How Does U.S. Patriotism differ from Arab Solidarity?
The primary difference is that patriotism, especially American patriotism is designed to convince Americans that the nation of the United States is worth dying for. Arab Solidarity, on the other hand, suggests that a nation is worth dying for, but that a religion -- Islam -- is. And the concept refers not to one nation but to multiple tribes of peoples, usually considered Middle Eastern. In fact, Arab Solidarity is based on the deeper concept of loyalty to Islam, a religion that binds many Arabs, but also binds many non Arabs.
American Patriotism is usually used to generate action that could be in defense of the nation. During the First World War and the Second World War, it was considered a "Patriotic Duty" to get involved in the War Effort. Along with that concept is the converse that if one does not get involved in the war effort, then the person is not "Patriotic."
Arab Solidarity, on the other hand, is also used to generate action, but action of a more personal nature. The challenge is to be a "good Muslim", an act that implies that one follows all of the edicts of Allah. Likewise, a true believer adheres to the 10 principles of Arab Solidarity.
As expressed by Arabic scholars and statesmen, the basic Principles of Arab Solidarity are:
First: Israel's withdrawal from all territories occupied in 1967 including Arab Jerusalem.
Second: removal of Israeli settlements built on Arab land after 1967
Third: safeguarding the right of all religions to worship in the holy places
Fourth: assertion of the right of the Palestinian people to return to their homeland and compensating those who do not wish to return
Fifth: the West Bank and Gaza Strip should be subject to a transitional period of a few months under the supervision of the United Nations
Sixth: the declaration of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital
Seventh: the assert...