American Patriotism Terrifies me!!

Originally posted by Sailor1
Irregardless of who owns a gun or not, if an old woman living alone in a bad neighborhood did not have a gun she would/could be at the mercy of whoever wants to accost her (as sad as that is). You must agree that an old woman or old man would be at a severe disadvantage against a younger assailant, so your point that "If no-one else had a gun, why would you need one?" makes no sense, This world is scary enough for the elderly and you want to completely disarm them.. thanks but NO thanks.

What an inane and insane fear-based world you have grown up in if you can only think that way. In case you forgot: Millions of older people in France, Spain, Italy and so on have NEVER needed to own a gun until around the year 1998, which is just about the time that type of fear-mongering attitude and weapon-owning cowardice slowly seeped over into their societies. Most older people still live fine relaxed lives here in Europe without having to own guns, mind you. Maybe think about seeing the rest of the world a little before you spout your prejudice.

[edit on 11-10-2008 by Slagroom]

Originally posted by MorningStar8741
No, I do not get what you feel Bush deserves credit for in relation to 9/11. It appears as though you are saying he deserves credit for being president when it happend.

No. Bush deserves credit for LETTING it happen. Have you not seen Condi Rice's testimony of the memo Harriet Myers delivered to his ranch on his bazillionth day on vacation?

"Bin Laden Determined to Attack US"

Kind of hard to read that memo title any other way then go play golf. BUT HE DID! That's small government for ya! People die. The end.

reply to post by SnowCone


Well that is what I thought happend but I am not sure that is what the other person meant.

reply to post by skeptic1




I'm glad guns are not freely available over here in England,as any pussy can pick up a gun and that gives them an advantage over any one else who hasnt got one and isnt within striking distance!

It works well over here,sure we have guns on the streets with the pond life Criminals in the inner cities but there small in numbers.We do have bad knife crime but it must be a lot easier to run away from a blade than try and out run a hail of bullets!

But,If I lived in America I would have to have a gun seeing as so many of you there have them.There needed to protect your family and there is a big chance that any intruder who breaks into your house may be armed too.I can understand many people owning guns there,I dont like that idea but I can see the logic in keeping them to protect yourself and family

reply to post by noangels


You would think bullets are flying around freely in the US, they arent.

I do find it interesting you would own one if you lived here. And just for your information not all Americans own guns or want too.

Exactly the point. While it would be nice to live in a utopian society, that just doesnt exist yet. Gun are here to stay in the US, regardless. Might as well just join the crowd, and have a chance of defense, cause I'm not into the whole thing of 'just letting them kill me because I'm above it all.'

Originally posted by Blogstalker

I do find it interesting you would own one if you lived here.

Although, to be fair, the poster did explain that they'd feel to do so out of necessity because so many other people had them. I think their implication is that, if there wasn't so many guns around, they wouldn't either:

If I lived in America I would have to have a gun seeing as so many of you there have them

the poster then states:

there is a big chance that any intruder who breaks into your house may be armed too

I don't get the impression, particularly given the rest of the post, that they're jumping for joy at the opportunity to own a gun; merely begrudging the fact that they'd have to join the 'small arms race'.

If I'm wrong, I'm happy to be corrected by noangels.

What has consumed too many Americans isn't patriotism at all. It's nationalism. The 2 are VERY commonly confused. Nationalism is blind, ignorant, arrogant chauvinism. Patriotism is being of the spirit in which this nation was founded - or the updated, naturally progressive-emergent form of it. (We know and do things now that the founders, namely Jeffereson and Washington, didn't).

You were correct my friend

You have to weigh up the odds-More guns=more chance of an armed intruder

Originally posted by Thebudweiserstuntman
Is it just me or does anyone else find American Patriotism worrying?

Actually American Patriotism doesn't worry me at all. I think you're mistaking Patriotism with blind obedience. True patriots follow the Constitution and not the ill conceived idea's of a particular administration. In other words, patriots understand that administrations come and go but the Constitution is what we must protect forever. We must protect the Constitution from those who follow BLINDLY.



[edit on 11-10-2008 by jfj123]

No.

I don't believe that everything America has done or does is saintly.

The Americans involved in the Globalist Powers That Be

are hideous traitors of the worst sort.

However, there's a LOT of America bashing hereon that is wholesale

1. ignorant and/or
2. ill-informed and/or
3. wholesale distortions and lies and/or
4. far from the whole picture and/or
5. wholesale forgetful of a list of other countries who've done far, far, far worse.

Further, while not everything America has done or does is saintly,

America

HAS

saved Europe's rear more than a little twice. We've usually been kicked in the gonads for our efforts. And not that much of that war debt has ever been repaid.

America

HAS

given schools, hospitals, The Gospel far and wide most generously and often sacrificially on the part of many Americans.

America

HAS

. . . rather schizophrenically . . . it seems . . . the Globalist Americans furthering it and the patriotic Americans

have hindered/slowed/prevented the wholesale rush into Communism/Tyranny for quite a number of decades.

America appears to be scheduled for NEAR destruction by the GPTB [Globalist Powers That Be]

When that is achieved, the globe WILL DESCEND WHOLESALE INTO A LITERAL HELL ON EARTH.

Then folks will get their taste of what the planet can be like

WITHOUT

AMERICA.

I personally think that most of the America bashing hereon is worse than ignorant.

hey prejudice is wrong

i mean literally your wrong lol

im from texas, and i never blindly accepted the govt
ive been ranting agianst them for years

also, owning a gun is the ONLY thing keeping the govt from enslaving us all

so you better thank those crazy rednecks for keeping justice gaurded

reply to post by Thebudweiserstuntman


American (or any other country) patriotism is not a problem, I don't believe, and should be no cause for concern.

American (or any other country) jingoism is a big problem, and cause for concern.

Patriots do not tend to start wars, although it is not generally a good idea to start a war with a patriot...

Jingoists do tend to start wars, often with less than desirable results.

And as a life-long citizen of the US, I have seen a disconcerting rise in jingoism in the last 8 years.

reply to post by fingapointa


To try to answer your question, I will try to explain my understanding of what "American Patriotism" means to me..

What I believe it means to be patriotic. Is to believe in the principles that this nation was originally founded on. and to do your best to uphold them, also to make use of all our rights provided to us under our constitution, and to protect those rights.

That may mean not always following or agreeing with the most current or most popular political or social trend.

This is somewhat difficult for me to actually put into words, as I am no scholar, and the nuances of "patriotism" are many, but in General to me patriotism is having a love for your country, not necissarily a blind "pride", But a true love and a willingness to do your best to help make your country a place where you can be proud of it, and a place that you and your children and many more generations can be proud of.

Now as far as American patriotism being more than the right to bear arms.. In my opinion they are not actually related. IE you can be just as patriotic weather you own a firearm or not..

What I would consider "unpatriotic" would be the stripping away of our rights to bear arms.. I equate that as equall to the stripping away of our right to free speech, or the right to vote, or any of our rights being removed.

Now I do not consider it "unpatriotic" to "argue" that you don't belive or think some of our rights afforded to us in our constitution are necissary. Nor do I believe that if you disagree with the government that you are "unpatriotic". Quite the contrary.

I do believe that true Patriotism does bring people together, I see it as a common bond for people that truly love thier country and want to make it a better place for all.

true patriotism, in my opinion, does not and can not be socialised by those in power. It comes from the individual and thus promulgates up.

I hope that I have been able to answer your question.

reply to post by Merriman Weir


Let's try this again, had a post written and the site went to maintaince.

Anyway, I didn't get the impression the poster particularly wanted to own a gun either and I don't know their basic feelings on owning one but I just found it interesting they would own one if they lived in the US.

I feel some people, and this isn't directed at anyone in particular, think that citizens of the US are carrying guns around in holsters and in their purses like wallets and lipstick. That just isn't true.

I would also like to pose a question to those that are not from the USA.
Regarding "Patriotism"

Do those of you that are from differing countries not have a sense of Patriotism for your own country?

I am not meaning to be a smart alec. I truly don't understand why there is this question about Patriotism,

This may be naieve of me, But I always "assumed" that most people considered themselves "patriotic" to thier own country. (yes I know that there would be exceptions)



[edit on 11-10-2008 by SideWynder]sorry house full of kids, spell check not working, pulling hair out by roots... LOL

[edit on 11-10-2008 by SideWynder]

reply to post by RRconservative


America WILL be a great country if it learns to accept all as equal, and help those in the deprived areas rather than liining the pockets of the fatcats. Guns do need to be banned - the only reason to own one is to inflict harm - whether self defence or deliberate. Not acceptable eitherway. Britain as leasts realises this but unfortunately britain is turning into 'little america'.

[edit on 11-10-2008 by MCoG1980]

reply to post by SideWynder


Good question. And why does it seem to be only posed to Americans, and then presumed to be a bad thing.

As many have said, and I agree, I don't agree with every policy the US makes but I do think we have a great standard of life. Crime, ignorance and bigotry happen all over the world not just the US.

And why do so many people in and out of the US refer to the ultimate goal as the "American dream"

reply to post by SideWynder


Americans do seem to be easily manipulated. Thousands of them could storm the Whitehouse ready to hang Bush from the nearest lampost but as soon as Georgie started chanting, USA, USA, USA, they would all join in and forget why they were there in the first place.
In the UK there is a similar condition amongst some who support royalty. People who still stand up for the playing of the national anthem, etc, but it is not as rife as in America.

reply to post by Mintwithahole.


Really, things like Fox news and talk radio have really created two distinct mindsets in America. One seems to be blindly loyal to the biggest enemy of their own self interests.