I love my Country

[Colleen Thomas]

I've been silent for as long as I am going to. I love my country, I love our flag. When our athelets win I feel pride in thier accomplishments, and I still get goose flesh when our national anthem is played.

I am sick of people ripping the Us. I am especially sick of americans ripping the Us. I have swallowed this crap until the anger inside me is so acute I can't sleep.

I'm not ignorant, nor am I a my country right or wrong brand of patriot. I am simply me and sick to death of the way people here lay into us. It's not the popular view here and it is sure to draw fire, but I will be more comfortable drawing that fire than feeling like a shit for not stepping up to the plate and defending my country.

I love this country. I love our flag. I am proud of all the good we have accomplished in the world, and that good is significant.

I'll get off my soap box now and let the flames start.


-Colly

 

[snooper]

... I love this country. I love our flag. I am proud of all the good we have accomplished in the world, and that good is significant. ...

BRAVO Colleen!

I can understand and respect that position. As an outsider I feel the US has probably done more harm than good in the last fifty years, but I think you are right to hold that view and to express it.

 

[SnoopDog]

The same goes for me.
Though I'd say I LIKE, not love, my country.
Whenever I see the flag and hear the anthem I feel good.

Of course over here it's pretty difficult to have such an attitude.

But I'M able to acknowledge that the past of my country has gone and vanished.
If only other people, both countrymen and foreigners, would also be able to do so.

Snoopy, Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

 

[DirtyJJ]

Colly, I'll step up and join you. You said it very well... there are a lot of reasons to be proud and happy to live here.

JJ

 

[oggbashan]

I've been silent for as long as I am going to. I love my country, I love our flag. When our athelets win I feel pride in thier accomplishments, and I still get goose flesh when our national anthem is played.

I am sick of people ripping the Us. I am especially sick of americans ripping the Us. I have swallowed this crap until the anger inside me is so acute I can't sleep.

I'm not ignorant, nor am I a my country right or wrong brand of patriot. I am simply me and sick to death of the way people here lay into us. It's not the popular view here and it is sure to draw fire, but I will be more comfortable drawing that fire than feeling like a shit for not stepping up to the plate and defending my country.

I love this country. I love our flag. I am proud of all the good we have accomplished in the world, and that good is significant.

I'll get off my soap box now and let the flames start.


-Colly

And so you should...

The US is a force for good in the world. UK governments of whatever party will support (and have supported) the US as allies.

Some US citizens have no concept of how their country is seen from outside and that is dangerous for the US and the world. There is no way that everybody in the world wants to be US citizens or to live as they do. Other peoples have a right to criticise the US government for its actions outside its borders and to complain when they refuse to adopt or block international agreements such as that reached at Kyoto.

I love my country but do not agree with many of the actions of the current government. They were elected with a significant majority under the current electoral system. Even if the government changed there would be many things the alternative party (or parties) would do that I would not agree with but whichever government is in power most things they do are not controversial.

US citizens should be proud of their country but also they should be aware of its failings and particularly how it is seen outside the US. Otherwise tourists will continue to be startled by the hostile reception they get in some parts of the world. Some of it will be just because they are tourists but some of it will be because they are US representatives abroad.

Og

 

[patrick1]

I'm British (English). I don't love my country. I'm an old-fashioned internationalist. I'm very fond of the land I was born in and I find it hard to be away from it. I don't want to confuse that feeling with politics, for the politics enacted by the leaders of my country are separate from my attachment to place. Why should my love for the Yorkshire Moors or the Lake District mean I should believe in something my government decides to do in Iraq, or the Sudan, or down a neighbouring street?

Flags are another thing altogether. People in the United States have (internationally speaking) an unusual fetish for their flag. The British Union Jack, for instance, has often been appropriated by right-wing causes, so I don't feel easy with it.

I'm immensely proud, though, of the Beatles, Radiohead, David Hockney, many 19th century British novelists from Emily Bronte and George Eliot onwards and a few 20th century ones, Clement Attlee, my brother-in-law who led a UN mission to a very difficult place, Charles Darwin and a host of brilliant British scientists, British feminists like Sheila Rowbotham who insisted on linking the women's movement to class...

Enough.

Patrick

 

[impressive]

Re: Re: I love my Country

I love my country but do not agree with many of the actions of the current government.

Sums it up for me. Add to that that I have disagreed with the actions of several previous administrations as well. (Why they don't consult ME about these things is just baffling! ) None of them have been perfect -- because none of us are perfect. (Present company excluded, of course. )

We (US) have the potential to do so much more WITHIN OUR OWN BORDERS. Perhaps if we'd bump internal matters a bit higher on the priority list, the rest of the world would not have such a poor opinion of us. Get our own house in order before we "offer" to "help" someone else straighten theirs.

 

[Guest]

I've been silent for as long as I am going to. I love my country, I love our flag. When our athelets win I feel pride in thier accomplishments, and I still get goose flesh when our national anthem is played.

I am sick of people ripping the Us. I am especially sick of americans ripping the Us. I have swallowed this crap until the anger inside me is so acute I can't sleep.

I'm not ignorant, nor am I a my country right or wrong brand of patriot. I am simply me and sick to death of the way people here lay into us. It's not the popular view here and it is sure to draw fire, but I will be more comfortable drawing that fire than feeling like a shit for not stepping up to the plate and defending my country.

I love this country. I love our flag. I am proud of all the good we have accomplished in the world, and that good is significant.

I'll get off my soap box now and let the flames start.


-Colly

Stay up on that sop box. Tell everyone the same thing I do when they start bashing The United States of America.

"If you don't like it, get the fuck out."

I get especially pissed of when I hear Foriegners LIVING in this country complaining about things. "Go home."

One of my neighbors is Columbian. A couple months ago I listened to him spewing a tirade because the cable company didn't have more Colmbian TV channels. "Well, tough shit. How many American channels do they show in Columbia? Maybe if you watched more American TV you could at least learn to speak our language, which would be very considerate of you. Especially since I get really angry when I walk into the local convenience store to get a pack of smokes and have to practically point them out to the bastard behind the counter because he can't understand a sigle word of, "I need a pack of Benson & Hedges menthol."

Personally, if I were "dictator" of this country all foreign aid would stop. They don't appreciate it. And evertime we help someone out we end up the bad guy. Well, fuck 'em. Let 'em starve. Let the crackpot dictators have their with them. "Someone's invading your country? Gee, I'm real sorry about that. Have a nice day."

The aftermath of 9/11 would have ben different under my administration as well. Within 5 minutes of the second tower falling I would have been on the phone to every leader of countries known to harbor terrorists and I would have given them simple instructions. "It will take the B-52's that just launched approximately 12 hours to reach you country. You have until then to start turning over terrorists or the bombs will fall like rain."

So you want to bash the US? Fine. do it in another country. Because I don't want to hear it in mine.

[/rant]

 

[cloudy]

Thank you, Colly.

 

[rgraham666]

Colleen, I love my country too. But not blindly. If I think it's going in the wrong direction, I say so.

My country isn't perfect. Neither is yours. If we give up the right to dissent, the things in our countries that need improving will not improve. Indeed, we will back slide to a time considerably worse than now.

Dranoel? Don't be too sure about the number of U.S channels in Columbia. Here in Canada, U.S. channels make up a huge percentage of the cable spectrum. If it weren't for our regulations about Canadian content it would be even more. And don't be angered by foolishness. It's as common as rain.

And as far as your idea of using B-52s goes, I'm more than disappointed in you. When you cut with a sword, do you cut the children between you and your target? That's all unleashing the B-52s would do. Maybe you would get some 'terrorists'. But there would certainly be many more innocents killed than the guilty.

Beware when you battle monters,
Lest you become a monster,
And as you gaze into the abyss,
The abyss gazes also,
into you.

Frederich Nietzche

 

[Le Jacquelope]

I love my country. I hate Bush.

That having been said it really ANNOYS me to hear people bashing America. Yet wanting us to support them financially. Argh.

 

[cookiejar]

Thank you Colly, well said. And here, I even got you your own soap box. Rant away

http://www.online-thecatsmeow.com/images/Emoticons/needsoap.gif

 

[minsue]

Thank you Colly, well said. And here, I even got you your own soap box. Rant away

http://www.online-thecatsmeow.com/images/Emoticons/needsoap.gif

You beat me to it!

Colly, that was well said. As are many of the replies.

I love my country. I must admit, I get choked up each time the flag is raised in a medals ceremony and, yes, I softly sing along to the national anthem when our athletes win gold.

I would not feel so passionately about politics and about changing what I believe to be morally wrong with our government and policies if I did not love our country.

 

[Le Jacquelope]

Oh yeah and I LOVE my country but I don't hate other countries. Their leader, yeah, sometimes, but not the whole country.

 

[R. Richard]

Colleen Thomas:
You said what needed to be said. You said what I wish I had said first. Bravo!

 

[Liar]

Going around hating countries is a pretty dumb occupation. A country is a piece of land with people living on it. You might have objection about a country's current administration, or have a historical beef with a former one. You might dislike some customs of it's citizens, or even the way they look and talk (which, of course isn't right, but it at least had it's base in something tangible).

When people are "bashing America", it is almost always a simplification of critisising a specific issue that origins within it's border. Sometimes it's the basher that does the simplification, but what I can see, it's almost as often often the bashee that cries out "Why do you hate America?" when anything from debating the Middle East to bitching about Hollywood's movie dominance is on the menu. When in fact, niether is about the country and it's citizens, but about businesses and culture outlets that doesn't have any particular connection to the nation more than the fact that that's where they are located. Which isn't very surprising, considering that it's by far the largest growing ground for businesses in the world.

Generally, the US is a good force in the world. But the thuth is... We all live in the United States of America, wether outside it's borders or not. That country is so influental on the world that things that goes on within it's borders are likely to affect us more than most things that goes on inside our own. We outside just don't have the luxury of partaking in deciding what those things are. What's left is to bitch about it. Something that time and again seems to get simplified and get out of hand.

#L

 

[OldnotDead]

Well said, Colly,

I totally disagree that the US has done more harm than good.

I believe very strongly in free markets and free movement, two of the five foundations of the industrial revolution. At the moment, free movement shows far more people immigrating than emmigrating. We are not alone in that regard. In my mind the countries with the same 'problem', must be doing more things right than wrong.

 

[Guest]

Colly, I'm glad you spoke up, for yourself; hate to think of you being made ill by anything.

I love California and San Francisco for many reasons including it's geography. I love Manhattan too. That's as far as I can go re. using the word love for the U.S., the rest is too big and complicated for me. But I do understand why you say what you do.

I love the Detroit of my youth too, and Mexico and Venice. They are places and people that nourished me. Of course I feel fortunate to live in the U.S. with all its benefits; the rest is politics so I won't go into that.

keep being yourself, love. Perdita

p.s. I even love Yorkshire now because of Patrick and Gauche .

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/happy/1/happy65.gif

You stay on that soapbox as much as you want Colly!

In college, I had a room mate that was from Belgium. The Olympics (I don't remember now if they were summer or winter games) were being held that year. She would often find the other 4 of us sitting in front of the tv cheering on our athletes. One day she asked us what was so great about the USA? We told her to think about it... when other countries have national disasters strike, who do they call? When they have problems in their nations, who do they call? We always wondered why she chose to come to the USA for college if she hated it so much. One night shortly after that, Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" was played on the TV at some point during the Olympic broadcast (can't remember if it was actually during the games or in a commercial). We all sung it very loudly for the benefit of our foreign roomy, lol.

I know as a nation, we aren't perfect. No one is. Yes, we've made mistakes and done things we shouldn't have, but we've also done a huge amount of good in this world. It's amazing how people would rather focus on the bad.

I'm proud to be an American. I don't want to live anywhere else.

 

[ezlay_2nite]

Colly,

Well said. I stand beside you.

I love this country and am proud of all our people who work hard to keep it running and keep it the greatest nation on earth.

 

[snooper]

... I totally disagree that the US has done more harm than good. ...

The list of harm is endless ... McDonald's and their ilk, pop music, the Hollywood view of history, Disney's view of animals, pushing one-man-one-vote on tribal countries where politics as the US knows it does not exist, to name but a few.

... I believe very strongly in free markets ...

The the US should open more of its markets to outsiders. It should also stop trying to impose US commerical laws designed to protect US industry outside its own boundaries.

 

[Guest]

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Despite some of the disagreements I've felt for the government, I too love this country.

When I see the flag, I not only see a symbol of our country, I think of all the lives that gave themselves to provide for our freedom. Not just recently, but from the early days of our country's beginings.

I thank the old soldiers who once served and make sure I get my poppy every year to show my respect and thank them for what they have done for me.

I try to install that pride in my children. They need to learn what being an American is all about.

thanks Colly.

 

[Lisa Denton]

OMG!!! I saw perdita's new AV and passed out!!! Lemme get up off the floor.


Colly I will stand up with you and sing the national anthem. Then we can kick back and listen to Shania Twain. EDITED to add, oops, shes a freakin canadian, but CLOSE to america.
There are so many good things about our country. I don't like the people who say "I love my country but...." they should make it firm and loud "I love my country!!!" and then after that they can start bitchin and moaning.
They have the right to bitch and moan, our country's young men and women in uniform have fought and died to give them that right in the past.
Maybe America's international image will once again stand for hope in this world if we maintain hope ourselves, and try to change the things we need to, while still loving our country.
I hate some things some people in my country are doing right now, nothing changes the fact "I love my country!!"

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Thanks all for your replies. I expected to get slammed and am both surprised and very happy to see so many supportive responses.

I know the country isn't perfect. It's run by people and people aren't perfect. I understand too, that many of the attacks are not aimed at the country as much as the current administration, but so many times that focused angst diffuses to condemnations of the country rather than the leaders.

-Colly