I'm an ex-soldier - rioting yobs claim to be real patriots but they are anything but
Attempts to portray violent rioters as patriots are offensive to those who love and have served their country.
I want to tell you about Den Brotheridge. You may never have heard of him, in fact, unless you are something of a Second World War nerd you probably will not have. But Den Brotheridge was the first allied soldier killed by enemy action on D-Day.
His company, D Company, 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire light infantry had been given the daunting task of dropping behind enemy lines prior to the landings and seizing bridges crucial to the success of the entire mission.
He was 28 years old; his wife was nine months pregnant and despite severely injuring his leg on landing, he led his men towards German defensive positions before being gunned down. He knew the danger he was heading into, he relished it and he knew the personal risks but motivated out of a love for his country, he volunteered anyway.
It has been 60 days since the west rightly paid tribute to the sacrifice of Den and the thousands like him who out of love for their country and its ideals gave their tomorrow for our today.
Less than two months later, we see yobs smashing the windows of a Greggs claiming to also be acting out of a similar patriotic fervour.
You are not the same.
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Patriotism is defined as “showing love for your country and being proud of it” but perhaps the definition should be extended to include doing something to improve the country you claim to love.
Growing up, my love of my country was underpinned by the actions of people such as Den. It shaped the belief that this was a nation that stood up for the oppressed, whether that be in Nazi Germany or Taliban controlled Afghanistan. It sparked the desire to serve in some form and play a small part in bettering the country I loved.
My love for my country took me to the Army recruiting office, not the entrance of a Holiday Inn armed with a wealth of online manipulation and a bottle of lighter fluid.
I say that not to be boastful but to make the point that any cries of patriotism must be backed up by action otherwise it is simply nonsense.
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Patriotism is defined by showing love but all that was on show this weekend was hate and fear. Self-hatred, disenfranchisement, fear of “the other”, overconsumption of hateful online rhetoric and many other factors underpinned the violence but in no sense of the word were we witnessing patriotism. This was pure mindless thuggery opportunistically hijacking the senseless murder of children at a dance class.
The only patriots on show this weekend have been the police, standing strong in the face of hate and projectiles.
It has been the NHS, staffed by people from all backgrounds, who tended to the wounded regardless of who they were.
It has been ordinary civilians who have countered the riots (let’s be clear, these are riots) and volunteered in the days following to rebuild walls and clean up debris.
Patriotism is demonstrated in a variety of ways but do not be fooled by those who claim that the outbreaks of violence across the country had anything to do with one’s love for the country. This was opportunism and racism feebly attempting to disguise itself as noble.
True patriots serve, be that in the armed forces, public services, charity sector or in a hundred different ways that enhance their local community, area or country. Violence, threats or intimidation is never patriotism and do not let anybody tell you otherwise.
