Dont it kinda get on your nerves how nobody seems to give a shit, and then when somthing happens, the whole country gets all fired-up patriotic? These people wouldnt give a damn about the US, but let somthing happen and they act like they want to be the first to invate some terrorist camp. This just gets on my nerves…I see people that get patriotic only on 4th of july all the time…sorta reminds me of the person who only goes to church on Easter and calls themself a christian…LET THE FLAMING BEGIN.
It’s called being comfortable. They are comfortable in their lives, happy to be American, even if they don’t show it on an everyday basis. I served 4 years in the US Air Force. I served on my base’s Honor Guard performing funeral details, color guards, etc. I don’t own a flag. I don’t make a big deal about the 4th of July. But I take great offense to anyone saying I’m not patriotic when they know nothing about me.
apparently they DO give a damn about the US, or else they wouldn’t have gotten all fired up when something happened to their country huh?
I love my family. Although I’m within 20 mintues driving time from my entire immediate family, I don’t visit them everyday, I don’t call them up to chat every day, I don’t tell them I love them every day. But if something were to happen - you just watch and see how riled I get. And at that time, don’t dare say I didn’t give a damn about it before just because I didn’t sing it from the rooftops on a regular basis.
Yeah, stupid patriots celebrating the country’s independence. Buncha jerks. Why aren’t they waving flags on Arbor Day or going to parades for Yom Kippur? Maybe because on non-holidays they have to work and have bills to pay and families to take care of and are a bit pre-occupied the rest of the year.
Hi, jackass! I call myself a Christian and I NEVER go to church. I don’t go on Christmas, I don’t go on Easter, I don’t go EVER. I don’t belong to any specific branch of Christianity. I have no legally recognized church to go to. I still believe though. Going to church does not make one a Christian. Being a Christian is in your beliefs and actions in your life, the least of those actions is which building you spend Sunday mornings in.
Let the flaming begin? Allrighty then…
Justin, would you care to sit on the grill or shall a spit over an open fire be more appropriate for you?
Sorry about his wording. I do not mean to imply Yom Kippur is a non-holiday. Or Arbor Day either for that matter, for all the tree lovers out there.
PERHAPS I SHOULD MAKE MYSELF A LITTLE MORE CLEAR.
I know people who literaly dont give a damn about the US (and they will tell you if you ask them) BUT, when a disaster happens (like last week) All of the sudden they become the most patriotic people around (at least until all the excitement dies down.) And talk about how bad they want to go fight (when 2 weeks ago they said they would go to canada if the draft ever came back)
This same group of people also call themselves Chiristians, even though i have heard them say “F*** God” many times. Several are users of illegal drugs, but, when if you ever talk about babtism, they will be the first to shout "Hey, Ive been saved! Have you? (even though the only time you will find them in church is at a funeral)
My question is, do you know any people like this, and if so, does it piss you off?
Backpedal much?
No no no, he just has a specific set of people in mind, but can’t describe them explicitly and clearly. I get it. yeah, that’s the ticket.
Lemme guess, Justin, that these people are, oh, teenagers? Because a lot of people go through periods like that when in their teens. They’ll probably grow out of it.
(condescending enough? 
)
Well I got the point. It’s called fair-weather-fan syndrome. People who never owned a flag until last week are now looking down their noses at a person who has worn out all of their flags and doesn’t have one to fly.
My question to all of those who went out and bought flags is: How long before you get tired of it, and this whole thing has blown over, and you take your flag down?
::re-reading the OP and the “CLARIFICATION”::
Nope, no mention of people looking down on other people for lack of patriotism, just a rant about the suddenly patriotic who want to go fight and psuedo-Christians, which morphed from a general rant (“the whole country gets all fired-up patriotic”) to a rant about a specific group of people the poster knows and with whom has interacted.
Nothing against you, Dale, but I just don’t see what you read into the OP, based on the words of the OP and the subseqent CLARIFICATION (sorry, but I love how the first sentence there is in all caps as if that helps to clarify things). Just thought I’d make my view on this known before he latches on to your sentiment to justify his back-pedalling further.
To me the OP is against sudden patriotism and makes no mention of sudden patriotic snobbiness.
Why do you assume that people don’t genuinely change in response to catastrophe? Why assume people are always stuck being or thinking one way all their lives, immune to what happens around them?
So maybe some folks ARE just cloaking themselves in sudden patriotism out of fear, shock, herd mentality, whatever. That doesn’t mean their reactions are faked, or even unworthy. Being jolted by catastrophe can cause reexamination. Some may change course for good, some may revert back and some may carry the baggage further along the road.
People aren’t static; they change in infinitely variable rates and ways. Even if some “fake nouveau patriots” cool after the initial shock, it still happened. They processed it their own way. Why assume humans change any other way but through confusion and mixed motivations?
Veb
Who wonders about her own heart and mind
Dammit, Veb, take your sympathy and thoughtfullness someplace else. I want to dump on the teenager some more and, thanks to you, I can’t. (fake :mad: )
I find the situation to be remarkably similar to that of the average extended American family. Amongst themselves, they bicker, bitch, moan, backstab and occasionally engage in fisticuffs.
But let somone from OUTSIDE the family attack even one member and the clan unites in defense. Allegiance to the family is declared and the communal show of solidarity commences.
I don’t think there are many “part-time patriots”. Most Americans, born here or naturalized, are proud of their country every day of the year. But when provoked, we are not ashamed to show our spirit by showing our colors or displaying Old Glory.
Strange? No. Just a way for each American to say “I’m with you”.
I never thought I’d have to say this out loud but…oh, hell, cut loose and express yourself, drop!
::horselaughs::
Scalpels, sledgehammerers…whatever (combination) works.
Veb, you rock!
(From one who feels she has been jolted our of complacency and forced to re-examine her life and goals in the aftermath of Black Tuesday.)