A Reflection by Ansumana Kakpindi Vandi kaikpanda@gmail.com
When you travel by road across America, it is not uncommon to see the American flag fluttering over private homes as well as public buildings, over bridges, overpasses and atop construction cranes; petrol stations and car dealerships decorate their lots with The Stars and Stripes. Patches of the flag are displayed proudly on private vehicles, personal clothing and refrigerators, among other places. At sporting events, we sing The Star-Spangled Banner (the national anthem) in such a united chorus that makes one to forget the gaping political divide and socioeconomic disparities in this country. Americans love their country, and those of us who have come to know and appreciate this great country as our second home love it too, some more than others. But have you ever wondered why The United States of America is such a powerful and wealthy nation, more powerful and richer than any other by far? The answer may lie in the essay of an innocent eight-grader in Greenwood County, South Carolina.
On June 14, 2012, at a Flag Day ceremony, young Brandon Fisher described patriotism as an incurable disease “that spreads from one soul to the next like an unstoppable wildfire.” The young boy went on to assert why America is the greatest world power in the history of mankind: “Patriotism is why America leads the world,” he said. “Men and women have a deep will to work and succeed. This disease is why Neil Armstrong, [the first man to set foot on the moon], stepped onto uncertain ground. He wanted to show the world that his nation had accomplished something no other [nation] had. He took the leap onto the moon to prove his patriotism.”
So, what really is patriotism? Is it enough to chant a slogan about country first and claim that you are patriotic? Can you claim to be patriotic and embezzle public funds or compromise the sovereignty of your country at the same time? Can you remain silent or neutral in the face of egregious injustice and an existential national challenge and continue to claim to be patriotic? What personal actions can you take to fulfill your civic responsibility to your country and validate your patriotism?
There are myriad definitions these days for patriotism, but the most direct and succinct, in my considered opinion, is offered by Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: Patriotism is “love for or devotion to one’s country.” Love for country, devotion to country; these operative action words – love and devotion – underscore a deep sense of personal and collective attachment and action in the exercise of patriotism. When you love something, you cherish it, you protect it with everything you have; you do not want to neglect it because it has value that money cannot buy, it means everything to you; if anybody tries to damage it or deprive you from having it, you fight until your last breath to keep it; your devotion to it is second only to your devotion to God (if you are religious). This is PATRIOTISM!
Here are some specific actions we can take to show love and devotion to our country:
- We need to accept and appreciate one another as citizens of the same country, brothers and sisters as it were – Every Sierra Leone ethnic group or tribe has made sacrifices and meaningful contributions to our country. The beauty of our diversity is that our tribes and ethnic groups have evolved into a unique mosaic that is an outcome of our willingness to co-exist peacefully and intermarry. Teaching the history of our country in every school, beginning with Class One, is one way for us to learn about one another, our culture and the contributions each ethnic group has made to our country. Our small country has made lots of positive contributions to the West African Subregion, the African Continent, and to the larger international community, that we should teach our children to be proud of. We should also teach them our failures and the negative influences of tribalism that have stained our politics and impeded our progress; we should tell them about the challenges we have faced, the opportunities we have missed and lessons we can learn as we forge ahead together for a better Sierra Leone.
- Actively participate in your Ward, Constituency and District Council – As a member of your local community, you have ideas and other resources that you can offer to build your community. Active participation includes registering to vote, attending community meetings to be aware of happenings around you, offering suggestions on how to keep your community safe. Participation at the local level is as important as your participation at the national level.
- Volunteer to join the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and your Community Watch Group – As a patriotic citizen, you want to protect that which you love from intruders be they disease, criminals, or invading forces. Many have served honorably; others have died while fighting for our country – it is the totality of their sacrifices that gave us the freedoms we enjoy today. We should play our part to continue their rich legacy.
- Be careful not to take sides against your country – It is very difficult to be objective especially when national issues are being discussed from the narrow perspectives of ethnicity, tribe or region. Examine the issues very carefully to discern the underlying nuances of what is being discussed. A good formula to use is a simple question: how does the issue under discussion benefit the entire country? Remember, your tribe, community or district is just a small fraction of the entire country; if you take sides on an issue, as in this election, because it benefits your tribe or region, then you are not showing love and devotion to your country – you are not patriotic! If your tribe is doing well, if most development projects are concentrated in your district or region only, then you should be concerned that the rest of your fellow citizens are being left out; this creates collective anxiety, hate and civil strife that will eventually affect you, your family, your community and region.
- Lastly, remember that in a democracy, government is for the people and by the people – Our elected officials – at the Ward level, at District Council, in Parliament, the Vice President and President – all of them are working for, We The People! They are not our bosses, we are their bosses! If we are not satisfied with their performance, we have the right and moral duty to remove them during the next election. It is our responsibility therefore, to keep our government officials honest to us, honest in their conduct, and honest in how they manage the resources of the country. Because of the love and devotion we have for our country, because so many before us have sacrificed so much for us to have a country, some with their lives, we should never allow a handful of people to destroy it just because they belong to our tribe or region. We should protect that we which love and cherish with our vote and our lives if necessary!
This Saturday, you and your fellow Sierra Leoneans will exercise the power of your vote to elect a new government. Your vote is not just a checkmark or fingerprint you put next to the candidate of your choice. Consider the ballot paper as an exam paper your student has submitted to you for correction. As you use your pen or fingerprint to correct that exam paper, ask yourself these bread and butter questions: has the current government made your life any better in the ten years they have been in power? Is it easier for your children to go to school now than they did ten years ago? Do you have safe and clean drinking water now than you did ten years ago? Is it easier now for you to provide food for your family than you did ten years ago? Do you have affordable and reliable supply of electricity now than you did ten years ago? Can you easily get a job now than you did ten years ago? Is your environment cleaner and safer now than it was ten years ago? Are you prepared to live another five or ten years under current conditions? If you think things are better now than they were ten years ago, what future do you see for you and your children ten years from Saturday? The honest answers to these questions go beyond political party, tribe, religion and region – they are personal as they are crucial to the future of our country. As a patriotic Sierra Leonean, you have the moral and patriotic duty to reflect carefully on the honest answers to these questions and vote for Sierra Leone on Saturday. THAT IS PATRIOTISM!
© AKV 2018