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Post by The Curmudgeon on Jul 19, 2007 8:08:37 GMT 2
Maybe it's just on TV, but from what I've seen American's are fiercly patriotic. Certainly in WWE-land, but even in most films and TV shows its rare to find someone who "doesn't love their country."
Over in the UK, it's a slightly different story, where such staunch flag-waving would probably only come from members of the BNP. Still, there is a strong sense of national pride, and if someone British does well worldwide - in sport, film, music, whatever - they can become something of an institution for all us proud Brits.
Except me. I couldn't give a fuck about my country. I wouldn't stand for the national anthem, I hate the royal family and if I saw someone burn our flag I wouldn't even blink.
Is it just me that has this jaded attitude?
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Post by InvisibleWolfMan on Jul 19, 2007 20:35:57 GMT 2
I thought I'd drop my two cents here. There was a time when I was younger I probably was so proud to be an American. I attribute that to my youthful innocence and naivety. As I got older and things got harder for me, I started to question some of it but still felt proud around July 4th. Then I moved to Finland. The first thing I learned while living in Finland is "there are actually other countries other than the USA that exist in the world around me." The interesting thing I began to note was the difference in the news. I could contact friends and family back in the USA OR even pick up a US magazine from the library about some event going on and many, many times it was so one sided I couldn't comprehend it at first. It was like waking up from a dream-like state. Then September 11th happened and all Micheal Bay broke loose. Did I say the news from the USA could be one-sided before this? I change my mind. It became a HARD LINE once this horrible event happened. "USA ALL THE WAY OR YOU WILL PAY TODAY, COME WHAT MAY WE'LL BAIL YOU LIKE HAY..." and such. UGH.  I know it was pretty gruesome and my heart still goes out to all of those people somehow connected to this horrible even, but I'm gonna say it straight that there was, and STILL are WORSE things going on in the world. There have been LOTS of terrorist actions like bombings and such all around the world. Not much more important than a 30 second or so spot on the national evening news. Funny, no one in the USA said much when Donald Rumsfeld sold those "weapons of mass destruction" to Saddam in the 1980's:  www.rotten.com/library/bio/usa/donald-rumsfeld/Yet we're stripping people ALL OVER THE WORLD of freedoms now because of 9/11. Pick a news site and I'm sure you have no troubles finding out what I mean. I'm not patriotic, to say the least. I'm gonna remain that way because the world is my home and others have a right to live too, just so long as they don't interfere with the rights of others. Best Regards, InvisibleWolf ;D |
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Post by trashcanman on Jul 20, 2007 10:06:03 GMT 2
American patriotism varies widely from region to region and moment to moment. But any time a foreigner speaks badly about America on it's home soil, they'd better expect it from all sides because if there's one thing most Americans share, it's a complete and flagrant disregard for the rest of the world. Patriotism in the sense of loving your country is perfectly natural and healthy. Nationalism that makes you minimize other countries and cultures while turning a blind eye to the faults of your own is ignorant bigotry, plain and simple. I will pledge allegiance to none except my friends and family and I often laugh at people with the flag prominently displayed. I know what country you live in, numbnuts, you're just across the damn street from me. Flag-burning is as American as baseball, apple pie, and fucked-up systems of measurement. If we can't exercise the freedoms our forefathers fought and died to bring us, what good are they? The day freedom of speech becomes legally stifled in America is the day I will start searching for a new homeland. Mainstream media here is pure crap. I watch "The Daily Show" and "Colbert Report" if I need non-web news because their primary function is mocking the way that news is reported on television. I love my country -specifically my home state- and I think America stands for some wonderful ideals, but I don't feel our government is representing those ideals in any way, shape, or form. Retard-simple politics have slowly molded my countrymen into two polarized parties of perpetually angry, mindless sheep unwilling to even imagine any alternative to our present state or even agree on what patriotism is between them. We will need some serious "V for Vendetta" shit to happen before this divide-and-conquer crap can stop and the USA can become a useful part of the world community and stop trying to dominate it by sheer audacity. |
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Post by hackersanonymous on Aug 9, 2007 0:04:51 GMT 2
I believe Trainspotting summed my feelings up nicely:
It's SHITE being Scottish! We're the lowest of the low, the scum of the fucking earth, the most wretched, miserable, servile, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization. Some people hate the English, I don't. They're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonized by wankers. We can't even find a decent culture to be colonized by. We are ruled by effete arseholes. It's a shite state of affairs to be in, Tommy! And all the fresh air in the world won't make any fucking difference!
Toodles!
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I know it was pretty gruesome and my heart still goes out to all of those people somehow connected to this horrible even, but I'm gonna say it straight that there was, and STILL are WORSE things going on in the world. There have been LOTS of terrorist actions like bombings and such all around the world. Not much more important than a 30 second or so spot on the national evening news. .jpeg)
