( OFF THE SUBJECT- whatever was making me ill has passed. John reminded me that I have had several episodes just like that that do not become another illness. We think it is part of what I already have. I seem to recall reading somewhere that it is. I felt really bad Friday and not so clever yesterday but today I seem alright again. More pain than usual. Weird.)
I do not understand patriotism. Thankfully I was not indoctrinated that way. I do know that is why if I dare to say anything critical of the USA (even though I made criticisms of our own, and also made it clear I am well aware that not all Americans are the same and did not generalise), people take it personally, don't rea dclearly, and don;t think clearly and rush off a defenisve comment with unfoudned accustations. Don't do that. You are only proving to some that Americans are exactly the way they view them. I would not like that to be so because I know that not all Americans think alike just the same as we over here do not.
Disagreeing with things your government does or what your fellow countrymen allow is not a personal attack on you although from what I understand of the indoctrination that gives rise to suhc ardent patriotism, it is not surprising as that is how youa re programmed. It is how you can accept the unaccpetbale becaus eyou have been told since you were knee high that to dissent is unpatriotic and being unpatritoc is evil.
(AND YES I DO KNOW THAT MANY MANY MANY AMERICANS ESCAPED THIS WAY OF THINKING, SO NO NEED TO TELL ME! JUST THE SAME AS I KNOW THAT NOT ALL BRITISH PEOPLE SPEAK LIKE THE QUEEN, TAKE AFTERNOON TEA OR ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE RACIST SKINHEADS WHO TATTO SWASTIKAS ON THEMSELVES! AND NOT ALL FRENCH PEOPLE EXCHEW BATHING! PLEASE TRY AND READ WIH AN OPEN MIND. COMMENT AS YOU WILL BUT I WILL CENSOR ABUSE.)
I do not understand patriotism. Thankfully I was not indoctrinated that way. I do know that is why if I dare to say anything critical of the USA (even though I made criticisms of our own, and also made it clear I am well aware that not all Americans are the same and did not generalise), people take it personally, don't rea dclearly, and don;t think clearly and rush off a defenisve comment with unfoudned accustations. Don't do that. You are only proving to some that Americans are exactly the way they view them. I would not like that to be so because I know that not all Americans think alike just the same as we over here do not.
Disagreeing with things your government does or what your fellow countrymen allow is not a personal attack on you although from what I understand of the indoctrination that gives rise to suhc ardent patriotism, it is not surprising as that is how youa re programmed. It is how you can accept the unaccpetbale becaus eyou have been told since you were knee high that to dissent is unpatriotic and being unpatritoc is evil.
(AND YES I DO KNOW THAT MANY MANY MANY AMERICANS ESCAPED THIS WAY OF THINKING, SO NO NEED TO TELL ME! JUST THE SAME AS I KNOW THAT NOT ALL BRITISH PEOPLE SPEAK LIKE THE QUEEN, TAKE AFTERNOON TEA OR ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE RACIST SKINHEADS WHO TATTO SWASTIKAS ON THEMSELVES! AND NOT ALL FRENCH PEOPLE EXCHEW BATHING! PLEASE TRY AND READ WIH AN OPEN MIND. COMMENT AS YOU WILL BUT I WILL CENSOR ABUSE.)
4 comments:
Go, Colin. Of course a great many people have "selective vision" when reading something they don't like. And, often, these very same people are quite quick to criticize other people, countries, religions, beliefs and feeligns.
I will simply say, "Colin, I could not agree with you more. I often shudder to think of the picture of our selves we present to the rest of the world. Thank you for known we are not all like that!"
And to Iris--exactly! I've found the most ignorant and willfully uninformed are also the most likely to spout the "my country right nor wrong" rhetoric.
I've never understood that mind set either. I was raised to believe that if one really cared for their country that they would raise Cain when it was doing something wrong and work to correct it.
I suspect it must be easier to wave a flag and go into a knee-jerk reaction. Thinking requires more effort.
I agree with what Nan said and that is what I would define patriotism as. The other attitude that passes as patriotism is not-it is stupidity. That is what Bush could not understand. Under his regime one could not disagree with his attitude. Remember the Dixie Chicks? When I disagreed with him one time someone said to me, "Why don't you move to Canada?" Well I wanted to know why they thought Canada would want me! Now former Bush supporters are consistently criticizing Obama. They also don't understand that I can support many of the things he does, but not everything. Blind obedience is not patriotism-it is just blind obedience. People need to understand the difference. It also doesn't mean that I think the US is the only country worth anything. Everyone should be proud of their country or help make the change that will make them proud-which is why I did my best to get Bush out of office!! Melinda Allen
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