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Originally Posted by eufrenio
Hello to everybody, this is my first post here! 
Thatīs a pretty good question, Amadis...
How can a patriot or a nationalist (I canīt see the difference between these two terms) , whether Greek or Spanish or German, be a European patriot or nationalist? European internationalist would make more sense. 
Patriotism is loyalty for oneīs nation, first and foremost. What unites us Europeans is a common past, a common religion, shared values and remote kinship. Possibly common interests as well in politics and economics.
We share some common ground, but we do not share the same country or polity. |
Nice to have you around, Eufrenio.
I won't discuss the difference between Patriotism and Nationalism. The line that divides both is somehow blurred and as Perun and Ederico have said it may depend on how you define it. The context and the location in which you use them can also mark a difference.
By
European Nationalism I doubt that many (if any) here understand the support of an amorphous and homogeneous nation-state of Europe. The defense and the desire for preservation of each of our individual nations is a battle in the war to defend and to preserve Europe as a whole. Europe is a unique and precious, but complex biosphera. The very name of Europe evokes the freedom and individuality of each one of its nations. No one nation of Europe can stand alone and survive this nightmare that threatens us all. Europe has already lost part of its biosphera in the past, and while our own national survivals concern us on an individual basis, the survival of the other nations are of our concern too. So either we learn to stick together through this madness or we perish individually. So European Nationalism is right today so long as it stays within these limits.
On a related note, the use of the concept of nation and its relation to state and people varies from region to region. Thus, the concept of a Hispanic Nation and the form it should take will differ to a lesser or greater extent to that of a Germanic Nation, or a Slavic Nation. There is no one common magic solution that fits all. As I've said, Europe is a very complex biosphera.
Personally, as a Spaniard, many times I find that the boundaries and limits imposed for a concept of nation are narrow and insufficient in its definition. But this is another story.