‘Patriotism is not, in any event, necessarily linked to empire’

• ON a purely philosophical note it is difficult to dispute the stance taken about the existence and trappings of empire expressed in the Extra Letters correspondence from Zekria Ibrahimi, (Patriotism is often a mistake, October 29).

However, many centuries of world history stand in all their indisputable reality.

I am also somewhat confused by the words “Very, very, often, patriotism is a disguise, a lie, and a mistake.”

This clearly allows for a degree of “exception” that is open to questions about the “who” and the “why”.

Patriotism is not, in any event, necessarily linked to empire. It is defined in my dictionary as the zealous defence of a country’s freedom or rights.

That being the case, you can mark me down as an unapologetic patriot.

MC NEWBERRY, W1