I struggle with notions of patriotism and nationalism. I see a lot of bad, hurtful, damaging and awful things done under the banner of allegiance to a piece of land or a group of people but I understand that as humans we want to belong to something. I just don’t think setting up an us vs them binary is the most productive way of feeling like you belong.
I like my freedom, but how much can be attributed to the privilege I was born into? I appreciate so many benefits of living here, and being an Australian citizen too. I even like voting. I’ll support Australia in any inter-country bout (sporting or otherwise) because I like feeling like I’m part of a team.
But do I think our country is the greatest on earth and would I defend it to my death? No. Have I flown a flag and felt grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had, and the relative ease with which I can live my life? Yes. And would I fly that flag if it changed to actually represent the original custodians of this big brown island and not the people who violently commandeered it? Bloody oath.
I think loving your country doesn’t just mean blindly supporting it at sporting matches or sticking a flag pole in your front yard or wearing the Australian flag on the soles of your feet. It means asking hard questions of it and the people who lead it. And I’m proud I have the freedom to do that, even if it’s frustrating and upsetting at times, and I will fight for other people to have that freedom too.