I guess maybe I don't understand. I don't get why poeple on the left are afraid of being a patriot. I don't understand why they are afraid to say "Hey, America is the most amazing nation on the earth. Im proud to be here." Why will they not stand up for that? I have heard serveral people suggest that we are one of the youngest nations around and therefore who are we to tell other nations what to do. What they don't understand is that we don't really tell nations what to do because of who we are, we tell nations what they should do because they look to us for guidance.
The United States is hated and loved all across the world. Nations will talk out of one side of their mouths against us but expect us to give money and people when crisis hits. The entire world depends on our economy, the value of our dollar, and the opportunity to come here if they want to start a new life. We are a symbol of what is right. We encourage and spread democracy. But for some reason, several on the left think we are the bad guy.
Believe it or not, there are actually people in America who think that we are the terrorists and that the others (what i would think are terrorists) are actually victims of our "tyranny." Let me set that straight. WE ARE NOT TERRORIST!!!!! Here's the difference. If we use force, as in Iraq, we plan our attacks looking for the option of the least amount of civilian casualties. Terrorists, however, look for ways to produce the most civilian casualities. We encourage and promote change to democracy (it is not a fight to convert everybody to christianity as some would have you believe) where as terrorists strive for oppression and domination.
Are we out for our own interests as well? Sure. Stength and wisdom are not opposing values. (Bill Clinton actually said that...don't wet yourself.) It is the responsibility of our government to look out for us; To protect us. Being selfless is all fine and good, but we should expect back. We are not the only one in the world that has to be selfless stickly because of who we are. When Katrina hit, France made the comment that they did not feel that they needed to give us money because we had enough. Hmmm... Well it was nice knowing France. Now if we had done the same thing...my god.
Listen though, we shall overcome. Why? Because we are powerful...We are the greatest nation. It's ok you leftists, you can say it. It's ok to be a patriot.
Don't you dare wrap youself in the American Flag and talk about freedom of speach or equality and how those very things need to be fought for (i.e. gay marriage, affirmative action) and then turn around and agree with other nations that are in opposition to us, thinking to yourself "Well, they have a point."
If you like those other places so much...then move there. We'd probably be better off without you anyway.
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7 comments:
Wow, Phil. Them's some hardcore generalizations you're slingin' about.
I'll admit that right now, more than ever, knockin' on the US of A is gaining popularity among some in the leftist camp. But you've got to admit that there's always been a fringe movement on both sides that does and says things that aren't really indicative of the entire group. Yes, Cindy Sheehan is nuts. Losing a loved one can do that to you. But she's no nuttier than Pat Robertson or some wack job that unleashes a machine gun on an abortion clinic "in the name of God". Clearly I wouldn't take the words or behavior of some lunatic fringe conservative and pretend that they are yours, so why do you do so to me?
Anyway, that's besides the point. We're here to arm wrestle about patriotism, right? A patriot is somebody who loves, supports, and defends their country. The problem is, there are big discrepancies between what "country" can mean in that context. You might claim that the country and government (read: the current administration) are one and the same. Others may argue with you and claim that the country and gov are very separate entities. You can love/support/defend your country, but not love/support/defend your government. They might even say that you can defend your country from the government, an idea I would expect you to challenge. George W. probably believes that what he is doing is the best thing for this country. Hillary Clinton also probably believes that what's she is doing is best for the country - and they both probably believe the other one is screwing things up. So how do we determine which one is the patriot? Can they not both be patriots? Or can only the one whose party is on the White House be the patriot, and the other has to be dissenting? It's all about perspective.
Getting back to generalizations - you said "France made the comment that they did not feel that they needed to give us money because we had enough". Let's cite some sources on this one. Did you get an email from all60millionpeopleinFrance@gmail.com? Certainly there are French people that hate us. There are also French people who love us and French people who are way too busy working for the man to care either way about world politics. I would be very suprised if all of them got together and drafted a memo on Katrina.
Welcome back, by the way. I assumed that you had retired from blog-land.
What must be understood is that speaking in generalities gets people all knotted up. That is the fun of doing it. I am not stupid enough to think that every other person in the world besides us hates us. I understand that there are several exceptions.
Those exceptions are not show however. Media loves to play the bash america (bash bush) stories. It's debateable as to whether Hilary Clinton is doing good for this country (kidding somewhat) but i can't think of any. Seriously i have a hard time naming something that she has done to spread democracy.
Yes saying we are the greatest nation is self centered. But there is nothing wrong with that. It's like playing for a team and thinking that it is the best. Solidarity (sp?)
First of all, though you have correctly spelled solidarity, you have misused it.
Second, for possibly the first and last time, I can pick out a statement that granny said that I agree with: we are completely surrounded by those with no different upbringing or thought processes than our own. We all learned the middle class white american version of history. So in light of this handicap, let me -- someone who spent four months in the actual country of France, not its neighbors -- give my input.
First of all, the French do not hate us. They hate the US. TRUST me when I say it's different and they do a fine job of distinguishing the two. When I passed possibly the four most politically charged months there (i.e. the semester of W's reelection), I was questioned about my politics, sometimes accused, but never disliked or hated because I was an American. In fact, they admire a lot of aspects of our culture, movies, for example.
Side bar before I address the issue at hand: Strength and wisdom were not mutually exclusive in political leadership until W.
Finally, I address "patriotism." There was a HUGE altercation in Columbia over television reporters wearing flag pins after 9/11. The line of thinking was not, as you would see it, that they were showing honor and memoriam to those whose lives were lost in 9/11. Rather the United States flag and all its patriotic symbolism have come to stand for a support for the military movement/action in Iraq. As you hopefully know, reporters in any form are not to wear their beliefs on their shirts in front of a camera/the entire nation.
I would also like to say that I love I love google. Intel Cit, you love to take the most extreme quotes and examples and use them to blanket all democrats. I will never say that the US is the terrorist, for the exact reasons you enumerated. However, we are quite the parasite. We have every intention on "spreading" democracy which in the past has meant overturning governments we don't agree with and placing someone in power that adheres to our ideals or at least kneels to our authority. When this inserted leader fails to gain support or turns out to be a complete psycho, we have them assassinated and replace them.
You imply that we have an obligation to wipe out terrorism and make this world "safe" to live in. Don't even get me started on the countless other areas we should be keeping peace instead of wreaking havoc in a country with little to no stability with or without our war. Any obligation we might very well could be financial, as you have pointed out that you have a problem with. But let me point out that our "poor" are among the richest people in the world. The man who stands outside my office in downtown Kansas City in a torn jacket, begging for change and food makes $40,000 a year.
We, the United States of America, in all our controversial diversity, are NOT a symbol of what is RIGHT... we are a symbol of what is RICH. We are a vision of the correlation between money and power. I am proud and fortunate to have been born and raised here, in the presence of democracy and the freedom to express my wonderfully "dissenting" opinions. I have traveled the world and discussed politics with people from over a dozen countries and I can honestly say that I am well-aware of the world's opinion of our country and I can still sing our praises.
However, I shudder at the thought of "Patriotism" as you call it. Your patriotism has waged a war on a foreign people for a mistake their leader and their insurgents have made. Your patriotism is egotism at its best (something we share with yet despise about the French). Your patriotism is what makes my neighbors in the Bible Belt, USA, feel they are better than the Mexicans that "swam across the border" or the South Americans that took a trip upstream to salute the Statue of Liberty, just because their English is flawed.
I support a concept of patriotism that is a pride in our diversity and richness of contrasting opinions. Patriotism that means we are glad for our fortune and willing to give it to he who needs it... Africa, the Middle East, whomever... not in guns but in long-awaited attention.
Interestingly nationalist is define as being a patriot, however I don't believe that naziism would be the proper comparison. Naziism is fascism which is a rather radical form of national unity. I just don't understnand why everybody have such an aversion to the concept of thinking that we are the greatest nation. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is not to say that other country aren't fantastic it is just saying hey we are the greatest. Patriotism has a large element of pride. And by no means does patriotism only mean military greatness as Jess seems to suggest.
And jess don't bring up the illegal immigrants issue. I really don't think that people in the bible belt (interesting that you highlighted taht point in your argument) think they are better than the mexicans that swaming across the border, I just don't think that they like the fact that they are breaking a law and are allowed to get away with it. The people that protested a few days ago that they have a right to be here are nuts. They broke a law. Anybody who comes into this country without following the rules is a criminal. Lets not get into that...I did i know but that is like another topic in and of itself.
Let me assure you, Granny, that living in rural France for four months, supporting myself, is no small feat. I did learn the language, better than some people know english. I did become familiar with my neighbors. I would think a great deal better than someone whose interaction with France is having lived in the neighboring country...
You get a warning because you and I don't really know each other, but don't make the mistake of patronizing me. And never call me "my dear."
Intel Cit, the Nazis actually were begun as a nationalist group. That is their background. Given, they are an extreme example, much like the ones we're discussing. But they were in fact, based on the idea of one's nation's own superiority.
And I don't imply that nationalism = military power (though you have once again proven your ability to completely misunderstand what I write). I am saying that the symbols of nationalism in this country have come to stand in support of the war, or the current administration more so than our fine country.
And I LOVE that you IMMEDIATELY assume that by Mexicans and South Americans, you ASSUME I'm talking about illegal immigrants! I was actually referring to those who are here LEGALLY and are still treated as ignorant, second class citizens. Just another example of our wonderful superiority... superiority complex, that is.
Granny, you may never learn to pick up on my dripping sarcasm: "swam across" is the term I used because it's the way people view immigrants, legal or otherwise.
And I beg you: please "school" me on Europe. I'd love to be enlightened. *hint: that's more sarcasm* I didn't say that I was more informed than you were if you spent 18 years in Europe. I said that I had every right to comment on France's opinion of Americans because I not only more recently was there, but was actually IN the country. Therefore, I ask that you not neglect to give my views and observances some weight.
Succint summary, though, of the Germany/Nazi catastrophe.
I agree that living in Rennes for four months is nothing like being raised there, or having been there so long that I stop counting in English in my head.
And I also agree that generalizations have their place, as long as you're not judging or excluding based on them. For example, I work in advertising, where we segment the population based on "generalized" truths, as you mentioned.
But I still hold strong that the large part of the french people I met, regardless of if I was a "guest" or if I didn't in fact talk to every one in France... the sample I took was a bunch of French people that liked to argue against our politics but actually appreciate American culture, and more importantly Americans.
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