the flag with all the wonderful things this country has bought to you and your family. My Mum became a citizen about 4 years ago now and said it was a very proud day for her. Australia represents the life she has had with her husband and two Aussie children and has become a part of her.
I believe that’s what the word patriotism should symbolise. It shouldn’t just belong to one section of Australia as you said; it can be “seen as a white thing”. It should belong to everyone who is living in this amazing country in the hope of living a life of freedom of choice and opportunity to become a better person and life a happy and fulfilling life.
Ok I’m sounding a bit Obama now “Yes we can”.
Peace, Kaylee.

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kate elise 10-Nov-2008

I think 'we are young and free' is the only line I related to in our national anthem - but now I realise how ironic it is. Despite the massive steps made towards reconciliation we still consider Australia as beginning when the Europeans arrived...

Now that we are on the subject of the anthem, what do we mean when we say 'Advance Australia Fair'. Are we saying 'fair' as in beautiful or 'fair' as in equal? I hope both - because I think that Australia's diversity is one of the things that makes this 'sea girt' land so special.

And for the record, pete - I love being out and hearing everyone speaking other languages - it's so cool. But then again, I am a linguistics student.

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Pete 09-Nov-2008

Hi Kaylee,
Firstly, thanks for starting this discussion with an excellent topic. I am an Australian born of Vietnamese heritage and consider myself 100% patriotic to the Australian flag for all it has brought me and my family. To most who know me, I am as Aussie as the next bloke, but to those who pass me down the street I’m just another nameless Asian. I suppose that it was comments such as those you mentioned that shaped the way I lived my early and teenage life (I’m 22 now). Most if not all of my close friends are (for lack of better word) “white” and I don’t see myself as any different. Although I still speak Vietnamese with my mother and have a respectable grasp of the language, history and my heritage, my parents see me as completely “Australianised”. This is a notion that saddens me as I feel that I have made a real effort to stay in touch with my roots, even though I get dirty looks when I speak my mother’s language in public. Despite all this I have to honestly say that I have no real feelings Vietnam other than being a great holiday destination, I am and always will be a proud and patriotic Australian.

I get the impression from your comments that you don’t really care for the word “patriotism” and especially when it comes from “white” Australia. From what I understand (as I’m no linguist or expert on the English language) “patriotism” just means a love for one’s country, and true to the definition I would expect everyone that is either born in this country or comes to this country that they give their unwavering allegiance to Australia, I know I do.

The word “patriot” was used a number of times by the McCain/Palin clan in the just-past US election in a way that is becoming extremely popular. Although I absolutely believe that senator McCain is a patriot having fought and been imprisoned for his country, the Republican Party used the word “patriot” to suggest that President-elect Obama wasn’t. I feel that most of Middle-America would have also got that same message and seen Obama as less of a Patriot on the sole basis of his skin colour. In the same vein Australian Patriotism is also inherently seen as a “white” thing, which overlooks that Indigenous Australians and Australians of all backgrounds have fought and died for this very country we call home.

“For we are young and free” is probably my favourite line from our anthem, to me in instills a notion of optimism, that we have a lot of “growing up” to do and that with the freedom we enjoy, to use it wisely.
Cheers,
Pete

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