There Is No Hate in Patriotism

nist regime of Yugoslavia. The actual song is even the anthem of a celebrated Japanese University glee club.

Croatian Ban Josip Jelačić also saluted his forces with ‘Za Dom’ (for the homeland) to which the troops would respond ‘Spremni’ (ready) in the 1800’s.

The salute was most recently used by legitimate and legal Croatian Defence Forces in the war for independence and these days is predominantly used in a symbolic nature as an expression of one’s willingness to be proudly representing the nation whether it be in sports, competition or even commerce or the arts.

The claim that Za Dom Spremni is fascist is offensive and absolutely false.

The Schneiders and Koob story claims that “In modern-day, democratic Croatia, the chant is considered an offence against public order for inciting hatred and can attract �ines, with even stricter penalties implemented in April this year” is an extremely misleading statement to be making because the laws are in relation to context and intention. It is an offence to use it in context to World War II and the nazi salute (raising of the right hand).

The story also falsely stated:

“One of the men in attendance was dressed in black while �lying a Croatian military �lag with “za dom, spremni” – the Ustasha salute – printed on it” is absolutely misleading and false. The �lag is that of an of�icial division of the Croatian Defence Forces during the war for independence in the 90’s. HOS is celebrated as a brave division that valiantly defended Croatian sovereignty in the war and no member was ever convicted of any war crimes whatsoever. The salute is recognised as the of�icial salute of the HOS units and the �lag is NOT illegal, but an of�icial �lag of the homeland wars in modern day Croatia and even though it is despised by the communists and admirers of communist history who are hellbent on vilifying and defaming Croatia.

While doing my speaking engagement in Dubrovnik, both the Dubrovnik Mayor Franković and myself acknowledged the relevance in honouring the HOS units and the Za Dom Spremni salute in both our speeches.

Don Markušić, a highly respected Australian lawyer who has a legal practice in Zagreb, Croatia and was also at the Dubrovnik events says, “I am very disappointed in The Age newspaper which I long believed to be authoritative and to see The Age journalists engage in such unbalanced, biased and unsubstantiated reporting is an indictment on professional journalism. Placing an image of Croatian Homeland War hero, Ante Gotovina, side by side with the World War II �igure Ante Pavelic is a deliberate attempt at character assassination and to tarnish Croatia’s �ight for independence. Such underhanded tactics and writing appear throughout the entire article. Glossing over the reference to the Slava Ukraini chant which world leaders today repeat and merely referencing the false �lag of the Croatian 6 case in brackets clearly demonstrates that the sole intention of the journalists is to vilify the Croatian community in Australia.” Don Markusic has engaged experts on Croatian symbolism in Croatia to succe- women and children were either killed post World War II or �led to countries all over the world.

These are actual facts that cannot be denied. The story by Schneiders and Koob glori�ies history written by the murderous dictator Tito and his regime without any independent sources apart from so called historians that parrot one sided lies. These historians simply recite the communist lies that contradict the communist’s very own statistics. Do these authors really expect us to believe the history written by a dictatorship that killed members of our families and from which our parents and grandparents escaped? These authors do not reference any credible independent sources or any witness accounts.