Love it or leave it, just don’t try and better it

One of the slogans accompanying the crude Australian nationalism that has surfaced in recent years is “Australia: Love It or Leave It”. This reproach is commonly directed at recent arrivals, particularly those of identifiably non-Anglo Saxon descent, who dare to challenge the status quo in any way.

The irony of the appropriation of a foreign slogan (in this case, one of American origin) as a expression of Australian patriotism need not be pointed out. The real concern I have with this slogan is its totalitarian undertones, which are surely counter to the democratic ideals that are almost universally regarded in this country. We are all supposed to “love” an invariably narrow perception of what it means to be Australian, one which a good many people who were born here and have lived here all their lives would likely not satisfactorily conform to.

Public debate is an integral part of any healthy democracy. What could be more Australian than the new arrival who enthusiastically engages with and helps to shape their community? Healthy patriotism is not about making everyone conform to some arbitrary ideal. The true patriot is one who considers how they can help make their country, whether it is by birth or adoption, an even better place. Some of their ideas will have merit, while others may be roundly rejected or even condemned – but this is all part of the democratic process.