American Patriotism is Misunderstood

I thought it was a beautiful video and it reminds me of my hometown. It also broke my heart in a way, because I could imagine my daughter in the park on the swings giving pause and then I think of the direction this country is going. It almost brings tears to my eyes.

reply to post by nenothtu

When you pledge allegiance, when you face the Colors, your not doing it for a flag or a government, a god or a king, you're showing respect for your people. You can, of course, and many DO, choose to disrespect them instead. That is your prerogative. The hell of it is, even if you do, someone, somewhere, will still respect YOU enough, in spite of your disrespect of him, to lay it all on the line at the sharp end on your behalf so that you never, ever have to.

Well said, brother!!

It’s about respect for America and our people.

I’m just tired of people using the word ‘patriotism’ as an insult or a way of marginalizing a group of Americans who GET IT! That video meant something to me. For those who dismiss it as brainwashing or whatever…I feel for you. I wish I could share my patriotism with you.

reply to post by thehoneycomb

I thought it was a beautiful video and it reminds me of my hometown. It also broke my heart in a way, because I could imagine my daughter in the park on the swings giving pause and then I think of the direction this country is going. It almost brings tears to my eyes.

I’m glad it touched you the same way…

America IS going in the wrong direction. Elected officials have usurped power far beyond constitutional constraints. All is not lost though…

We hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Although its cliché I must believe that America’s best days are still ahead.

What I don’t understand is how patriotism is viewed so negatively. Is pride in one’s country only bad if you happen to be from US of A??

reply to post by seabag


It's bad because the way the military has been used to fight wars that have no interest in the country. If you want to see some true patriots, look up some militia videos on YouTube.

Not to say that our military are not Patriots. But the wars we are involved in have created a disturbance in the force.

reply to post by thehoneycomb

It's bad because the way the military has been used to fight wars that have no interest in the country. If you want to see some true patriots, look up some militia videos on YouTube.

What about other countries?? How many wars have other countries started? America is only 236 yrs old. If that’s the criteria then guess citizens of no country can display patriotism.

Not to say that our military are not Patriots. But the wars we are involved in have created a disturbance in the force.

The military takes orders. The military created no disturbance…elected officials did.

reply to post by seabag


Let me correct myself. I didn't mean it is bad. I meant to say that others perceive it that way, particularly from other countries and some domestic.

The lines have been blurred.

Lately I have been promoting oath keepers here on ATS, because thats whats important. During Katrina we had the National Guard confiscating weapons and quarantining citizens. They were just following orders. That was our wake up call.

Never again!

reply to post by seabag


That's the whole point of the "reply to" button, If you click your name it goes back to the post it was referring to.

Originally posted by seabag

I’m just tired of people using the word ‘patriotism’ as an insult or a way of marginalizing a group of Americans who GET IT! That video meant something to me. For those who dismiss it as brainwashing or whatever…I feel for you. I wish I could share my patriotism with you.

Those people are swallowing the current attempt to redefine "patriotism" as "support for a government" or worse "support for some corporation". they are swallowing that mess hook, line, and sinker, without even checking to see what the bait is on the hook.

it's not that they are against patriotism per se. They CAN'T be against it, because they don't know what it is, and therefore have no idea what they would stand against.

part of that problem is their blind acceptance of government as "daddy, mommy, and siblings". They simply cannot conceive of a respect for a nation that does not include the same government running roughshod over that nation. they acknowledge a Master, and think that since they do, we all MUST, and therefore our patriotism is due only to their Master.

They equate a nation with a government, rather than a people, and that's where they go off the rails.

I'm willing to bet that the kids in the video have a far firmer grasp of what patriotism really is than those who denigrate it and disrespect their fellow Americans. I know MY kid does, because it's been explained to him over and over. They know, intellectually if not at a gut level, that their own parents may DIE for something which that flag represents, and that "something" is not a government or a corporation. it's THEM, their siblings, their families, their friends. They know what they are respecting.

They are exercising SELF-RESPECT first, and respect for their fellows thereafter.

reply to post by RealSpoke

That's the whole point of the "reply to" button, If you click your name it goes back to the post it was referring to.

Very wise, sir.

Now may I ask which of my 10 posts were you replying to?  

There is also a function titled "quote" which allows other readers to follow the conversation. Otherwise nobody knows what the heck you're talking about. 

Like I said earlier...think about the collective rather than just yourself. 

When my mother was would get angry with me when I was young to the point I would get it in my head she hated me, she would explain ''I might not always like you at times but I will never stop loving you''....Those are the best words to describe my feelings for my country. I may not always be happy with where my country is going but I'll never lose hope in it. No one can help build a better nation without taking some sort of pride in it. I think some countries judge people of other countries based on ignorant patriots, Which ruins it for the people who are patriots for the right reasons. Any time you attract zealots it casts a shadow over an entire group of people with like interests.

It is a real neat thing to be on a base during this time as you see families stop and face mecca...err the flag.
The parent does it because they are the indoctrined, the spouse does it because their brainwashed spouse does, and the kids do because they get hit otherwise.
Then you have the foreigner folks working at the bx running carts or whatnot that ignore the whole thing.

The kids in the vid did so because one of them did, if the one had not stopped, then they would have neither.
And we laugh at the muslims...
Well, I do, but I also laugh at the jews and the christians and the...Etc.

Sorry if anyone takes this the wrong way but the flag as well as the anthem are no longer mine. Both were stolen from all of us long ago! I refuse to honor either until they once again belong to the true patriotic peoples of America! Don't get me wrong, it 's just that TPTB now use them to rally on, therefore I can not.

I'm surprised no one has made this correlation yet;

Patriotism ---> Nationalism ---> Racism

reply to post by Ericthenewbie



Um, because;

Your post----> Hyperbole----> Fail.

Just my opinion, though.

reply to post by beezzer


I'm all for you being entitle to your opinion, as I'm entitled to my own opinion and we can easily agree to disagree. That being said, I don't think it's as far of a stretch as your post would have us believe.

By definition;

pa·tri·ot·ism   
noun
1.devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.
2.compare nationalism devotion to one's own country and concern for its defence.

na·tion·al·ism
noun
1.national spirit or aspirations.
2.devotion and loyalty to one's own nation; patriotism.
3.excessive patriotism; chauvinism.
4.the desire for national advancement or independence.
5.the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one's own nation, viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations.

rac·ism
noun
1.a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2.a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3.hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

reply to post by seabag


Humanity is a relative term. Each individual see's life in a different way. Different lives, different faces, different finger prints, different DNA.
We are all different. What bothers me seabag is that those that agree with your OP have different views of why they agree, those that oppose have the same view. I call that Brain washing, drinking the favorite Kool-Aid flavor of the month. Well hows the Hope and Changes working for them?

They equate a nation with a government, rather than a people, and that's where they go off the rails.

reply to post by nenothtu

There you go, hit the nail on the head. They bought into the hope and change and their is none. All a lie. So they will buy into the next myth. Communism, spreading out the wealth. Same for all, well mostly....ha ha ha, spreading the wealth will also be a relative term. Meaninig different things to different people. ha ha ha ha!!! They keep trying different Kool-Aid....its still Kool-Aid

True Hope and Change is what we do as individuals to effect our Country as we live in it

Originally posted by ajay59
Sorry if anyone takes this the wrong way but the flag as well as the anthem are no longer mine. Both were stolen from all of us long ago! I refuse to honor either until they once again belong to the true patriotic peoples of America! Don't get me wrong, it 's just that TPTB now use them to rally on, therefore I can not.

edit on 20-4-2012 by ajay59 because: (no reason given)

They will never again be your unless you first claim them, then seize them.

Nothing can ever be yours while you disavow it. You must first claim it, and disallow the usurper the claim on it.

You appear to be granting the usurper sole custody, without a whimper. You appear to have abandoned the field, in a route. In the game of "capture the flag", they have taken your flag, the hill, and everything, and sent you packing.

Originally posted by Ericthenewbie
I'm surprised no one has made this correlation yet;

Patriotism ---> Nationalism ---> Racism

That's because there is no correlation there. You can keep trying to link arrows and isms, but your attempt does not hold any water. It's leaky. Must be all those sharp arrows poking holes in it.

reply to post by Ericthenewbie


Since you put the words of your definitions there, I'm fairly sure you can also read as well as type. Since you can read, WHERE and HOW do you get the linkages you postulate out of all those disparate definitions?

I see no difference in what you have done there and an attempt to "prove" the president of Russia is a playtpus because both have hair as an element in their definition.

Originally posted by ajay59
Sorry if anyone takes this the wrong way but the flag as well as the anthem are no longer mine. Both were stolen from all of us long ago! I refuse to honor either until they once again belong to the true patriotic peoples of America! Don't get me wrong, it 's just that TPTB now use them to rally on, therefore I can not.

edit on 20-4-2012 by ajay59 because: (no reason given)

No I dont believe you. Idealism is what has failed you.
What you might consider is to sit where you live and look at the reality of the street you live on.
Look out the window. Close your mind at this point and observe.Its still the same. Kids still play in the street.

Challenge: go to a Communistic Country or a Socialistic Country. For me I only have to go to Mexico. There in the streets are many police, and Military. Shotgun or Machine gun toting guards guard the gas stations and banks.
Those people that are poor and with nothing. I mean nothing. The Philippines are the same way. Both Nations are Socialist.

I have been around the world, there are sights of beauty the drudge of poverty. Humanity aside, there is no place like home.

About poor little old Iran, what you have seen and heard about it, you dont know the half of it. Israel and the Palestinians, we only know what we see from fake news, go there, see for your self. Its not the promised land for nothing. Imagine all of the promise of America and the opportunity and wealth reduced to the size of what, Rhode Island. Get a grip. Get away from the ATS monitor and the TV. Go see a baseball game. Go fishing in some spectacular scenery. Unemployment aside, things are not so bad.

Qualification: I was the American Contractor small business owner. No Obama money or employment comp for me. near 3 yrs of not working, now I work 30 hours a week @$10.42 an hour and drive a 110mile round trip on a motorcycle 5 days a week to sleep at home.

Tell me about the DREAM. I still love my Country and would Die for her. Its my land that many have died for to give me

Duty Honor Country,,,in the grand spectrum Those are not bad values at all.