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My cousin with a military and a police background has shamed me too often for not being patriotic, or more patriotic, for a variety of reasons, and I oftentimes have felt ashamed that I'm not. But, I came across some sayings recently, and now I feel much better now about why I shouldn't be patriotic.
George Bernard Shaw: You'll never have a quiet world 'til you knock the patriotism out of the human race.
Paul Leautaud: Love makes fools, marriage cuckolds, and patriotism malevolent imbeciles.
Bertrand Russell: Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.
Guy De Maupassant: Patriotism is a kind of religion, it's the egg from which wars are hatched.
William Randolph Hearst: A politician will do anything to keep his job, even become a patriot.
Luis Bunuel: God and country are an unbeatable team, they break all records for oppression and bloodshed.
Voltaire: It is lamentable that to be a good patriot, one must become the enemy of the rest of mankind.
So, how do you view patriotism? Something to be proud of or ashamed of?
Patriotism has been held in all ages to be the noblest feeling of Man. The opinions of a few cranks who are unable to rise to its demands is of no consequence.
It would help to know why you are not patriotic. Most of the quotes above refer to patriotism causing wars. Is that your reasoning as well?
I think we are lucky that there were millions of patriotic people during WWII, otherwise, we'd be living under a swastika. Then you would face a firing squad for lack of patriotism.
I think Patriotism of late has really been taking a beaten from the Left and the media. There were many Southerners who flew the Confederate flag as a symbol of their heritage and it had nothing to do with racism but it was made into a symbol of hate to the point where a TV network stopped airing reruns of "The Dukes of Hazard". They have started a movement where it is hip to not be Patriotic.
I can't imagine the pain it must bring to the surviving members of "the Greatest Generation", those who fought and sacrificed in the name of freedom to watch some idiot trample on or burn the American flag. It is the epitome of hypocrisy that those who desecrate the flag are able to do so without fear of being beaten, locked up or even killed because of the people who loved that flag and sacrificed to give them the protected rights to do so.
I think that people who refuse to recite the pledge of allegiance or they take a knee when the anthem is played are simply misguided. America has given people every opportunity to thrive compared to so many other places in the world and many have forgotten how lucky they are.
We have heard so much negativity coming out of the election like people saying "he ain't my President". People have lost faith in America.
Maybe the OP has lost his/her faith in America?
No one should be shaming anyone for their feelings. I would recommend reading some History or watching some inspiring movies like "Pearl Harbor" but most are about war but they might lite a fire in you and allow you to see that America is a pretty special place.
If not for your own county, whose county are you for? Move there...and tell its people you're not feeling patriotic. I think that alone might instill some American patriotism in you.
If not for your own county, whose county are you for? Move there...and tell its people you're not feeling patriotic. I think that alone might instill some American patriotism in you.
Black and white thinking like this may be the single reason he is not patriotic.
I think Patriotism of late has really been taking a beaten from the Left and the media. There were many Southerners who flew the Confederate flag as a symbol of their heritage and it had nothing to do with racism but it was made into a symbol of hate to the point where a TV network stopped airing reruns of "The Dukes of Hazard". They have started a movement where it is hip to not be Patriotic.
I can't imagine the pain it must bring to the surviving members of "the Greatest Generation", those who fought and sacrificed in the name of freedom to watch some idiot trample on or burn the American flag. It is the epitome of hypocrisy that those who desecrate the flag are able to do so without fear of being beaten, locked up or even killed because of the people who loved that flag and sacrificed to give them the protected rights to do so.
I think that people who refuse to recite the pledge of allegiance or they take a knee when the anthem is played are simply misguided. America has given people every opportunity to thrive compared to so many other places in the world and many have forgotten how lucky they are.
We have heard so much negativity coming out of the election like people saying "he ain't my President". People have lost faith in America.
Maybe the OP has lost his/her faith in America?
No one should be shaming anyone for their feelings. I would recommend reading some History or watching some inspiring movies like "Pearl Harbor" but most are about war but they might lite a fire in you and allow you to see that America is a pretty special place.
So essentially the freedom of expression should be removed from the Constitution?
I think Patriotism of late has really been taking a beaten from the Left and the media. There were many Southerners who flew the Confederate flag as a symbol of their heritage and it had nothing to do with racism but it was made into a symbol of hate to the point where a TV network stopped airing reruns of "The Dukes of Hazard". They have started a movement where it is hip to not be Patriotic.
Are you saying that flying the Confederate flag is patriotic? The people who originally flew that flag were traitors to the American republic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red as Gold
Patriotism is nothing but tribalism.
What does it even mean to love your country? Do you love the actual land? Is the land of the USA better than the land of any other place? Do you love the government? Is this the best government in the world? Do you love the people? Are Americans any better than people around the world?
There's no real reason to be patriotic.
I think that people of all nations are equal and should have their rights defended and I find absolutely no shame in that.
One quote you missed: Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind - Albert Einstein.
There's a line in a David Sedaris essay about American patriotism: "Every country has a nationalistic slogan, and none of them are 'we're number 2'"
It's definitely possible to appreciate and respect the American experience without dipping into the jingoistic and nationalistic propaganda that promotes that America is the best country in the world and the only country that matters.
What does it even mean to love your country? Do you love the actual land? Is the land of the USA better than the land of any other place? Do you love the government? Is this the best government in the world? Do you love the people? Are Americans any better than people around the world?
I love my country. Not the soil, certainly not the government. I love the ideals the nation was founded on. Have we lived up to those ideals? Not always. But we do eventually correct our errors and move on.
There's no real reason to be patriotic.
I think that people of all nations are equal and should have their rights defended and I find absolutely no shame in that.
People of all nations are equal and should have their rights defended. I'm glad you brought this up. You know who usually steps in and defends their rights? The United States of America. We fought in two world wars in the last century. Half a million American soldiers died defending the rights of others. And when those wars ended, we spent millions to help our ENEMIES rebuild. Over 300,000 died to free the slaves. We will spend $23 billion on foreign aid next year.
One quote you missed: Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind - Albert Einstein.
ETA:
That said,
I've been lucky to have had the opportunity to live in multiple other nations.
Certainly, the United States offers some advantages over living in many places.
Just as certainly, some other nations offer some advantages over living in the US.
The US is one nation among many with its advantages and disadvantages.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Americans are better than other people. But I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a patriotic American. Any American who feels otherwise probably just needs to study more history.
Last edited by Jeo123; 11-29-2016 at 01:39 PM..
Reason: Removed red font
What does it even mean to love your country? Do you love the actual land? Is the land of the USA better than the land of any other place? Do you love the government? Is this the best government in the world? Do you love the people? Are Americans any better than people around the world?
What is patriotism, before we go saying this and that if it's good or bad? "Loving your country" is as empty as most expressions of love unless it is accompanied loving acts.
I don't consider chest-thumping or USA!USA!USA! to be patriotism. Standing for The Star Spangled Banner shows respect for the flag and what it represents. But it doesn't quite rise up to patriotism as far as I am concerned.
Hell, we could all be patriots. It's so easy!
Same with these motorcycle riders that "ride for the flag" or "ride for veterans". They are doing what they would anyway, what they enjoy doing, and are trying to get some credit for it by passing it off as patriotic.
A retired colonel on a news show labeled displays of this kind "patriotism light". His description is self-explanatory.
To me, patriotism is sacrificing something, even everything, for your countrymen. A soldier diving on a grenade to save his comrades is patriotic. In another sense, but still a patriotic one, someone who donates the family silverware to a home for military veterans is also patriotic.
These are what historically has been associated with patriotism. It's only is our democratic times, when every experience has to be accessible to every person, that the meaning of patriotism has been diluted to the extent that we all can be one.
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