I AM sceptical about patriotism but I respect people's right to be patriotic. A former colleague and friend of mine, Bob Mabena, was right to act according to his principles.

I admire him for demonstrating something that is missing in civil society today - standing up, even as a lone voice, and speaking your mind.

Somehow when the winds of democracy swept over our shores, they brought with them an apathy that has made us sit back and just let things be.

Unless protesting for higher wages and service delivery, most South Africans could not be bothered to become galvanised into action in defence of a principle.

Whether one agrees with his cause or not is immaterial, the fact is that he spoke out against what he believed to be an erosion of the sacred symbolism of the flag and by implication unpatriotic behaviour on the part of the company that created a billboard with the South African flag draped on the backsides of mock elephants.

While this might be offensive it is not illegal. Mabena's personal aversion to the billboard is understandable but patriotism or a lack of it cannot be measured by our regard or disregard for the flag!

Patriotism is not in itself obscene but it is the misguided notion of love for country that has resulted in some of the worst violations ever witnessed in history.

I believe that our relationship with our countries should be sincere, fluid and based on sound principles.

I bet hundreds of thousands of Germans abhorred Adolf Hitler's brutality, yet because they were indoctrinated to believe it was for love of the country, they sat by quietly while Nazism wreaked havoc in the world.

(By the way, I still find it shocking that nobody dared to point out to Hitler that he must shut up because he was not German but Austrian.)

Hitler used national symbols and politics of identity to seduce the nation. Germans were killing while flying the Nazi flag. How patriotic!

The most dangerous consequence of their "love of country" was their inability to tell right from wrong. Anyone who stood up to Hitler's murderous and bloodthirsty regime would be labelled a traitor and enemy of Germany.

George Bush appealed to the citizens' patriotism to justify the biggest lie of his administration. He convinced most Americans that there was a need to attack another sovereign state, Iraq.

He positioned himself as the guardian of Americans and because of their fervent love for their country they returned him to office.

We don't need to look far for another example of "love of country".

Right here in South Africa most white folks voted for the same government that perpetrated an inhumane doctrine called apartheid. To appeal to the emotions of the citizens, the Nats also preached patriotism and allegiance to the flag.

They used national symbols such asDie Stem and the vierkleur to evoke loyalty and cement their creed.

The government went further - killing innocent black people and anyone who supported them all in the name of "defending ons vaderland".

All over the world protesters burn the flags of countries in protest of government decisions and policies. This suggests to me that a flag is not to be defended blindly. What we should defend is righteousness.

If, in the name of patriotism, a government or country acts unjustly, then what good is that country's flag? Are the Americans who burnt the US flag in protest against what their government was doing in Iraq unpatriotic?

I would argue that they were more patriotic than those who blindly supported the government and lifted their flags high.

Musicians like Nina Simone denounced their countries and national symbols because the liberty and freedom they claimed to represent was a farce. The white South Africans who refused to hoist the vierkleur were more patriotic than those who did because in refusing to recognise this flag, they were denouncing the apartheid state.

If protesters in Ermelo feel that the ANC government has failed them, they have every right to burn the flag.

Our symbols mean nothing if they are not backed up by fairness, accountability and justice. I swear allegiance to all three.