But even so, this is still a tad more focused than those posts. And this is actually a topic very much debatable, and if some of you would ACTUALLY USE THE FUCKING COMMENTS FEATURE we could get a nice discussion going.
It's about something that's in every country around the world where an education system exists. It's also something many, including a past version of myself, consider perfectly acceptable. And that's the things like national anthems and pledges of allegiance sung and recited in early schooling.
I've heard that some people didn't actually sing the national anthem in their primary school except for on special occasions. I myself had to sing the first verse and chorus of 'Advance Australia Fair' once a week all year round for seven years. Every school assembly at my primary school was wrapped up with everyone standing up, and (as was actually actively enforced by staff) with hands either on hearts, behind backs or in front of us. The CD would start with the backing track and the school captains would stand at the front of the hall holding an Australian flag toward us as we sang our allegiance and love for our country.
I've generally considered stuff like that normal, you know? Like, we do live in this country, and that's our country's song. I pretty much saw people who disagreed as those far-out idealistic leftists. But tonight I got to thinking, while listening to the 'Rage Against the Machine' album, that's bullshit.
Think about it. What's the point of a national anthem or a pledge of allegiance? Well, it's pretty fucking obvious, isn't it? It's to pledge your allegiance to the nation. To protect it, and defend its name. These patriotic oaths, in all their sincerity, are pretty much commitments to defend the country no matter what. To take its side and remain loyal to it under all circumstances. If someone wants to just go along with that shit, that's their decision. But making kids as young as five learn it off by heart? Doesn't that seem a bit like indoctrination?
I mean, I know not that much comes of it. I'm not saying governments are evil cults recruiting mercenaries (not that I would necessarily disagree with that), but nonetheless, what's to gain by forcing that played-out 'America the Beautiful' bullshit down children's throats? It does nothing for them, besides ingrain in their heads the patriotic message. And what is patriotism? It's an alternative to religion. Patriotism is just as much the opium of the people. It's what people turn to because they either can't or refuse to make up their own minds on a matter. "What do I think of gay marriage? Hmm... well the Bible... but humanity... but reproduction... fuck it, what does the Prime Minister think?"
Then comes the international crises. When you teach someone from the age of five to always love and respect their country and that it will in turn love and respect them, you generally end up with people siding with their own government, despite the circumstances. Why else do you think so many Americans think their government was right in the bombings on innocent villages, or the veil kept in front Guantanamo Bay? Because they've only ever been told to obey and listen to their government.
In closer terms, what about Australia with the refugees? So many deluded or just xenophobic Australians still side with Abbott. Some arguments they've made, including my own mother when we've discussed the topic.
-It's all left-wing propaganda that there are women and children in the detention centres. There's one or two, tops.
-They're all men, and they're suspected terrorists. Just last week they found a bomb on one of them!
-If they were real asylum seekers, they wouldn't be able to afford the boats.
-Australia simply doesn't have the space, jobs or funding necessary to let refugees in.
-If we let the refugees in, we're going to have even less money. And then what? We live on the streets while these asylum seekers get rich on our money?
-Fuck off, we're full.
-We can't afford better accommodation for them over there.
-Tony Abbott is Prime Minister, I'm sure he knows what he's doing.
FUCK THAT SHIT. Every single one of those excuses is straight-out denial. It's either a scramble to justify the government, or it's the lies they've been told by the right-wing and the government that they're desperate to believe. Since they're so fucking brainwashed by the "indoctrination" process, they can't help but believe what the country tells them, no matter how absurd it is.
Anyways, opinions? Use the COMMENT FEATURE BELOW to COMMENT and have a say about it all. I'm now going to eat the kebab I bought an hour ago because DIVERSITY!
