Blind patriotism (among other things) has destroyed America

[Ardent15]

Americans who have never been outside their own fucking county proclaim this nation, which is not the freest, does not have the best education system, does not have the best health care or job market or economy,and is certainly not the most hospitable to equality, to be the "greatest nation ever."

Moronic anthems and flag-waving have convinced enough Americans that everything's fine. But everything is not fine, and it's wrecking this nation.

Patriotism is even more powerful than religion because it crosses across all lines in America.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. But chanting "We're Number 27! We're Number 27!" just isn't that much fun.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Don't let religion - especially fundamentalism off the hook.

I see it as a poisonous stew of the blind patriotism you mention, the rabid politics and fear dressed as religion, combined with a right wing paid for (and extremely lazy and $$$ only focused) media, and a good dose of greed, apathy and intellectual laziness.

(did I just describe GWB and SP as poster children of this???)

[applegrove]

3. But if you get people to vote on patriotism you can get them to vote against their

own economic best interest.

[babylonsister]

4. Gadzooks!

Are there dumb Americans? You betcha!

But don't put down the fact that smart Americans also love their country.

And I'm done with anyone fear-mongering, like you are attempting to do. :boring:

You're throwing shit on the wall and hoping something will stick. :boring: :boring:

[Ardent15]

5. We love our country, but we want it to be better

That's what separates us from dumb Americans (who seem to be the majority).

I love this country too, which is why it hurt me to write that post.

[babylonsister]

7. Baloney. You wanted to get a rise. You claim you're 'hurt'? Pshaw! nt

[Ardent15]

9. If I wanted to get a rise, I could be far more provocative

But since you apparently can see into my soul and tell me how I feel, than I suppose this conversation is useless.

[babylonsister]

12. You claim America has been destroyed. That's not provacative?

Peace. I'm done with you.

[Go2Peace]

15. um, in the last 3 years we have dropped from 15th to 27th in health care

our infrastructure is decaying, or industries are uncompetitive, we are in danger of total collapse and are spared mostly because the world can't afford to let us go down, you know, like the banks??

I don't know how old you are, but compared to 30 years ago we *have* been practically "destroyed".

So what is your point and what does it have to do with efforts to turn it around? If we do manage to turn the ship around, but don't replace the leaking hull (the idiot principles and ideologies that got us here), then we will still sink. Trying to resurrect the old "we are the chosen" myths will not get us where we need to move to. We got lucky for a while, but we need to "grow up" and leave behind that crap.

[laughingliberal]

19. +1 nt

[TransitJohn]

10. Yes, there is a big difference between patriotism and jingoism. n/t

n/t

[Subdivisions]

13. Those of us who were warning our fellow DUers of this impending

financial crisis two years ago, while our government and media were glossing things over, were called names too. I know because I was one of them. You yourself accused us of fear mongering. Since then, $2 Trillion of middle class wealth has evaporated and millions upon millions are out of work. Millions are losing, or lost, their homes.

And guess what? More hurt is on the way as a second wave of an even more severe mortgage crisis bears down on us. Commercial real estate is tanking. Credit is still all but frozen. More jobs and homes will be lost. More wealth will vanish.

But, hey! It was fear mongering then so I guess it's fear mongering now. So, nevermind.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[asdjrocky]

16. Wow.

Sensitive or something? You know, I didn't here him say a word about the President, so I think you can put the claws back in now.

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

6. it is the liberals fault

if you feed them, they will reproduce, you have to work to pay taxes to feed them, so you do not watch over them, then the preacher steps in to lead them, and he tells them that Jesus said vote republican. makes me feel like the old lady with a house of 200 or more cats.:sarcasm:

[Xipe Totec]

8. Atavism is not patriotism

I prefer to call them flag waving morons.

[mitchum]

11. I think "jingoism" is more accurate

[paulsby]

17. many, who recognize that we are far from perfect

also believe we are the greatest nation around.

i do.

with all our faults, etc.

i love my frigging country, and i say that as somebody who LOVES france, costa rica, canada, mexico, etc. and has traveled the world.

your entire argument fails because you state a falsehood right from the get go. we have not BEEN destroyed. so, nothing can said to have "destroyed" us whether it's "blind patriotism" or the illuminati, because we haven't been destroyed.

[Go2Peace]

18. It has destroyed "the idea" and the lifestyle.

How old are you? If you were old enough to know the difference you could honestly say that a lot has been "destroyed" in the quality of life. This country is quite different than it was 30 years ago.

Being able to work an honest 40 hours and live a modest but middle class life? "Destroyed"

Retirement at an age when you can still enjoy a new pursuit, like the previous generations did? Pretty much destroyed for most.

If you have traveled so much, are you really being honest to say this is (at this time, not the memory) the greatest country? Not the land, but the system and nation as a whole? Really? The "Greatest"?

Naw, we have some fixing to do before we can make that claim. A country who can't even provide universal health care is in no way living up to that claim.

You have been other places. Most of those countries don't pressure each other or feel like they have to believe some illusion that their country "is the best". They just don't think that way. Instead they think in terms of how they can improve and progress.

You see, if you always think your "are the best", it is hard to see where you might be "better".

[Betty Karlson]

20. It's a civil religion

With the president as the high priest,
The white house as the temple,
The oval office as the inner sanctum,
And the pledge of allegiance as an anthem.

[indepat]

21. Has not any modicum of patriotism present been overwhelmed by a deluge of mindless

and shrill nationalism? :P

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. "Patriotism is the most foolish of passions, and the passion of fools." Schopenhauer