Originally posted by StarrmanI'll have a helping of Patriot Pie, if you please.
And you're a moron. There's no reason in the world for you to have any ability to intelligently defend patriotism. None.
Maybe someone else could answer the original question without getting petulant because they're incapable of defending something they feel so strongly about. Anyone?
Originally posted by StarrmanWhy are you getting so upset and insulting me when I am in complete agreement with you? You became instantly angry when I went along with you having no reason to take pride in England or feel any loyalty towards it.
And you're a moron. There's no reason in the world for you to have any ability to intelligently defend patriotism. None.
Maybe someone else could answer the original question without getting petulant because they're incapable of defending something they feel so strongly about. Anyone?
What made you begin calling me names when all I did was say you're right? Did I strike a nerve in your totally unpatriotic mind?
Originally posted by ivan2908"America is the greatest, freest, and most decent society in existence," writes Dinesh D'Souza. "American life as it is lived today [is] the best life that our world has to offer." There are those who hate it, or at least essential elements of it, from radical Islamists to the likes of Patrick Buchanan (on the right) and Jesse Jackson (on the left). But they are wrong to hate it, and D'Souza grapples with all of them in this engaging and compelling volume. D'Souza is the author of provocative books such as Illiberal Education and The End of Racism, plus the appreciative Ronald Reagan. This may be his most personal book, with parts written in the first person as the India-born D'Souza describes his encounter with the United States, first as an immigrant and now as a citizen. Foreign authors such as Alexis de Tocqueville and Gunnar Myrdal have offered some of the most penetrating assessments of America, and D'Souza clearly shares in this noble tradition. "I am constantly surprised by how much I hear racism talked about and how little I actually see it," he writes. What's So Great About America is also vintage D'Souza, full of feisty arguments and sharp humor. He is perhaps better at explaining why America's critics are wrong than explaining why America's celebrants are right, but he's very good at both. Written in the months following the September 11 terrorist strikes, this book should find a large and receptive audience.
I just watched some clips on you tube, with a normal, apolitycal song talking about freedom and there they were, dozen of USA people commenting "Thank you God that we don't have these problems", "God bless america, I sure appreciate freedom we have here" like it is only society in XXI. century without repressive system. (is it ?)
Excuse my ignorance (thi ...[text shortened]... ove it to debate spanky, I know. But on general forum I see nothing but debates anyway.
Originally posted by Sam The ShamYou're not in complete agreement; Starmann's argument is that there is no reason for anyone, including you, to be proud of the place where they happened to be born.
Why are you getting so upset and insulting me when I am in complete agreement with you? You became instantly angry when I went along with you having no reason to take pride in England or feel any loyalty towards it.
What made you begin calling me names when all I did was say you're right? Did I strike a nerve in your totally unpatriotic mind?
Obviously.
Schmuck.
Originally posted by Sam The ShamOh I don't know, probably because anyone here can see your last couple of posts are disingenous and merely designed to distract from the fact that your are incapable of defending patriotism.
Why are you getting so upset and insulting me when I am in complete agreement with you? You became instantly angry when I went along with you having no reason to take pride in England or feel any loyalty towards it.
What made you begin calling me names when all I did was say you're right? Did I strike a nerve in your totally unpatriotic mind?
Perhaps you'd like me to lay it out in more simple terms for you. Some people feel proud of their country, even if I do not, why should anyone feel as such?
Originally posted by StarrmanDisingenuous? Hardly. I was merely pointing out through demonstration that even an advanced person like yourself, who claims to be "above" patriotism and too smart to fall for such a synthetic construct would get all riled up when their homeland and people are criticized as not being worthy of it.
Oh I don't know, probably because anyone here can see your last couple of posts are disingenous and merely designed to distract from the fact that your are incapable of defending patriotism.
Perhaps you'd like me to lay it out in more simple terms for you. Some people feel proud of their country, even if I do not, why should anyone feel as such?
And you fell for it hook line and sinker and became immediately abusive when I gave you no offense at all. Like it or not, it's obvious that you do have some sort of feelings for England after all.
It's very simple:
Self proclaimed "patriots" may be persons who feel that they have done nothing with their own hands or efforts which is fulfilling and provides a sense of self-worth; such persons maybe go and embraces, well, a legal fiction which gives that person the feeling of belonging to something "greater", e.g. nation-state, a football team, etc.
To be proud is a noble feeling, when kept in proportion, and when its source is a product of one's talent or efforts, e.g. a degree, a book, planting and caring for a tree or a son, recovering from a crippling accident, performing a civic act beyond one's duties, etc.
In my experience, those who are very vocal about their "patriotism" are in most of cases scared, insecure monoculturalists, or trailer park trash.
Now, a whole different thing is to appreciate and enjoy one's cultural expressions such as music, the artisan's typical clothing, paintings, etc.
Originally posted by daniel58I guess that settles it then.
"America is the greatest, freest, and most decent society in existence," writes Dinesh D'Souza. "American life as it is lived today [is] the best life that our world has to offer." There are those who hate it, or at least essential elements of it, from radical Islamists to the likes of Patrick Buchanan (on the right) and Jesse Jackson (on the left). But the ...[text shortened]... mber 11 terrorist strikes, this book should find a large and receptive audience.
Originally posted by daniel58Doesn't the bible list pride as one of the seven sins?
"America is the greatest, freest, and most decent society in existence," writes Dinesh D'Souza. "American life as it is lived today [is] the best life that our world has to offer." There are those who hate it, or at least essential elements of it, from radical Islamists to the likes of Patrick Buchanan (on the right) and Jesse Jackson (on the left). But the ...[text shortened]... mber 11 terrorist strikes, this book should find a large and receptive audience.
Originally posted by Sam The ShamApart from the fact that I loathe you and your racist bigotry as a general precursor to any discussion we might have, I was getting riled by your inability to answer a question I had posed several times. I could care less whether you insult the country I live in or what you wrongly presume to be a sense of national pride. I could live in the UK, America, Swaziland, the moon, whatever. It makes no difference whatsoever. But your right, I should waste no energy on getting annoyed by you, you're not worth it.
Disingenuous? Hardly. I was merely pointing out through demonstration that even an advanced person like yourself, who claims to be "above" patriotism and too smart to fall for such a synthetic construct would get all riled up when their homeland and people are criticized as not being worthy of it.
And you fell for it hook line and sinker and became imm ...[text shortened]... l. Like it or not, it's obvious that you do have some sort of feelings for England after all.
So, for the 4th time now, can you defend patriotism, or are you going to play round the mulberry bush some more, to deflect from your inability to do so?