Thoughts on Patriotism

I've read several books by British author Louis de Bernieres, the author of Corelli's Mandolin, recently. I have really enjoyed all of them. I just started The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts, which is the first novel in a trilogy, and I came across this quote about patriotism that spoke to me:

There are two types of patriotism, although sometimes the two are mingled in one breast. The first kind one might call nationalism; nationalists believe that all other countries are inferior in every respect and that one would do them a favor by dominating them. Other countries are always in the wrong, they are less free, less civilized, are less glorious in battle, are perfidious, prone to falling for insane and alien ideologies which no reasonable person could believe, are irreligious and abnormal. Such patriots are the most common variety, and their patriotism is the most contemptible thing on earth.

The second type of patriot is best described by returning to the example of General Fuerte. General Fuerte did not believe in "my country, right or wrong"; on the contrary, he loved his land despite the faults that he could so clearly see and that he labored to correct. It was his frequently stated opinion that anyone who supported his country when it was obviously in the wrong, or who failed to see its faults, was the worst kind of traitor. Whereas the first kind of patriot really glories in his own irrationality and not in his country, General Carlo María Fuerte loved his country as a son loves his mother or a brother his sister.

Don't Know Much About History

I just finished the book "Birds without Wings" by Louis De Bernieres. It was a wonderful historical novel set during the final decades of the Ottoman Empire and the birth of Turkey. My knowledge of the Ottoman Empire prior to reading this book was pretty close to none. I had no idea that it officially lasted until 1923. I wish I had known a lot more about it because the whole the assasanation of Archduke Franz Ferdinand being the thing that set off WWI, would've made a LOT more sense.

The Ottoman Empire

The older I get and the more world history I learn about, the more I realize how little is taught in history courses in the U.S. I recall going over the United States' involvement in both world wars in several different years (although I don't recall that we got into a lot more detail in the higher grades than we did in the lower grades). The other parts of both wars were pretty much ignored. I'm from Texas, so I remember a lot of my Texas history. I recall studying Mesopotamia, Egypt (FYI, Cleopatra was a Pharoah people, not a queen), and the Roman Empire, but not the history of China, Japan, the Sassanid Empire, Ottoman Empire, Byzantine Empire, or any part of Africa other than Egypt. Basically, the history of the majority of the people on this earth was never even mentioned in passing.




There's no real point to this post, other than that I find it appalling that there was so much left out of my education.

Barbie was wrong, math isn't tough

A recent study comparing standardized test scores of boys and girls from elementary school to 11th grade found no statistically significant difference in math test scores between the two genders. Previous studies going back 20 years indicated that girls and boys showed no difference in mathmatical ability until high schoool, at which point boys consistently outperformed girls. Leading many (including the former president of Harvard University) to conclude that boys are just naturally better at math and the type of thinking skills associated with it than girls. This recent study, among others, challenges that idea.

I'm sure this will be less than surprising news to two of my BFFs from high school, Anitra and Irene, one an OBGYN and the other a computer software developer, my college friend Rachel who has a degree in biology, my cousin Meredith who has a degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A & M, my female colleaugues and students in the math and science departments at ACU, or my little sister who recently got a perfect score on the 5th grade TAKS science test.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25836419/

Amanda Hussein Carroll

I just came across something on Mike’s blog that made this sociologist all giddy. As I’m sure you’re all aware, Senator Obama’s middle name is Hussein. His father was a Kenyan Muslim and Hussein is a family name. Many ultra conservative windbags in the media get a kick out of referring to Senator Obama by his full name in an ill disguised attempt to play on the public’s irrational fear of anyone who is different from the cultural norm. (To Senator McCain’s credit he has said repeatedly that he finds this practice unacceptable).

Apparently a movement to adopt the middle name Hussein has begun among some Obama supporters in an effort to make Americans more familiar with the name, and to expose both the silliness of not voting for someone because of their given name and the underhanded sleaziness of the fear and hate mongers. I won’t bore you with the various sociological theories that help explain the fear of a different sounding name or why this protest was a predictable outcome of the exploitation of that fear. I just love a good example of sociological theory in everyday life!

Here is a link to the NY Times Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/us/politics/29hussein.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1214867440-s763gzjPTZr679fJcZAlkg

You can join the facebook group (started by a political science prof at Harding) here:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=52566360200&ref=mf