I'm American and I don't really consider myself to be one of those hardcore patriots. You know, the ones' who say that they'd die for their country. However, I did notice that patriotism has been subconsciously planted in me. I first noticed it when I was reading an article about how China is going to overtake the US in becoming a world superpower and felt somewhat bad. This shouldn't have effected me that much either since it would have happened, at the earliest, toward the end of my career, but I guess I am somewhat patriotic then. On another note, I absolutely hate how people think their country is the best about a country just because they were born there.

 
Best Response
Angus Macgyver:
I am loyal to the American ideal, but I feel that it has been pushed aside, in recent years. Pushed aside by asshole Republicans who don't know shit. Not that the Democrats are flawless, either, but I think I'm less turned off by bloated spending than I am by jingoistic fundamentalist nutjobs.
I wholeheartedly agree. The debt can be leveled with a few years of cuts, but the period of 2003-2008 was pretty disgusting, and I had always been patriotic. Republicans took a rigid view of what an American was, and then turned bashing everyone else into a fucking sport. I was not a fan...the fact that they were right about a few things doesn't excuse truly disgusting behavior towards othewise decent people, and given that I've never gotten so much as any acknowledgement of it, I do think less of a lot of the country. Respect on my end has been lost and I just don't see it ever coming back.

EDIT: this post was a much longer, more hateful attack on conservatives, but the simple truth is that I don't care and don't feel like pissing off 99% of WSO. There's no point. Everyone defines patriotism differently....I define it as doing what's best for everyone, so I'm retracting my last comment.

Simply put, I love this country.

Get busy living
 
UFOinsider:
Angus Macgyver:
I am loyal to the American ideal, but I feel that it has been pushed aside, in recent years. Pushed aside by asshole Republicans who don't know shit. Not that the Democrats are flawless, either, but I think I'm less turned off by bloated spending than I am by jingoistic fundamentalist nutjobs.
I wholeheartedly agree. The debt can be leveled with a few years of cuts, but the period of 2003-2008 was pretty disgusting, and I had always been patriotic. Republicans took a rigid view of what an American was, and then turned bashing everyone else into a fucking sport. I was not a fan...the fact that they were right about a few things doesn't excuse truly disgusting behavior towards othewise decent people, and given that I've never gotten so much as any acknowledgement of it, I do think less of a lot of the country. Respect on my end has been lost and I just don't see it ever coming back.

EDIT: this post was a much longer, more hateful attack on conservatives, but the simple truth is that I don't care and don't feel like pissing off 99% of WSO. There's no point. Everyone defines patriotism differently....I define it as doing what's best for everyone, so I'm retracting my last comment.

Simply put, I love this country.

I had the same problem. Bush's neocons definitely turned me towards leftist politics for awhile. However, now that the GOP has shown itself to be more than just filled by war hawks, I'm moved back in.

Although, I don't see how anyone who has a clue could find this anything than disgusting:

 
Angus Macgyver:
I am loyal to the American ideal, but I feel that it has been pushed aside, in recent years. Pushed aside by asshole Republicans who don't know shit. Not that the Democrats are flawless, either, but I think I'm less turned off by bloated spending than I am by jingoistic fundamentalist nutjobs.

That "bloated spending" will be the end of this country you liberal fuck. Go vote for the black guy that wants to raise taxes, socialize healthcare, and send the rich to hell. You can hang out with your friends in New Orleans who thought this dumbshit would bring "change." Oh he changed things...he turned 7.7% unemployment to 10.1%.

 
Connor:
Angus Macgyver:
I am loyal to the American ideal, but I feel that it has been pushed aside, in recent years. Pushed aside by asshole Republicans who don't know shit. Not that the Democrats are flawless, either, but I think I'm less turned off by bloated spending than I am by jingoistic fundamentalist nutjobs.

That "bloated spending" will be the end of this country you liberal fuck. Go vote for the black guy that wants to raise taxes, socialize healthcare, and send the rich to hell. You can hang out with your friends in New Orleans who thought this dumbshit would bring "change." Oh he changed things...he turned 7.7% unemployment to 10.1%.

He inherited a shitty economy from Bush.

Again, I have no illusions about Obama being perfect. But I'll be damned if I let a dipshit wacko like Santorum decide for me that I can't abort the baby in the surrogate mother working for the Atheist dude I'm fucking in the ass during all my free time not chasing "WMDs".

The modern Republican party is a regular circus sideshow. "Let's have a contest - the one who can spew the most shit gets the nomination!"

How the fuck do people like Santorum (and, to a lesser extent, Gingrich) get as far as they have?

 

Haha UFO is fired up!

I agree with a lot of what you said (although I don't advocate that neocons go killing themselves).

I think you can be a Patriot and not a jingoist. I think questioning someone's patriotism to score a politcal point is about as juvenile as you can get. On a somewhat unrelated note, I think the Patriot Act is one of the least patriotic things in American history.

"For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen."
 

"Sure, I've been called a xenophobe, but the truth is, I'm not. I honestly just feel that America is the best country and the other countries aren't as good. That used to be called patriotism." - Kenny Powers

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 

America is the greatest country in the world. Seriously just look at the rest of the world. The only reason your even asking this question is because the NFL is in off season. Once action on the gridiron kicks back into gear this wont even be a debate. Cant wait to kick all your pansy asses in the Summer games in a few months U-S-A. U-S-A, U-S-A

 

I should also point out that I'm probably biased. This is the song I wake up to every morning, brother...

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 
cphbravo96:
I should also point out that I'm probably biased. This is the song I wake up to every morning, brother...

Regards

Pretty sure thats the only way to wake up

I eat success for breakfast...with skim milk
 

where did this mythology come from that politicians ever had the interest of the country at heart? 99% of politicians have always been scum since the time of ancient greece. this childish myth of better times in the noble past is just nonsense believed in by ignorant dolts too lazy to study their history.

and the guy who quoted lewis: spot on. i cannot think of a more fascistic psychopath than rick santorum, pandering to the ugliest elements of religious bigotry, racism and ultraviolent jingoism.

 
melvvvar:
where did this mythology come from that politicians ever had the interest of the country at heart? 99% of politicians have always been scum since the time of ancient greece. this childish myth of better times in the noble past is just nonsense believed in by ignorant dolts too lazy to study their history.

and the guy who quoted lewis: spot on. i cannot think of a more fascistic psychopath than rick santorum, pandering to the ugliest elements of religious bigotry, racism and ultraviolent jingoism.

I think there was a better time in this country as far as politicians are concerned, but that was long ago when few served multiple terms and could be deemed 'career politicians'.

http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/New_Seniority_Record…

http://www.senate.gov/senators/Biographical/longest_serving.htm

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R41545_20110107.pdf

I think part of the increase in average term lengths comes from a personal motive on the part of the Congressman and, as of late, is partly due to the complacency of severely uneducated voters. I can't tell you how many times I've asked people who they voted for in a certain race and it turns out to be the incumbent just because they have already been elected. It's not because they agree with their policies or disagree with the newcomers points of view, it's simply because they have an "I'm alive and things are too horrible" so they assume the person in office must be doing an alright job.

I honestly think these elections will just continue to get heated over the next several years because you have a wave of (fairly) well educated, internet saavy voters that will, in theory, usher in a new guard. The opposition will be old folks that might not be hip to the change and the lower class, especially low income minorities, who will be preyed upon with divisive ads that try to create an 'us vs. them' mentality. We are seeing it now with the current presidential campaign (read: class warfare) but you can be certain it will only get worse as time goes on.

Sadly, the poor will fall victim to scare tactics and they will likely side with the candidate that promises to dole out the most 'free' benefits. Luckily the lower socioeconomic bracket doesn't come out and vote in full force but with the amount of funding by super PACs up sharply, you can bet that they will be inundated with ads that urge them to get mobilized and 'save themselves'.

I do think the libertarian, Tea Party-esque movement will continue into the coming years/elections, I just hope we can make that far before imploding.

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 
  • eats popcorn

Wow, just reading this comes to my mind a conversation I had once with a German friend, he told me "Right, its a nice country (Germany), but there is nothing to be proud of, as I was not born when the big development happened, and we still haven't done enough, my parents ought to be proud, I feel we can do better".

I believe the US's great generation should be very proud, but not my country anyway :).

Btw ANT, it takes no courage to kill, but a lot to die for what you believe is fair.

Cheers!.

Valor is of no service, chance rules all, and the bravest often fall by the hands of cowards. - Tacitus Dr. Nick Riviera: Hey, don't worry. You don't have to make up stories here. Save that for court!
 

I mean, the definition for patriot is:

A person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.

I vigorously support my country. I am willing to defend it if someone invaded us. I generally defend it against its detractors, but I also understand where some people are coming from when they have issues with our country. I still consider myself and American and a patriot.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 
D M:
I mean, the definition for patriot is:
A person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.

I vigorously support my country. I am willing to defend it if someone invaded us. I generally defend it against its detractors, but I also understand where some people are coming from when they have issues with our country. I still consider myself and American and a patriot.

Simplify it: by taking issue with mistakes the government is making, you are defending your country against an other type of enemy.
Get busy living
 

True, but a lot of people don't see it that way. That's why I don't give a fuck what they think and do my own thing :)

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 
melvvvar:
all the "patriots" in germany taking the "my country right or wrong" attitude surely put themselves in a great spot by 1945.
Thus the different words: patriot vs nationalist
Get busy living
 
UFOinsider:
melvvvar:
all the "patriots" in germany taking the "my country right or wrong" attitude surely put themselves in a great spot by 1945.
Thus the different words: patriot vs nationalist

ah yes watching the GOP debates i think that is a distinction no longer made.

 

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