Vande Mataram: 2

Reacting to the previous post, someone wrote:

I'd like to comment about your point (b). Mind you it's NOT the test of patriotism; but refusing to do it is a test of "unpatriotism" (sic). Take the case of saluting our national flag. If I salute it daily, and you don't find time to salute it even once a year, are you unpatriotic and I'm patriotic? NO. But when you say you'd NEVER salute our national flag, will you be considered patriotic? NO.

My definition of patriotism is this: To refrain from doing something that will harm the nation's interests, and also to refrain from not doing something that will harm the nation's interests. To me, not to pay taxes is unpatriotic. To waste natural resources is unpatriotic. Similarly (to adopt Tom Friedman's argument), to drive a petrol-guzzling SUV seems highly unpatriotic to me, because the money we spend on petrol enriches nations like Saudi Arabia which sponsor militant, intolerant variety of Islam.

When an Indian Muslim refuses to sing Vande Matarm, I get annoyed. I get hurt. There was a time when it even infuriated me. But does it harm nation's interests?

I rest my case.