| Chapter 1: | Defining Patriotism |
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some of his friends, who experienced hardships after refusing to perform military service in the occupied territories. In fact, some of them have been imprisoned for years. A striking fact is that there was an easy way out; sitting in jail could have easily been avoided (Mattar, 2004):
Studying what the objectors say, then, brings one into contact with a group of Israeli dissidents who are not at all any less patriotic than the ones who fight the wars. Actually, in some of the cases, one might argue that they are equally patriotic: Yesterday’s warriors have become today’s objectors. The patriotic character of this group makes them just as patriotic as their fellow soldiers, perhaps even more so.
One solution to the problem of using a single definition that only includes patriots who support their country but not––with its inherent contradiction––patriots who oppose their country is to differentiate them by types of patriotism.
For example, blind patriotism demands total loyalty whereas constructive patriotism is a moderate form of patriotism characterized by constant judgment. This latter form of patriotism, with its moderating nature, does not deny patriotism as a virtue so long as the patriotic activity does not encourage immoral actions (Nathanson, 1989). Constructive patriotism has been investigated in the United States, England, and Germany and distinguished by comparing it with the better-acquainted form of blind patriotism. The contrasts that have been observed show that blind patriotism rejects any form of criticism toward the country whereas