# Are We an Occupied Country? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 11, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369 "2017-05-11T16:30:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/21 "2017-05-12T01:02:34Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Tell your friend that drugs are bad. > > Regards, > Shodan Tell your friend that despite what he thinks, claiming he’s a sovereign citizen will just get him tazed sooner rather than later. IOW, my take is that if he wanted to make the argument that it _feels_ like we’re occupied by Russia, that’s one thing, but saying that he ‘considers us to be occupied’ is Sovereign Citizen mentality. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/22 "2017-05-12T01:03:32Z")
I just assume the friend doesn’t know the right word. I admit, I don’t, either. Another country who opposes us is pulling a whole lot of strings. We are a very troubled country. And I have to distract myself when I think about it, because I know that, at this point, there’s nothing I personally can do, and it does no good to worry when you can’t do anything. Well, I pray. But I know how Dopers feel about that. Joey: that’s just silly. We are much closer to an occupied country than we are to any of a Sovereign Citizen’s claims being true. Our government is corrupt and Russia is pulling a lot of strings. The fringe color of the flag, on the other hand, has never mattered. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/23 "2017-05-12T01:06:14Z")
_The Americans_, season 27. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/24 "2017-05-12T01:26:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I just assume the friend doesn’t know the right word. I admit, I don’t, either. Another country who opposes us is pulling a whole lot of strings. We are a very troubled country. puppet master? talking head? > [@](#): > > Joey: that’s just silly. We are much closer to an occupied country than we are to any of a Sovereign Citizen’s claims being true. Our government is corrupt and Russia is pulling a lot of strings. The fringe color of the flag, on the other hand, has never mattered. What’s just silly? That saying that the united states is occupied by russia has about as much merit as a sovereign citizen has when they say just about anything. I know I don’t follow politics that closely, but the president having some ties to russia is a pretty far cry from russia actually running the country. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/25 "2017-05-12T01:30:33Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Please fondle my buttocks. > > Regards, > Shodan Sure. Pay me airfare and three hundred bucks and I’m there for you, no worries. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/26 "2017-05-12T01:50:46Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Sure. Pay me airfare and three hundred bucks and I’m there for you, no worries. Make him shave, first. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/27 "2017-05-12T01:58:38Z")
Is that the voice of experience? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/28 "2017-05-12T13:11:50Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Tell your friend that despite what he thinks, claiming he’s a sovereign citizen will just get him tazed sooner rather than later. No, if he were a sovereign citizen he would repel the evil invaders by repeating “lack of joinder!” and pointing out that there is no gold fringe on the Russki flag. Also, [Wolverines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dawn)! Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/29 "2017-05-12T14:31:07Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Tell your friend that drugs are bad. > > Regards, > Shodan Or at least whichever ones he’s taking. Time to get a new ‘connection.’ ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/30 "2017-05-12T14:54:13Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > In Soviet America, Russians occupy YOU! > > A _bit_ of a stretch? yes, a [bit of a stretch](https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/4/41521/856111-107506_108430_mr_fantastic_super.jpg). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/31 "2017-05-12T17:29:14Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I thought we had always been friends with Uranus. You never even bothered to get me drunk first, ya bastid! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/32 "2017-05-13T22:36:18Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I rather think not, but just in case we are, you may want to commit this phrase to memory: > > Я, например, приветствую наши российские повелитель. Should that not be «повелители»? With a «новые» thrown in there for good measure? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/33 "2017-05-13T23:14:19Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Should that not be «повелители»? With a «новые» thrown in there for good measure? Guys, we found him! Get the rope! ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/34 "2017-05-13T23:17:41Z")
> [@XT](#): > > You only say that because Putin looks so cute topless riding his horse. 😛 Bear. [https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-bed1d7db38896608fbd8873b46afd648-c](https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-bed1d7db38896608fbd8873b46afd648-c) ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/35 "2017-05-13T23:53:46Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > At most we are a Russian Puppet, but even that is a bit of a stretch. If Putin were actually pulling the strings on all US politics through Trump - and not only what’s of benefit for both - then I would feel a bit better, because, as terrible an autocrat as Putin is, at least he’s rational. Yes, he started a war with Ukraine and occupied the Krim - but because he considered them low-hanging fruit (and he tries his best to use Russia Today and his hackers to influence all Western elections to disrupt the EU). But I don’t think Putin is insane enough or lacking in control to wake up one morning, get angry over Twitter, and start bombing North Korea. Which is at least likely with Trump. > [@](#): > > Most likely we are just a garden variety Democratic Republic that like many other such countries have elected a leader mired in corruption who is in a quid pro quo relationship with a foreign government. Sorry, Nope. You’re the last on all scales for democratic modern countries. You’re like on a 5th grade level when everybody else is already either a junior or senior in High School. It’s not just the blatant corruption (after the not-very-secret corruption under Bushes). It’s that your system has so many broken parts plus a large part of your population stopped accepting facts or compromise, wanting only a “strong man”. In other words, some important meta-values necessary for democracy are gone for years now (starting with Fox news for example) and since politicans profit from it, I don’t see how there will be a reform. Another thing lacking for decades is a Good Free Press. Yes, on paper your press is free. But in reality, the concentration into a few mega-companies makes them dependant on ad money, meaning they no longer work as watchdogs for democracy and help the citizen by doing real journalism, instead, they only create clickbait (and the fear-mongering helps the populists in turn). Add to that the layoffs when ad revenue shrunk, plus that terrible idea of “balanced airtime” instead of “finding out the truth and reporting on that”. And on top there is the blatant disenfranchisment of the voters, through jerrymandering, through voting fees (for non-national, non-fake proof IDs), registering, voting on week-days instead of weekends… all to make it hard for poor people to vote. You’re close to the Roman Republic, (often stated by your people as ideal) in that everything is crumbling; and similar to how the Romans didn’t tolerate people who called themselves King, but didn’t have problems with unrestricted power in Emperors, so your people have no problems with autocracy as long as the dog-catcher and sheriff and school board is elected (to make sure non-experts, but people with agendas, can choose school books, or that the person tasked with enforcing the law is bound to be polite to the powerful to get re-elected). “It couldn’t happen here” indeed. It’s hard reading the first chapter because of how little of the attitudes have changed in certain regions. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/36 "2017-05-13T23:57:57Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > You never even bothered to get me drunk first, ya bastid! 😃 Does my username spell Bill Cosby? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/37 "2017-05-14T00:11:29Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Guys, we found him! Get the rope! What, for pointing out that he used a plural adjective on a singular noun? Fuck, correcting grammar is derigger on this site. I mean, 至少我還沒學中文 ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/38 "2017-05-14T00:12:57Z")
To answer the OP: nope, we’re not occupied. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/39 "2017-05-14T00:30:47Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > What, for pointing out that he used a plural adjective on a singular noun? Fuck, correcting grammar is derigger on this site. I mean, 至少我還沒學中文 Keep pretending to fit in Russian spy. We’re onto you! 当然你没学中文，因为你一定是俄国的间谍。 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369/40 "2017-05-14T01:10:26Z")
Actually, we _are_ occupied; not just now, please, come back when we have finished this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-an-occupied-country/786369.md?page=3)