The Oppression of the Flag - How states use nationalism as a means to control and silence

Opinion analysis by Nour AlMortada, Featured Writer

The concept of nationalism is usually traced back to the French revolution, but the truth is, it was not born then: it had always existed as a means of keeping insurgencies at bay. Think about an American citizen siding with communism during the Cold War. Now, compare that with nationalism in the MENA region. Shedding nationalism is not an abandonment of the state, but rather an abandonment of the illogical ties to a man-made government, which would then allow genuine change, since the state and the land are no longer convoluted. And so, the expectations we have for our systems are no longer obscured by our blind loyalties which manifest in our submission and complacency.