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Slovakian Chauvinism
Wednesday, October 18th, 2006 12:25 amSlovakia is in the news, which itself is news. An ethnic Hungarian student was assaulted, and her T-shirt daubed with the slogan "Hungarians, go back across the Danube." ("What's this then? 'Romanes Eunt Domus'? People called Romans they go the house?") This has provoked debate in the country about the nature of Slovakian nationalism.
I am sure that Slovakian nationalism - or chauvinism, which is what we're talking about here - is a very important subject for those few people who live in Slovakia, but it is hard for the rest of us to take it seriously. French chauvinism - well, they invented the word. American chauvinism I can understand: "Hey, we're Americans - we've got Hollywood, we've got McDonalds, we've got the best army in the world, and we can bomb any country we feel like. We're baaaad!" That makes sense, even if it is a rather unpleasant kind of sense. I can just about understand Serbian chauvinism: "Hey, we're Serbs - we commit more atrocities per square mile than anybody! We cut up children and put the parts in their parents' fridge! We're baaaaad!" But Slovakian chauvinism? "Hey, we're Slovakians - the part of Czechoslovakia you forgot about! We have a lot of aging heavy industry that makes a modest contribution to the greenhouse effect! We paint racist slogans on people's T-shirts! We're baaad....ish."
I am sure that Slovakian nationalism - or chauvinism, which is what we're talking about here - is a very important subject for those few people who live in Slovakia, but it is hard for the rest of us to take it seriously. French chauvinism - well, they invented the word. American chauvinism I can understand: "Hey, we're Americans - we've got Hollywood, we've got McDonalds, we've got the best army in the world, and we can bomb any country we feel like. We're baaaad!" That makes sense, even if it is a rather unpleasant kind of sense. I can just about understand Serbian chauvinism: "Hey, we're Serbs - we commit more atrocities per square mile than anybody! We cut up children and put the parts in their parents' fridge! We're baaaaad!" But Slovakian chauvinism? "Hey, we're Slovakians - the part of Czechoslovakia you forgot about! We have a lot of aging heavy industry that makes a modest contribution to the greenhouse effect! We paint racist slogans on people's T-shirts! We're baaad....ish."
