DeWeese-Boyd 29
(1999, 151). In short, abstract national patriotism may be understood to result in less
democratic behavior. Berry’s argument is that such patriotism is simultaneously too
shallow to promote real empathy and genuine concern for others, as well as too shallow
to promote affection for the universal principles of democracy such as justice and
liberty. Where patriotism loses sight of democratic ideals and actually works to stymie
dissent and public criticism of institutional decisions and decision-makers, it will do far
more damage to democracy than good. Berry offers a substantive corrective by setting
out to show how particularistic attachments can invigorate democratic governance in its
truest sense.
It seems appropriate here to return to where we began this paper. The title,
“Flying the flag of rough branch” is taken from a poem in Berry’s “Mad Farmer” series.
We conclude with a passage from that poem. In this particular poem, the Mad
Farmer—the paradigmatic patriot—secedes from the union:
There is only one of him, but he goes.
He returns to the small country he calls home,
his own nation small enough to walk across.
He goes shadowy into the local woods,
and brightly into the local meadows and croplands.
He goes to the care of neighbors,
he goes into the care of neighbors.
He goes to the potluck supper, a dish
from each house for the hunger of every house…
Calling his neighbors together into the sanctity
of their lives separate and together
in the one life of their commonwealth and home,
in their own nation small enough for a story
or song to travel across in an hour…
(1998, 162)
Convention