THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, November 24, 1995              TAG: 9511230034
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A18  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   45 lines

PATRIOTISM SHOULDN'T MEAN HATRED

There is nothing wrong with a flag of a friendly foreign power carried on the left side of the American flag in a parade honoring veterans.

The objection raised by a representative of a veterans' organization in Hampton Roads is totally without merit.

The Philippine Commonwealth had its own flag when the Army of the Commonwealth was called into U.S. federal service in June 21, 1941. Wholeheartedly, the soldiers responded to help the beleaguered American forces in defending a territorial possession.

They were not even American citizens and had no representation in the U.S. Congress that declared the war. Later on, after the war, those people and soldiers of the Commonwealth gained their country's independence. Some of those soldiers (or their sons and daughters) became naturalized American citizens. Their loyalty in war or in peace was, and is, toward America.

Like me, they are Americans by choice, not by accident of birth. All they want is a symbol of their connection with their ancestral roots, and so long as that symbol does not overshadow their loyalty to their adopted country, no harm is done.

Incidentally, a Canadian flag was carried alongside the American flag on Veterans Day. No complaint was raised about that - why one can only guess. Could it be because Canadians are Caucasians while Filipinos are Asians?

Arthur W. Pearsall commented that the Filipino community ``is pushing and pushing and pushing and nobody will stand up against them. I am tired of them pushing and taking more and more of our American heritage and putting it to their own use.'' That was insulting. And boycotting the parade because of the presence of the flag of a friendly power does not show true patriotism. True patriotism means love of country without hatred of a friendly foreign nation.

This hatred must stop. We must replace it with positive acts of love and concern for one another.

LEON F. PUNSALAN

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (ret.)

Virginia Beach, Nov. 14, 1995 by CNB