Patriotism standards

Posted by – October 13, 2010

The Guardian describes the scene at the San José copper-gold mine in Chile where the long-trapped miners are being rescued:

Florencio Avalos was the first to make the 16-minute twisting ascent through the horribly narrow shaft, a thin straw between stone canyons. Rescuers called the capsule “Phoenix” and when Avalos emerged, grinning and blinking and hugging, he really did seem reborn. The crowd chanted “Chile! Viva Chile!”

Somehow “Viva Chile!” sounds appropriate, but “Engerland!” or “hyvä Suomi!” would sound completely idiotic and misplaced, and prompt numerous embarrassed newspaper columns. Do they have Chilean counterparts or is it acceptable there? There certainly is a double standard in which nations’ names we consider acceptable to chant.

2 Comments on Patriotism standards

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  1. panu says:

    Itse asiassa mulla kyllä nous heti selkäkarvat pystyyn kun näin, miten tota käytetään jonain kansallistunteen nostattajana. Pieni lapsi on piirtänyt chilen lipun ja päätyy tietenkin lehteen, ja opettajat taputtelemassa lapsia päähän… Eikö vois vaan sanoa, että paska juttu, mutta onneks tällä kertaa pidettiin duunareista huolta?

      

  2. anon says:

    Am I the only one who would _not_ be surprised if people being rescued after weeks in captivity and immense media coverage _in Finland_ would say “Hyvä Suomi!” (and this would happen on Finnish soil).

    Les I forget, what did the hostages in Jolo said? It might have been nothing of the kind.

      

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