What are American citizens' obligations in the war on terrorism?

'Roundtable Ethics' features University faculty members answering ethical and moral questions solicited from the community. The questions may range from personal to academic in nature. The 'Prince' hopes that the column will spark campus dialogue.

This week's columnist, Maurizio Viroli, is a professor in the politics department whose research interests include the Republican tradition.

What are my obligations as an American citizen in the war on terrorism? Is it right to burn the national flag?

As a general premise I wish to stress that I consider morally approvable and indeed praiseworthy only that love of country that consists of a compassionate affection for the republic and urges the citizens to take care of the common good and to serve the common liberty.

American patriotism at its best has always been a patriotism of this kind. There is no reason to deviate from the path of the patriotism of liberty and compassion, neither in times of peace nor in times of war. In the war against terrorism to remain faithful to the right kind of patriotism is all the more important.

On the basis of these considerations, to the student who has asked me "what are my obligations as an American citizen in the war on terrorism," I feel confident to answer that he or she must simply follow the principles of patriotism: to defend the common liberty and to work together with your fellow citizens to resist fear, practice active solidarity, and keep alive a sense of hope in the strength of democratic institutions.

Patriotism does not require citizens to be either blind or docile or aggressive. On the contrary, it requires citizens to keep their eyes well open, to approve only those political decisions that protect liberty. What terrorism wants to achieve, as the name itself suggests, is to instill a sense of terror that induces citizens to approve political decisions that violate the principles of liberty at home and the principles of international justice abroad. If a democratic nation that is subject to terrorist attacks disregards the principles of liberty and international justice it does exactly what the terrorists want.

As long as the United States has been able to show the world that its domestic and foreign politics were dictated by a commitment to the principles of liberty, it has gained the respect and the affection of peoples around the world. Respect and admiration are important components of the strength of a nation. This implies that those who recommend political actions that contradict the principles of liberty are in fact urging the Unites States to behave in a manner that will deprive it of the respect and of the admiration of peoples. They want a weaker America, not a stronger America, as they proclaim. The patriotism that speaks of might and supremacy is in fact the worst enemy of America's leadership in the world.

It is perfectly consistent with patriotism to oppose our government, if we think that its choices violate the basic principles of our republic. It has been the case in the past, and it will certainly be the case in the future, that the citizens who sincerely love their country and do really care for it are severe political opponents. To love one's country means that we want it to be as it should be: free, just, respected and admired. This means that a true patriot is willing and capable of resisting and mo-bilizing against those who want to render the country unfree, unjust, despised and hated.

Resistance and mobilization on behalf of patriotism, however, also require that we do respect our fellow citizens even if they think and act in a manner that we deeply disapprove. We must try to persuade them to change their views and to come to our side, if we want our resistance and our mobilization to be successful.

For these reasons, to the student who asked "is it right to burn the national flag," I would respond that to burn the national flag is always wrong because it offends moral feelings that deserve to be respected. Many people have given their lives for the principles that the flag symbolizes. For this reason alone, the compassion we owe to those who have given their lives makes burning the flag an act of inexcusable arrogance. In addition to being morally wrong, burning the flag is also politically damaging. The only political consequence of burning the flag is to rally against you the large majority of the citizens.

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I am an international student, and I am not sure that I am comfortable with American patriotism, the pledge of allegiance and songs like "God Bless America." At the same time, I don't want to show any disrespect. How do I strike a compromise between my feelings and respect for those around me?

It is never easy to live in another country. In my case I could even say that it has been particularly difficult to become a resident of the United States. Because of my past membership in the Italian Communist Party I had to go through a painful process that culminated with a hearing before INS officers. I have surely seen the face of American patriotism, a patriotism based on ideological convictions, at its worst.

Yet, I think it is fair to say that here in America we foreigners have been accepted and welcomed. It is perfectly legitimate for an international scholar or student to be critical of some aspects of American patriotism. However, we have to be wise in expressing our criticism. Unless we are prepared to take up civic responsibilities as citizens, what right do we have to criticize? Foreign critics who say "you must do this and that" and yet are not prepared to do their share sound inevitably arrogant. Their words will hardly be effective, even if they are right.

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