Patriotism

[Huero]

idgi guys.

Why do I have to salute a flag?
Why do I have to stand and put my hat on my heart when they sing the Anthem?
Why do I have to burn a flag if it touches the ground?


Seriously, to me it just looks like stupid things I have to do because everyone else is doing it.

Would somebody mind explaining it?

[KiDD]

Because it's a great country, an awesome place to live. Doing those small things isn't that bad. And plus alot of americans aren't patriots. Most Obama fans actually. See, although obama is gonna be the new president, like him or hate him I have to support him because he is my president. The unpatriotic ones are the bush haters.

[Joshflighter]

Every morning I have to stay and look to the flag while "O Canada, our home and native land..." plays.. Its so annoying.

I think it has to do with people not forgetting that the country they are in isn't where they came from. Its Canada or in your case America. Heh, and it might have something to with loving the country? I dunno.

There is this Italian kid in my class who first made a joke that its against his religion to stay and stand up just for the flag. Its like an idol. So the school after much debate actually now allows him to sit down.

[Bodzilla]

Because it's a great country, an awesome place to live. Doing those small things isn't that bad. And plus alot of americans aren't patriots. Most Obama fans actually. See, although obama is gonna be the new president, like him or hate him I have to support him because he is my president. The unpatriotic ones are the bush haters.
your backwards in every way conceivable.

[MetKiller Joe]

idgi guys.

Why do I have to salute a flag?
Why do I have to stand and put my hat on my heart when they sing the Anthem?
Why do I have to burn a flag if it touches the ground?


Seriously, to me it just looks like stupid things I have to do because everyone else is doing it.

Would somebody mind explaining it?

You are seriously whining about saluting a flag when there is a guy/gal that won't hesitate to take a bullet to preserve your liberty?

[kenney001]

your backwards in every way conceivable.

no hes not

[klange]

Really? Damn, I thought all the people telling me to stop cussing were terrorists...

[teh lag]

Should you have to do any of that?

No.

Nobody should be able to force you to, and if you're really not happy with your country I can't blame you for not doing it. But if you're actually proud of what the flag stands for (which is another debate entirely, I might add), then it's just a decent thing to do.

[Bodzilla]

It's the exact same as the "i dont support the war, but i support the soldiers" argument.

Some people are so fucked up in the head that they cant process that. One extreme or the other.

[Sel]

Every morning I have to stay and look to the flag while "O Canada, our home and native land..." plays.. Its so annoying.

^

[Heathen]

Sounds religious, and thats for crazies.

[flibitijibibo]

Just a bunch of symbolism and tradition, really. It's a lot like religious practices... time for more Carlin youtubing.
9FKOVFyd3nc

[Limited]

Do you even know the the flag represents? I take it you dont, your just an uneducated fool.

Its a sign of respect, a sign of recognition, I dont agree with having to listen to national anthem everyday at school, seems excessive, but I can see why you do it.

Flags represent a country, they make it stand out, the strips are to do with the colonies and the stars the states. Every flag has a history.

A flag means ALOT more than just a few colours on a piece of cloth, its what it represents.

Your lucky you national anthem is actually good, a tad corny but it gets the message across, I cant stand the English anthem.

It does make me question the education of Americans, this guy doesnt even know why hes doing it, yet he is.

To me, if your doing it, not fully hearted, not understanding why you are doing it, theres no point whatsoever to do it.

I dont like people who are 'in your face' over patriotic, the ones that scream/shout USA over and over.

Why put your hand on your heart? Its just the way, its just like when you salute things.

Burning the flag if it hits the ground? It is a bit of a weird one, but when you think of it, it could be the fact your getting it dirty, or the fact its like your country has fallen (because a flag hits the ground in battle etc)

[flibitijibibo]

Your lucky you national anthem is actually good, a tad corny but it gets the message across, I cant stand the English anthem
...

Really? You think our anthem is good?

... Really?

But... it's a crappy march (almost) in Bb. Something best done by kids. Marches in general are just plain awful. Hell, Canada's is even a fanfare (again, almost). Honestly, I'd feel better about my anthem if it were the Team America theme.

I do understand the importance of the flag, though. I think the most important part about ours in particular is the changes we've made to it. It's like a visual amendment, a concept that, for the most part, allows our country to slowly suck less and less as each change is made.

[klange]

I vote we switch to a Rock Anthem.

[Limited]

The lyrics to the English is ridiculous, has a good ring to it, but the wording I cant stand. Everyone only knows the first verse to it lol.

I love the actual music to it, especially the first to sung lines.
English realy gets you pumped, we need it too lol bloody football results :(

F8ZlVj-5l5s
We can never get the timing down :P

_pC49AqKlgs
Why do you guys never sing???

[Rob Oplawar]

Why do I have to salute a flag?
Why do I have to stand and put my hat on my heart when they sing the Anthem?
Why do I have to burn a flag if it touches the ground?

Don't do it. The flag is a symbol of our country, and we display respect to it as a way of showing respect to our country. Some people have twisted it now to say that it's the flag that we should respect, regardless of what it stands for.

I'm proud of this country. I have respect for it. I enjoy the freedoms it stands for. I show my respect for the country in my own way, and that includes showing respect towards its symbol on occasion. But it pisses me off that people think it's the symbol that deserves the respect.

When I was of an age to be required to say the pledge of allegiance and salute a flag and all manner of things when I was a kid, it was kind of like saying the Lord's Prayer in church. I had no idea what it meant, I just did it because I was supposed to and because everybody else was doing it. Now that I'm old enough to know better, I know that that sort of blind obedience is exactly the sort of thing we don't need right now.

So I say again, don't salute the flag, don't put your hand over your heart when the anthem is sung, and go ahead and burn a flag even if it doesn't touch the ground. Send a message that you don't respect a flag just because its a flag. Let everyone know that you're not blindly obedient.
And when you're done sending that message, go ahead and show your respect for the country by saluting a flag, and this time know why you're doing it. The country does deserve our respect.

[Rentafence]

See, although obama is gonna be the new president, like him or hate him I have to support him because he is my president. The unpatriotic ones are the bush haters.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

A real patriot isn't someone who supports their leader no matter who he is. If anything they're the complete opposite. A real patriot defends what his country stands for.

[Sel]

We stand now vigorous and prosperous
Forever united by our peoples
Brothers within frontiers are we
Supping upon the bounty of our home

Strife shall be banished and freedom reign
Our women fertile as our seeping plains
Let not the heroic past be forgotten
But the glorious future stand

Harmony and peace shall reign
All invaders will be crushed
Crushed we sing now,
We shall drive the gypsy curse from our land

This is a real national anthem. Go Molvania 'A land untouched by modern Dentistry' :awesome:

[DaneO'Roo]

It's a round world people.

[Bodzilla]

Glorious insight there Dano.

Fine i'll elaborate.

Your missing the point Hicks message Dane, yes we are all one, where all connected to each other but that doesnt mean you cant have pride in the things your country stands for and not the country itself.
I'm proud to have free speech, democracy, freewill amongst other things and im proud that the country allows me to do this, but that doesnt make me think our country is better or others are inferior.
thats what real patriotism is about.

it's not a piece of cloth, a slogan or a land mass.

[DaneO'Roo]

I posted one part of what he said...

Also, you seem to have missed his message Bodie. Those things like democracy, freewill and speech, those should be a fucking given.

The world IS a round planet, and the fucking thought of freewill and democracy allready seperates us.

They should not be unique distinguishable and praisable qualities of a system of government. They should be a universal moral and physical law amongst people.


Your country doesn't give you those things, it merely deprives you of other things, making what you have seem so much more than what others have, which is totally fucking backwards. You don't have freedoms, you are missing many. Makes you feel that what you have really is special, when it really shouldn't be special at all. It shouldn't even have a name.

Be proud of your CULTURE, and all the things that are good in the world.

[Huero]

You are seriously whining about saluting a flag when there is a guy/gal that won't hesitate to take a bullet to preserve your liberty?

I'm not whining, I'm trying to stir discussion as well as answer questions I myself need answered.

[rossmum]

I absolutely love all three countries I have lived in and fuck anybody who thinks I shouldn't. I don't care if you're patriotic yourself or not, but I appreciate my lifestyle, my friends and the environment I live in and also my heritage.


NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

A real patriot isn't someone who supports their leader no matter who he is. If anything they're the complete opposite. A real patriot defends what his country stands for.
You own. This.

[Rob Oplawar]

.

[Huero]

so my dad says he'll disown me if I move to another country
i'm going to guess this isn't true patriotism :E

[Bodzilla]

I absolutely love all three countries I have lived in and fuck anybody who thinks I shouldn't. I don't care if you're patriotic yourself or not, but I appreciate my lifestyle, my friends and the environment I live in and also my heritage.


You own. This.
look what the cat dragged in.

welcome back Rossypoo.

[Kornman00]

idgi guys.

Why do I have to salute a flag?
Why do I have to stand and put my hat on my heart when they sing the Anthem?
Why do I have to burn a flag if it touches the ground?

Why do I have to salute every single mother fucking (warrent) officer that I come within 3 to 5 paces to? Because the military wants to hang on to some bullshit (http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/home.do) tradition. Hurf durf, he gets paid more than me, I have to salute him :downs:. Really, I wish the military would just get with the times. Save time, money and a lot of fucking drama.

Why dont people just remove everything when the anthem is sung? It's a fucking hat for crying out loud, should I be removing my glasses to?

Wait. You're suppose to burn it if it touches the ground :raise:? News to me :v

With that said, I could really careless for most "american symbolism", but hey, thats just me. And "Patriotism" in my mind is someone whose just brainwashed to believe in everything that the gov't does and says, no matter how far it goes. Brainwashingism.

[Pope]

Patriotism: It's relative

[jngrow]

Is there a difference between Patriotism and Nationalism? I though nationalism is "FUCK YOU COUNTRIES AREZ IS PWN" while, patriotism was just liking/respecting your own country. Or are they the same, and have I been tricked by propaganda to believe otherwise?

[Con]

rentafence couldn't have said it better

Your country has to do things you can be proud of, and you can't be patriotic because you're expected to.

[Huero]

Is there a difference between Patriotism and Nationalism? I though nationalism is "FUCK YOU COUNTRIES AREZ IS PWN" while, patriotism was just liking/respecting your own country. Or are they the same, and have I been tricked by propaganda to believe otherwise?

I'd say they're the same, but that's just me. I use them differently in context, however, with nationalism being severe patriotism.

[t3h m00kz]

I beat World at War and teared up a little at the end. Those Ruskies are deep, yo.

Does that make me patriotic?

[rossmum]

no, it makes you play terrible games

[KiDD]

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

A real patriot isn't someone who supports their leader no matter who he is. If anything they're the complete opposite. A real patriot defends what his country stands for.


Never though about it that way, but I will for now on. Good point.

[JunkfoodMan]

i dont salute dirt.
if i'm honest, i'm not a big fan of england. people can say what they want about it, and i'll most likely agree.
yeah it's a democracy, yeah we have more freedom than most people in the world etc etc but to be honest i dont feel the need to salute a flag. patriotism is linked to asshattery in most cases, so i dont tend to go near it.
ie. GAWD BLESS AMERIKUH.

[flibitijibibo]

I was talking to a friend-a mine about all this, and he told me he was doing research on the US National Anthem and discovered that the melody is based off an English drinking song.

I have so many urges to turn on my ignorant switch and go "lol America".

But instead, I'll just agree with JFM that shit like "GAWD BLESS AMURRICUH" is more annoying than it is meaningful.

[L0d3x]

Lol, in belgium nobody sings the anthom when going to school.
I guess we just don't love our country as much as y'all do yours!

[nooBBooze]

I'm patriotic only when I happen to watch a ballgame and just because I have no other choice than to root for nation x/city x/village x. I would love to cheer for randomly named but otherwise neutral teams but thats appearantly not how the leagues are organized.
Otherwise I think every major concentration of power is inherently corrupt and antihumanistic. Worshipping one is neither based on free choice nor on rational arguments and telling patriotism form religion is rather a question of semantics.
Dane made a pretty good point though. We should rather appreciate our culture and not the bureaucratical body that contains it.