It is a standard leftist tactic in the UK to denigrate national pride and present it as 'one short step from fascism'. This is extremely ironic as in communist states, national pride has always been taken to extremes in order to control their populations - from Cuba to N. Korea, from the old USSR to China - it has invariably been the same.
(Oh how Brussels yearns for its captive peoples to worship at the EU's shrine!)
Two years ago when I visited the Far East, I was astonished how much more of this pride was found there than is ever evidenced back in the UK!
Here in Spain - once again, the same thing strikes me. You cannot go any distance without running into a proudly flying Spanish flag!
