TV Show Speeches That Hit Close to Home.

[FGB]

I know it was just TV but Damn!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyzDRc34l2g

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-w...ins-anti-america-speech-resonated-me-its-gold

 

[pplwatching]

Well, since it's almost the 4th of July I'll bite. It's not en vogue to admit that we're the greatest country on earth, because we're supposed to exercise some humility. One of my better litfriends may even vomit in my general direction, but you appear to need some cheering up and what are friends for after all?

Here's what ol' Jeff's lines should have been :

Being the greatest country in the world doesn't mean that we are perfect. Far from it. It doesn't mean that we have to be 1st, 2nd or 10th in any statistics at all. We could be at the bottom of all of them at once and still be the greatest country in the world because we wouldn't be satisfied to be there and we'd claw our way back up to the top eventually.

One of the many reasons that we are the greatest country in the world is that we are willing to be introspective, willing to openly examine and publicly acknowledge our faults and shortcomings. Some people hear our public discourse and think that it is a laundry list of reasons why we're not the greatest country in the world. Not me. We are the greatest country in the world because as a society we encourage public discourse and action, and strive to change the things that we don't like about ourselves and our society. We are the greatest country in the world because our faults are on the front page for everyone to see and talk about.

We are great because individuals who want to be involved in social change have opportunities to do so. We are great because we have the opportunity to educate our fellow Americans about why they need to be involved, and we are succeeding. We are great because if all of the people sitting on couches and doing nothing were to choose to get up and be involved, they could transform this country. We are great because they have the freedom to chose not to.

We are the greatest country in the world because we are willing to help people in need. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to give our time and talent to help others. If we're very fortunate we may even have money to give, and those fortunate enough give collectively over $300 billion dollars a year. Not everyone gives either time or money, but those who want to make a difference have opportunities to do so and give generously.

We are the greatest country in the world because we continue to innovate. We reward people who take financial and personal risks to innovate. Our innovations contribute to bettering the lives of ourselves and those in far flung corners of the world. Those innovations cost money, but that doesn't make the US any less of a great country. We are the greatest country in the world because we can encourage innovation, or we can chose to stifle it.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't make good TV because we like hearing about our faults. We like flogging ourselves and doing penance. I'd bet that given time to think about those lines, Jeff would have to say that he agrees but I wouldn't presume to put words in his mouth (although he's free to use these if he wants to).

Personally, I think that the writer responsible for those lines probably contributes to all of the problems that he likes to bitch about. We're the greatest country in the world because people will pay good money to hear his laundry list. He may make token gestures to show everyone that he's not just focused on writing clever lines for actors to say, but probably enjoys the publicity of pointing out problems more than the anonymity and hard work required to actually help to solve them. This country is great because he can chose to do just that.

Don't let anyone tell you that this isn't the greatest country in the world. It will only become second best when people stop talking about our faults and failings. It will only become second best when we stop striving to live up to the title. Not all of the changes that we make will be good. Not all of them will be to everyone's liking. We are the greatest country in the world because we will continue to talk about them and change them again.

Now go out and celebrate living in the greatest country on Earth.

 

[NippleMuncher]

I know it was just TV but Damn!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyzDRc34l2g

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-w...ins-anti-america-speech-resonated-me-its-gold

I saw that speech as a trailer for the show and was hooked! If that doesn't epitomize the majority of the populace of the states, what does? Unfortunately, the show didn't live up to that trailer. The show ended up being a trite, sexist view of the world.

 

[FGB]

The bad part is that I am old enough to remember when we were number one and really tried to be all that he said we were and did all that he said we tried to do.

No this country was nowhere close to perfect but we damned sure tried to be.

Then we started to make allowances and tolerate change and all just get along.

Money and power and getting reelected became first and foremost on our politician's minds.

I had to watch as we topped off and started our decline.

Oh, I understood why. I wish I could go back in time and apologize to some long dead people and preachers who forecast where we are today and the future.

We laughed and called them crazy old deluded farts and said that it could never happen here.

Recent events have changed things considerably.

Myself I have stopped praying for blessings for this country and its people and started petitioning for mercy. Not that as a country we deserve it but we will all share in its punishment.

Never has a country in the history of the world been as blessed and ungrateful as ours and not paid the great price of it’s almost certain destruction.

Be it sudden or slow by the physical action of the earth or an economic failure or invasion, or even a combination thereof. As sure as there is a God in heaven (and there is) we will pay a price for our evil ways and as finite time marches forward (and the USA for whatever reason is not involved enough to be mentioned.) our down fall is well within a humans lifespan.
Naturally there are huge amounts of other people that are of many other opinions, as is there right and decision.

Cynical that I am, saddened at our coming loss is a strange feeling that I’m not use to.

 

[Eilan]

People like you are a dying breed, FGB, and our country will be better off for it.

 

[FGB]

People like you are a dying breed, FGB, and our country will be better off for it.

Yeah, I know.

I am a Dinosaur.

But what a ride!

 

[NippleMuncher]

I'm only in the first season but not noticing sexism yet. I'm enjoying it so far!

Jeff Daniels' producer takes nothing but a load of shit from him and the higher ups. All the women are called "girl", etc.

 

[NightL]

The bad part is that I am old enough to remember when we were number one and really tried to be all that he said we were and did all that he said we tried to do.

No this country was nowhere close to perfect but we damned sure tried to be.

Even the latter part of the "speech" in saying "we used to be..." is grandiose and delusional arrogance. In seeing a trailer such as that I instantly think "not another American television show of navel gazing monumental drivel on inconsequence."

While I agree USA may stand alone in many areas eek, this does not mean the rest of the world aspires to be just like the USA. Basically many want the USA to stop being so damned paranoid, stop believing every shadow is yet another baddie for a John Wayne character approach of "we have to shoot all the nasties away... if that doesn't get them we will bomb the hell out of them".

All the humanitarian advances are overshadowed by the bizarre creating of enemies that USA achieves beyond distinction. The fallout of which impacts upon the peace for the rest of the world. Then their power structure turns on itself and own population. The searching for "Commies" up the arseholes of the populace in the sixties has not really changed that much.

The USA is not envied quite as much as many of its population would believe. Never was.

After the twin towers bombing my friend from California asked "Why does the rest of the world hate us so much?" All I could reply with was "It really is not about jealousy...", before shaking my head and leaving the person to ponder.

People like you are a dying breed, FGB, and our country will be better off for it.

actually this said it much better than my above rant.

 

[NightL]

Then again, with our current government's disgraceful policies in all sorts of areas I don't think we are the lucky country anymore either.

True that.

I never believed the county I live in owes me anything. I believe in creating my own luck.

Every nation strives for nationalistic pride (helps to keep the rich rich). Yep, Australia is a lucky country where even crooks can stir up nationalistic pride while they fleece all the more. Then finally even achieve former & current heads of government giving commentary upon their death. Bond.