When self-enrichment surpasses patriotism in the national psyche of South Sudan
5 min readBy Sunday de John, Chennai, India
March 27, 2017 (SSB) — What is patriotism? Love for one’s own country and the readiness to defend it from any form of aggression, would make a rough answer. Can one be patriotic at the county level, or rather at the state level? Per this, are you patriotic? I mean the ready reader. Am I patriotic? I mean the ready writer. If not so, then are we patriotic? These are few questions that ring in my mind.
I know that you know the notion of self-enrichment as one such reason that has significantly contributed to our myriad of problems. Wealth, unhealthy wealth, has in many ways tempted the then expected patriots. It has drown the insensitive, heartless looters to crave for more and more even after a significant looting.
By the way, a loot means something appropriated illegally often by force or violence. It also means illicit gains by public officials. That means, anything can be a loot. Appropriately, money can be a loot. Public property such as machinery, land and vehicles can too be regarded as loots.
The action of looting is by itself a loot. The perpetrators of looting are looters. So find yourself where you belong. Have you looted somebody? Looter? Have you been looted by somebody? Looted? Such questions beg answers.
However, the comfort zone of a looter is feasting with the loots. Meanwhile, the comfort zone of a looted is to wallop in pain for the lost of the hard earned Gains. Have you feasted once or have you been in pain once? Both are never good. Eating with no sweat means a lot to the looter and it is a nightmare of the looted.
When the looters established their Kingdom, they sharpen up to loot their subjects and the far worse form of looting, is looting of the poor. That is pure truth. If you have looted the poor, your claims of patriotism would simply be regarded as vain sayings. Looting of the poor puts your pride to test.
It is this that I would say that creation of insecurity to one’s own state is unpatriotic and makes no difference with the act of looting and its derivatives. Those who have gone to psychology class at least for once would appreciate the fact that psychology of crime is much associated with violent conduct.
So, if a criminal, for example murderer is put to take charge of the prison, the likelihood of more murdering would be experienced. Make no mistake, I have once been a victim of looting or rather I was looted by a looter and I can attest to it that it was painful.
In this regard, motives circling looting are but on top of the list, self-enrichment. Easy gain. Now, where does patriotism rest? Is patriotism not practical? Is it abstract? That is a question of moral turpitude. Serious debasement.
Nevertheless, if one can revert to religion, cling to it, confess all his/her wrong doings and ask for forgiveness, would that create a semi-redemption?
I was told, violent thieves do not regret even at the point of death. I was told they do not regret even when they knew they were wrong. I was told that their minds are preoccupied with plans for the next loots. I was told that they only regret having not looted their subjects enough.
If the allegations here hold true, then what would the mind of evil person be if this is the mind of a violent thief? Would I inference that theft is evil doing and a thief is evil doer? Get off.
In a nutshell, it is worthy explaining that patriotism wanes when self-enrichment features atop of the list. Tell yourself, friend, brother, sister, mother, father, uncle or cousin to give back to the poor what belongs to the poor and to the rich what they deserve. I am not against anyone’s wealth, rather I am against wealth acquired dubiously. I say wealth acquired dubiously. If yours is dubious, please right the wrong rightly.
I am writing this like many other pieces for the good of our society, small or big. No strings attached. Just pure truth. I was told as well that pure truth hurts and thus can attract name calling and its derivatives.
It is appreciable to practice at least small ideals. Thoughts that public isn’t aware of your recent loots are but impediments to your progress. Give back the lands of the poor. Give back the fleet of cars even the ones you hid across the Indian ocean or River Nile to the rightful owners.
Give back public money. Erase shame by doing good even for once! My God and my society are my shield when it comes to telling the truth.
Till then yours truly, Mr. Teetotaler!
The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made is the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël: South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website. If you want to submit an opinion article or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. SSB do reserve the right to edit material before publication. Please include your full name, email address and the country you are writing from.
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