Why Nationalism can Lead to Devastating Consequences

Name:
Professor’s Name:
Course:
Due Date:
Human Rights Response
Based off of the Nazi and Rwanda cases, why do you think nationalism can lead to such devastating consequences? (Use some of the propaganda/ or Rwandan dispatches to prove your point.)
Nationalism is not a term that breeds any fear or was coined with the idea of pitting groups against each other. The term nationalism can be defined simply as the aspect of endorsing the interests of a particular group of people or nation. These interests are often accompanied by undertones or suggestions of sovereignty. For most nationalists, the idea of having control over their own country and resources is the best way to avoid examples or patterns of oppression from other groups. However, nationalism can be taken a notch higher and be used to drive a narrative of superiority and supremacy over other groups. In such situations, groups are likely to start developing ethical boundaries that might be upheld by hate-driven rhetoric. In the case of Germany and Rwanda, ethical boundaries were fueled by hate, and the groups involved could not see beyond their own. The result was massacres and acts of violence that were attributed to nationalism as groups sought to maintain their purity. Provided herein is a discussion of how nationalism through the promotion of discrimination, the exaltation of a group over others, and the advancement of the ideals of congruence or ethnopolitical purity can lead to devastating consequences, as was witnessed in Rwanda and Nazi Germany.
One of the major issues that can be attributed to nationalism is discrimination. Discrimination mainly entails the unjust treatment on account of one’s race, tribe, sex, or even occupation. While trying to separate two groups, the first step is to develop classifications that bring about the idea of “us vs. them” (Stanton, 1). Further, Stanton brings about clarity here, noting that every group of people will have models or ways in which they divide people. This can happen along the lines of race, nationality, ethnicity, or even religion. In the case of Rwanda, the model of classification was ethnic because the country is made up of Hutu, Tutsi, and the Twa ethnic groups. Discrimination between the Tutsi and Hutu started a long time ago and laid the foundation for the genocide that was witnessed in the country. “Every Hutu must know that our Hutu girls are more worthy and more conscientious in their role as women, wives, and mothers. Are they not pretty, good secretaries and more honest!” The message above is one that was aimed at driving a wedge between the Hutus and Tutsis. From the message, it is clear that the messenger was subjective and aimed at promoting one group at the expense of another. Discrimination in Rwanda was also experienced through symbolization, which Stanton (1) indicates is the second stage of the development of genocides. Stanton notes that when people are distinguished by traits like color, dressing, or any other labels, with undertones of hatred, it becomes easier to dehumanize them. In Rwanda, the Tutsis were portrayed as “dishonest in business” (Hasan, 2), while in Germany, the use of a yellow star for the Jews brought about the needed discrim...