National tradition
A great French historian, Fustel de Coulanges, said that "true patriotism is not love the ground, but the love and respect for past generations who have preceded us." That is, the love of national tradition.
In old countries the tradition lives in every man and every family. In villages and cities in Europe and Asia, countless monuments, temples, palaces, bridges, roads, perfectly preserved, some, others in ruins, whose existence dates back many centuries, tells how successive generations of thought and be fought through the ages, what were their great men, what the political and social ideas of each age, what their customs and lifestyles. The story is in them as much as in books, is living history, remaining on the stone, bronze and marble. But not only there. It is also in thousands of modest houses, scattered in camps and villages, where they were born, lived and died several generations of one family, in one way or another, have been mixed with the great events of national history. Faced with these houses have passed the armies enlisted to fight the enemy, and they were joined by the young people living within its walls. These houses are celebrated the success of many races and suffered defeat in a few. He lamented the death of loved ones, was suffered by his absence, they prayed for their souls. Its walls are hung portraits, medals, military insignia, still in their closets, faded and torn, old uniforms, and the drawers are the letters that were written between the two battle to a few hours before what would be the last.
What those old family of nations is not a hero who has fought or fallen in some war? Which of the Spanish, for example, no one who has fought for over a century and a half against the Napoleonic invasion or in the Carlist wars, in Cuba, in Africa or in the latest civil war? French household In which there is someone who fought in the armies of the Empire, or mingle with the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 and fought in the War of 1870 and, especially, in the two world wars? The same is true of men of other nations of Germany, Italy, Britain, etc., as from the remotest of East and some in Latin.
In new and peaceful countries, the living history barely exists. Very few monuments and remember the past are very few families who can name any of his blood that have fought wars of independence or international disputes. The past is barely known. Are vague rumors of it for the summary lessons from school, often crammed with unnecessary details and generally devoid of fundamentals.
A nation, Renan has said, is a spiritual family, not a group determined by the configuration of the ground. "Two things that really are one, constitute this soul, this spiritual principle. One is in the past, one in the present one is the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories, another is the current convention, the desire to live together, the will to maintain the value of the inheritance received. A nation is therefore a great solidarity constituted by the feeling of the sacrifices made and being willing to make. "
The less rich is the legacy of traditions, the greater the duty to know, cherish and increase it. If it neglects or downplays, if the sacrifices were made to shape the nation and soul to his people, if solidarity is replaced by bitterness or hatred, fueled by the unconscious, lying or ignorance, or for all a the same time, are prepared for major disasters and misfortunes.
It is criminal, therefore, cast a shadow on the past, and even more when their deeds were born and raised a vigorous people.
This is what happened in Argentina's recent dictatorship. Denigrated our historic past with its lights and shadows, is honor of a free people conscious of their destiny. During his course became our nation, it organized its fundamental institutions, its laws were passed, their fields were populated deserts, built their cities, their industries were established and formed the partnership with the mixture of the native and adventitious consubstantiated in a common desire to achieve, together in peaceful coexistence, the maximum collective happiness. This extraordinary work, this wonder that we are all proud and has earned the deep respect of the world of Argentina, is not by chance but the thought of their great men and those who lived here under that thought.
A great French historian, Fustel de Coulanges, said that "true patriotism is not love the ground, but the love and respect for past generations who have preceded us." That is, the love of national tradition.
In old countries the tradition lives in every man and every family. In villages and cities in Europe and Asia, countless monuments, temples, palaces, bridges, roads, perfectly preserved, some, others in ruins, whose existence dates back many centuries, tells how successive generations of thought and be fought through the ages, what were their great men, what the political and social ideas of each age, what their customs and lifestyles. The story is in them as much as in books, is living history, remaining on the stone, bronze and marble. But not only there. It is also in thousands of modest houses, scattered in camps and villages, where they were born, lived and died several generations of one family, in one way or another, have been mixed with the great events of national history. Faced with these houses have passed the armies enlisted to fight the enemy, and they were joined by the young people living within its walls. These houses are celebrated the success of many races and suffered defeat in a few. He lamented the death of loved ones, was suffered by his absence, they prayed for their souls. Its walls are hung portraits, medals, military insignia, still in their closets, faded and torn, old uniforms, and the drawers are the letters that were written between the two battle to a few hours before what would be the last.
What those old family of nations is not a hero who has fought or fallen in some war? Which of the Spanish, for example, no one who has fought for over a century and a half against the Napoleonic invasion or in the Carlist wars, in Cuba, in Africa or in the latest civil war? French household In which there is someone who fought in the armies of the Empire, or mingle with the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 and fought in the War of 1870 and, especially, in the two world wars? The same is true of men of other nations of Germany, Italy, Britain, etc., as from the remotest of East and some in Latin.
In new and peaceful countries, the living history barely exists. Very few monuments and remember the past are very few families who can name any of his blood that have fought wars of independence or international disputes. The past is barely known. Are vague rumors of it for the summary lessons from school, often crammed with unnecessary details and generally devoid of fundamentals.
A nation, Renan has said, is a spiritual family, not a group determined by the configuration of the ground. "Two things that really are one, constitute this soul, this spiritual principle. One is in the past, one in the present one is the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories, another is the current convention, the desire to live together, the will to maintain the value of the inheritance received. A nation is therefore a great solidarity constituted by the feeling of the sacrifices made and being willing to make. "
The less rich is the legacy of traditions, the greater the duty to know, cherish and increase it. If it neglects or downplays, if the sacrifices were made to shape the nation and soul to his people, if solidarity is replaced by bitterness or hatred, fueled by the unconscious, lying or ignorance, or for all a the same time, are prepared for major disasters and misfortunes.
It is criminal, therefore, cast a shadow on the past, and even more when their deeds were born and raised a vigorous people.
This is what happened in Argentina's recent dictatorship. Denigrated our historic past with its lights and shadows, is honor of a free people conscious of their destiny. During his course became our nation, it organized its fundamental institutions, its laws were passed, their fields were populated deserts, built their cities, their industries were established and formed the partnership with the mixture of the native and adventitious consubstantiated in a common desire to achieve, together in peaceful coexistence, the maximum collective happiness. This extraordinary work, this wonder that we are all proud and has earned the deep respect of the world of Argentina, is not by chance but the thought of their great men and those who lived here under that thought.
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