Patriotism!

The republican senators called it "petty politics" and said that they should all be united at a time of war. No matter how much they differ in their views, the world should see them as one Americaunited and strong.

It sounded so similar to what our prime minister has been telling us back at home: We the expatriates should not ruin the image of Bangladesh by making negative statements. If you love your country you should all be united. Bangla Bhai may not exist even though our newspapers are telling us a different story. The New York Times should be condemned for ruining our image before the world!

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How cunningly the politicians try to get away from their sins! Anything goes in the name of patriotism. If you love your country, you should be able to digest anything that your government feeds you. As soon as you protest an unjust act, you become unpatriotic; your love of the country is in question; you are ruining your country's "bhaabamurti" abroad. As if the ruling party and its supporters have gotten the sole custody of "patriotism."

At the US senate, incidentally, the Democratic Senator Joseph Biden was quick to respond to this accusation of not being united: "There shouldn't be any doubt that the Americans all are united in their desire for finding a solution to the Iraq quagmire. The Democrats are questioning Dr Rice's nomination because the Bush administration isn't doing its best to find that very solution; and Dr Rice continues undermine the government's stated efforts to curb terrorism."

Raising doubts doesn't necessary imply evil intentions and designs.

Criticizing someone should help her to be more honest next time. When someone gets so defensive as the Bangladeshi government has been in the case of Bangla Bhai, or the Bush government on the reasons for the invasion of Iraq, it makes one even more suspicious. In this time of the Information Age, it is not easy to hide the truth from the rest of the world.

When the government acts irrationally, whether in a democratic nation or under the rule of a dictator, it's the duty of the concerned citizens to protest. Isn't that how we achieved Bangla as our state language? Isn't that how we achieved our freedom from the tyranny of the Pakistanis?