Nationalism divides people, page 1

na·tion·al·ism (năsh'ə-nə-lĭz'əm, năsh'nə-)
n.
1. Devotion to the interests or culture of one's nation.
2. The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.
3. Aspirations for national independence in a country under foreign domination.

Originally posted by Gatordone
Nationalism divides people. It's only recently become such a huge division. College students are refusing to recite The Pledge of Allegiance because of that. There was a day The Pledge unified us. It unified us against people who didn't hold "our" truths to be self evident.

First, I don't have to recite a 52 years old pledge to a flag (or a corrupt and morally bankrupt goverment) to hold that the "truths" spoken of in the Constitution of the United States to be real... I don't even have to be American to hold that belief. The Pledge was first written for children to recite on Flag Day, in 1892; as a congression act, it appears in 1942... The words "under GOD" didn't even appear until that transvestite Hoover and McCarthyism reconstucted it...

Originally posted by Gatordone
I agree that nationalism divides us. And I think that those of us (easily 80-90% on ATS) should be divided from the rest of the nation. I have passed by so many "fightin words" here as to think there is no such thing as fightin words any more.

I would think that most of us, are interested in constructive converstation... It is a small mind that resorts to violence when it no longer can think of words or ideas to counter the argument of their opponent.

Originally posted by Gatordone
I am proud to ba an American. I have trained to fight and kill so you wusses can argue your beeotch points of view. But I never agreed to watch you throw the worlds greatest nation- by ANY standard- into the #ter *language!

We are not all Americans on this site; however, it is the conflict of ideas, and the working of a democracy that allowed for this country to form. Though not a democracy, a republic is a close cousin to democracy, representative democracy. We have a voice in who represents us; however, the representative may not share our values and may not necessarily voice our opinion in every situation. In this forum, or cyber-environment, we are allowed to voice our ideas and opinions. If you disagree, you are welcome and encouraged to post your viewpoint... The only country that has extensively allowed for this kind of dialog IS the United States. This dialog is a celebration of these "truths." That a man, in his intellect (or lack of it) in the airing, discussion, and arguing both for and against these ideas, creates the birthplace for our country and those "truths."

Originally posted by Gatordone
Nationalism is important so the collective "we the people" of this great nation will know where to look for the trouble coming on the horizon.

But you'll all complain that there's a conpiracy against you. No one ever argues that there SHOULD be!

I believe that if a nation does not act in its own self interest, just like a man who does not act in his own self interest, is commiting suicide... Be it either slow or quick, suicide is deadly... And any man, or group of men, who act in a way that is not in the interest of my country (or in the interest of those "truths"), under the darkness of deciet, I want to decipher their behavior, identify them and the threat to my nation ("truths") that they intend, and eliminate them. And as for the "trouble on the horizon", I would point to the enemy among us, or as James Madison so aptly put it: Of all the enemies of true liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other.

SkittlesLA

Just because I am paranoid, doesn't mean I don't have enemies..