Nationalism = Internal Conflict

Nationalism moves countries to conquer great feats, like winning a war. It brings countries together in patriotism, to reach a common goal for their nation’s advancement in the world. Although it helps mobilize a population towards war, it always causes an internal war among the population.
This is clearly evident post-9/11. After the attacks on the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon, American nationalism sky rocketed. Americans came together towards a common goal: fight the war against terrorism. However, because the people involved in the 9/11 attack were Muslim, soon people had the misconception that all people of Middle Eastern descent were terrorists. Americans soon came to this idea that all Muslims in America were Muslim extremists. Because of the high nationalism following the attacks and the misconstrued beliefs of Americans towards Muslims and Middle Easterners, there was a 70% rise of violence and harassment in 2002 towards Muslims. In the following years discrimination rose another 30%.(Smith)
Nationalism is supposed to bring a country together, not tear it apart by violence and discrimination within its own borders. Why is this such a common phenomenon? It is most likely due to group polarization. When 9/11 occurred the United States as a whole came together as one. Nationalism was high and so was the hate for those of Muslim faith and those of Middle Eastern decent. Because Americans were under the impression that all of said people were bad, and because Americans were already so close ideologically through nationalism, they raised arms against Muslims and Middle Easterners living in the United States. Group polarization is a concept that explains how populations band together and act in extreme ways. It is a theory that says that when people join a group that is fixed on an idea, in this case on the hate towards Muslims after 9/11, they tend to act in more extreme ways than they would if the individuals were acting alone(Stonor). After 9/11 with Americans, who had never shown violence towards others before, beating up Muslims, shooting, and killing Muslims(America’s Muslims after 9/11). Also American group polarization could be seen in a less non-violent way, in the work force. After 9/11 job discrimination against Muslims was a huge issue.

As I have shown you, nationalism can be a terrible thing. Yes, it brings countries together and promotes patriotism, but it can also rip it apart. Many examples can be given to show this, how it has happened in the past and how to this day it is still common. Nationalism, when steering a population towards a common goal, can turn these patriots into terrorists themselves.

Smith, Sharon. "Stoking Racisn After 9/11". Socialist Worker 24 September 2004: 4-4.

Stoner, J. A. F. (1961). A comparison of individual and group decisions involving risk. Unpublished master’s thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Management.

"America's Muslims after 9/11". Voice of America. 25 October .