Dear Editor,
Many of the words written below are quotes of people who are patriots of other countries. I agree with the ones which define what patriotism really is.
Patriotism does not care about political party, it cares about bloodline and heritage of ancestry. Patriotism means the quality of being patriotic; vigorous support for one’s country. Patriotism is the ideology of attachment to a homeland (St. Maarten). This attachment can be a combination of many different features relating to one’s own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, or historical aspects. It encompasses a set of concepts closely related to those of nationalism.
Firstly, Patriotism is about a feeling and not simply about pledging allegiance to a state/nation. (And, as with other feelings, it cannot be proved whether someone is patriotic or not but simply can be deduced from their actions and words.)
Now, why this feeling of patriotism is important is simple to understand. To understand the significance of patriotism, consider what happens within a family when a certain amount of loyalty does not exist. A spouse cheats on a spouse, a parent fails to defend his child, a child ignores an elderly parent. The family disintegrates.
Another apt comparison is a football team. What would happen if players who are unhappy with the coach decided to get even by revealing their playbooks to the opposing team or by undermining the team’s strategy and purposely failing to do their jobs? That would lead to the end of the team eventually.
In a country. Patriotism is necessary to preserve and protect the nation. Now, Patriotism is important because countrymen without Patriotism are like “a boat without a rudder.” Directionless, aimless, worthless for a nation! Because we are the future of our country, the flag bearers!
Love of nation sometimes adds up to your personality like a gem. Patriotism is not simply “born here,” it is about defending people of St. Maarten heritage, not nationality. We are Dutch citizens all people who have a Dutch passport, but St. Maarten is an identity. Are you willing to defend St.Maarten or die for St. Maarten against all nations? If you choose to do that for the love of St. Maarten then you are a Patriot.
I am St. Maartener first, before I am a Dutch citizen. My loyalty is to my parents’ ancestry which is St. Maarten that goes generations back. I welcome any person who was born here and wants to support St. Maarten, but it must be by choice because of your love for the people of St. Maarten heritage.
Many people of St. Maarten heritage were born in Aruba, Curaçao, USA, Holland, Guadeloupe, Martinique. And many people of St. Maarten heritage have close integration with Anguilla. But to be a Patriot of St. Maarten your loyalty must be to St. Maarten first. If you do not feel that or choose that you are not a Patriot.
Patriotism is overwhelming loyalty to St. Maarten in bad or good times. When I say St. Maarten I mean North and South or French and Dutch St. Maarten. If you do not love St. Maarten and are not willing to defend St. Maarten feel free to leave.
God bless the people of St. Maarten heritage and those who truly love St.Maarten. I will love you until death does us part. One love to the end.
The Patriot Miguel Arrindell
