“Speak, that I may see thee.” Words are powerful tools, signs, ideas that instruct, comfort, endear, frighten and destroy. A war of words was waged at the Centennial Memorial of WWI (1914-1918), hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, an auspicious occasion attended by 60 heads of state from around the world. In his speech, Macron swerved somewhat from the subject by an intentional jab at President Donald Trump as he tried ineffectively to define “nationalism” as a dirty word “that breeds hatred and war”, the opposite of “patriotism”. It was merely by coincidence that some while ago we had contemplated and researched the subject, but put it aside for an appropriate time. The situation arose when, at one of his rallies President Trump referred to himself as a nationalist. He emphasised the growing fad of globalisation and despite the advice not to use it, he paid no heed and declared “I am a nationalist… America comes first”. That sounds logical. On hearing Macron's vehement attack, he grimaced, but to his credit, never said a word. It was neither the time nor place to get into an argument over nationalism vs patriotism, even though Macron seized the occasion. Back on American soil he gave Macron a piece of his mind. The truth is, Macron was wrong. Nationalism and patriotism shared a sense of identity since their existence — patriotism in the 17th century, nationalism in the 19th century. Both were used alternately to mean love and affection for one's country. Think of the great nationalists like Winston Churchill, “my country above all others”, US president Woodrow Wilson and Egypt's president Gamal Abdel-Nasser, among many others. Why should that offend Macron, or the socialists, progressives, multiculturalists or elites, as they now call themselves? The likes of Obama, the Clintons, Bernie Sanders, Macron and other progressives gave nationalism a tone of supremacy, in order to gild the pill for eventual communism. The government looks after everyone, to ensure equality. What short memories. Words have a life of their own. They ebb and wane, appear and disappear, are born and die. The emergence of the Internet requires a new dictionary. Science and technology have added words, which most of us are unfamiliar with. If you are a traditionalist and say what you mean, you had better think twice in case what you mean is not what you say. Late in the 20th and 21st centuries, nationalism acquired a silent implication of “white” nationalist, by those who deem themselves thinkers, college professors, students, leftists and “globalization” addicts. You are to care for the whole world, which is not a bad thing, but why should it negate the idea that your country comes first. It does. Care for your neighbours' children, but for your own first. Does not “Charity begins at home”? In Islam it is sinful to give to the mosque what your home needs. The love of one's country first, does not hinder the love of mankind. I beg your pardon. It is no longer acceptable to use “mankind”. It has been replaced by “humanity”. The “politically correct” movement, in its undying power to offend no one, has offended everyone. Manpower is the big offender. No mailman, fireman or chairman just replace man with person, in which case a bridegroom cannot have a best man. Pity. The Closing of the American Mind by philosopher Allan Bloom (1930-1992) railed against “the narrow liberal perspective” and the “open minds in academia”. His writing stoked the view that people were over concerned with multiculturalism and diversity at the expense of “rigorous education and free thinking”. Like “white”, “black” is another word that is taboo. It differs from one tongue to another. By the way, you have no mother- tongue. Chauvinist. Use “heritage” instead. This is not unique, to the English language, the world's primary means of communication, it occurs in all languages only less fanatically. Within a matter of a decade we woke up and found words have moved on, leaving us retarded traditionalists behind. Apologies. “Retarded” is now “intellectually impaired”. Is that what we are? Fat people are “metabolically impaired”, and if you lie, you are simply “economical with the truth”. Beware of robbers? Ridiculous. They are “wealth distributors”. Watch it if you had a “crazy” day at the office. You are making light of “a mental illness”. The list goes on choking us, as we can no longer tell a “white lie” — racist. Words have an incredible influence, making it hopeless to get your point across when meanings are added, revised, retailored or totally removed. Fuzzy words can mean whatever you think they mean; different things to different people. “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”, as words can be in the ears of the listener. Is it not “awful” (not full of wonder) but terrible, that old words acquire new meanings under our very noses. In the 14th century gay, meant light-hearted, joyous, happy. Until the 19th century, a book by George Chauncey, described the jubilant night life of Gay New York. Dare he give it this title today? Changing words increases or decreases, but what care we. Despite the taboos of the 21st century, we love our nation, we are patriots as well as nationalists, without its new negative connotations. We love our nation first. We love all of mankind. Confound political correctness.
