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NATIONALISTIC FERVOUR: A Chinese activist holds up a crad which reads, 'French foreigner, China is not easily bullied!' during a protest outside French Carrefour supermarket in Hefei, in central China's Anhui province, on Saturday. -- PHOTO: AP
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I COULD not help but feel the patriotism of Chinese citizens here in China as many marched in protest against recent foreign intervention in events leading up to the Beijing Olympics.
News reports showed many Chinese taking up flags and protesting against foreign outlets, especially the French superstore Carrefour, in response to the aborted torch relay in Paris.
But the protests were peaceful and non-confrontational. I could feel the protestors' nationalistic fervour.
Their patriotism puts me to shame. I feel that I would never take to the streets to protect and honour my country's name at the risk of my own personal safety. What if there was a riot and I was trampled to death? There are too many risks involved in taking part in a demonstration.
The moments when I do feel patriotic are during National Day when the President stands to attention as our national anthem is being sung.
I fear that many Singaporeans will leave the country if there really is an impending confrontation with another country.
Will we stand up and defend Singapore? Do we fear for our own personal safety and that of our families and flee the country at the first whiff of danger?
The feeling I get from the Chinese here is that they are willing to die to defend their country.
We have much to learn from them.
Gilbert Goh
Hubei, China
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