I am proud to be American. Am I the only one?

reply to post by HomerinNC


My grandfather was a marine, who loved america and enlisted because of his patriotism and fought and almost died in WWII. He was once a very proud american who grew disgusted with the wars Bush and Cheney perpetrated.

He used to say "These sh^%.s are d*&^ing around while our boys are being killed. And he was there and saw what it was like FIRST hand.

I guess a move to Canada would have solved all his problems. Too bad your advice comes too late.

Can you tell me the real reason our soldiers are dying and being maimed????

Originally posted by cassandranova
True, but the Constitution is now one of the longest lasting continuously existing founding laws for any nation. America isn't an old country by any means, but the structure of government has been basically consistent longer than any other nation of comparable size or status in this era.

True but read this one.

Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

oh and this one.

Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

reply to post by imasecretspy


Oh, I'm proud to be an American alight. I'm just not proud of her history and the people behind that history.

reply to post by SkipperJohn


The funny thing about this is for all the idiotic constraints pushed by legislation like the Patriot Act, I think I can make a pretty good case America has more free speech than ever before thanks to the internet. While we're certainly not alone in enjoying the media revolution, all the idiotic laws that are passed can't really control the new mode of thinking that has come into being. While our government finds it convenient to ignore the Bill of Rights at will, as a nation, we're keeping to the faith.

I can't imagine living in a country where it is forbidden to speak of topics, like how Germany deals with its past. Troubling.

Originally posted by popsmayhem

YOUR A GREAT AMERICAN!!

this is troubling.

what, exactly, has the OP done to qualify himself as a "great American"? making a patriotic statement? that is not much of a qualification, and undoubtedly one that a quantifiaby "not-great American" could pull-off quite easily.

and that is the point really, isn't it?... that at its root, nationalism is a very shallow concept, nearly meaningless in the modern age (or it ought to be), and so easily abused by those who wish to control a society?


to quote Gore Vidal, "patriotism is the final refuge of the idiots and the scoundrels."

reply to post by tgidkp

to quote Gore Vidal, "patriotism is the final refuge of the idiots and the scoundrels."

Gore Vidal(A self aggrandizing liberal douche) didn't say that.

Samuel Johnson did in 1775.

It was an indictment of false patriotism, not of patriotism in general.

-I'm very proud to be an American.

nationalism is a very shallow concept, nearly meaningless in the modern age (or it ought to be)

Tell that to people who have fought and died for their country.

No you are not alone, I am proud of the country I was born and raised in. I am proud of the majority of my fellow Americans, and I am proud of a lot of this countries leaders. I support our soldiers and am proud that we have young men and women joining everyday who are willing to give their lives for what they believe in, and that their intention is to protect this country and ME from enemies foreign and domestic. I am not proud of my current government or of the corrupt policies and agendas that it leads its military into, or of the treatment of its civilians that it is designed to protect and serve. With that being said, I am amazed at the amount of anti-Americans and unpatriotic posts I read on this website everyday. I read statements on here that are so hateful and violent in nature, that I am more concerned about them than anything this country might be doing. It's as if they believe America is such a horrible murderous country that they forget about the people living in it and the fact that the majority, wants to do good and cares about each other and those that live in foreign lands as well. America has reached out to those in need to the tune of no telling how many billions of dollars total and has sent foreign aid to those in need over and over again. This is a mixed up world we live in and this country is conflicted (no doubt) in its goals, but that is because at this time we are still a free country with the citizens being the driving force, and we are not all in one mind and one accord. So, when you get ready to post a remark, remember you are talking about the country you live in and you are talking about its people, not everyone leading this country, serving in it's military, and living in this land are hate mongering, selfish or murderous at all. The majority of us are peace loving, proud, hard working and selfless individuals who just want the best for ourselves, our families, and the world.

reply to post by projectvxn


well, I heard Vidal (no name calling needed) say it.

and, while I can see the value of the original intent as you have pointed it out, this is one example where blanket generalization seems not detestable, but appropriate.

I hate to use religious references (I am not religious) , but....I suppose there would have been a time when I might have seen a purpose to distinguishing the "true" Christians from the posers.

but anymore, they all just seem like narrow-minded assholes.

You should be the only one. This country is in the biggest downward spiral the world has seen since the rise of Nazi Germany. Get your head out of your but and realize just because you have on demand with your comcast cable, it's not the greatest country ever anymore.

Do us both a favor and wake up.

reply to post by tgidkp


Many of them are.

I try not to be. And I don't use my faith to browbeat anyone.

It's more important to take people at an individual level than to castigate entire groups of people simply because you don't understand what and how they believe.

Patriotism is important, in my opinion, in this day and age it is the only thing that stands between sovereignty and one worlders who wish to initiate global dictatorship. Economic or political.

Originally posted by projectvxn
Tell that to people who have fought and died for their country.

again, while I acknowledge that there may have been a time in history in which dying for your country was not only honorable but necessary, I believe we no longer live in such a time.

I feel very sorry for those who have been duped into their fantasy of self sacrifice.

I also feel very sorry for those people who continue to pass this fantasy off as legitimate.


I suppose we "owe it to them" to "repay the debt of their sacrifice" by perpetuating the foolishness indefinitely?


I owe no such debt.

reply to post by tgidkp


Fair enough, personal sacrifice is not important to you.

America has NO enemies that wish her harm.

And outside our border is all unicorns and sunshine and Gore Vidal sun bathing in coconut oil.

I feel like sometimes people think that you can only be a patriot if you support everything about your country. Sometimes when I express my grievances with the `current state of America im branded as unpatriotic. I mean I love this country, its the only country I know, its where my family and friends are, its where I became who I am today. However, I love this country enough to realize we have much to improve on across the board. I feel like as a patriot its my duty to voice what I perceive as injustices. I mean you cant really love something if you dont care about what happens to it, right? However, I dont think people should get so lost in patriotism that they forget that we share this world with many other nations, we are in no way an isolationist country so it would be kind of naive to not care about the state of global affairs as well.

reply to post by projectvxn


to me, it is more like my nation has laid claim on me than me on it. its not that I hate America (although it is totally hateable). its just that i never really asked for any of this (RE: debt of sacrifice) and now I am expected to participate gladly in something that seems so small.

and by "so small" I mean that, so long as any nation lays claim on me, I care not whether it is "sovereign" or "one worlder dictatorship".

to this end, patriotism is meaningless.

but I am idealistic to the fault of naievity. I will be the first one dead in the coming war.

oh well.

Too often recently, though, your natural affinity for all things American hasn't come across as a love of country. Instead the impression is given of hubris, not pride. Indeed it's more than an impression, it's a bold truth. Yours is the current imperial power and your citizens regard others from a lofty height. You see it writ large on this forum day in, day out.

Arrogance, snobbishness, haughtiness, delusional, often exaggerating your own abilities whilst simultaneously underestimating the strength and virtues of others ... that's what defines the modern American ... not some kindly paternalistic figure with an innocent pride in his own washed car, his white picket fence and his freshly mown lawn.

All imperial power passes ; the question is what you leave behind. Unfortunately Old Glory fridge magnets aren't much of a legacy.

reply to post by LeBombDiggity


So what you're saying is America didn't do anything to positively affect the world at all.

All we have is fridge magnets and henceforth, nothing to be proud of as a people?

www.slideshare.net...

I beg to differ.

reply to post by projectvxn

I would argue those werent really the inventions that the American people gave to the world. I would say that the people who invented them just happened to be American....I mean the entire nation did not sit down and make these things happen. The people who created them were just smart and innovative, which is a human trait, not an American trait.

I Am and have always been proud to be an American, you betcha!!! I am not afraid to put my hand over my heart for the National Anthem. We can still stand for the principles of our Founding Fathers, no matter how badly our current politicians have fudged it.

God bless America!

reply to post by shell69


The evil ones have been tearing down the purity and decency of our country with continuous hatred and malintent, the destruction of real culture and tradition. It has been slow but deliberate.

reply to post by imasecretspy
Good for you.
I wish more people would show pride in America.