# Do you love your country? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 5, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864 "2015-02-05T03:41:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/21 "2015-02-05T12:21:55Z")
I love my country but I’ve spent time in other countries. I’m a slut. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2015, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/22 "2015-02-05T12:57:04Z")
I call two countries home. The United States is a country I find myself unfortunately disliking more and more. The other country…I am fond of it, but I’m sure the day will come when I will become disillusioned with it, too. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/23 "2015-02-05T13:04:40Z")
I love my country but am aware that this feeling would probably exist had I been rared anywhere else. It’s got its problems, as does every other nation state on the planet. I have no desire to live in another country (except Northern Ireland where much of my family hails from and sure it’s the same country anyway really 🙂 ) and I am not even that much into foreign travel any more. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/24 "2015-02-05T13:07:02Z")
I like my country, but it’s difficult to ignore the abuse. We are staying together for the kids. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/25 "2015-02-05T13:08:47Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > I’m Australian. I like my country a lot. If I had carte blanche of where to live in the world, and no other ties, it might or might not be the one I would end up picking, but it’s certainly high up on the list. > > I don’t think that qualifies as ‘love’ Pretty much this, but for America. The US is definitely better than many countries, but I don’t think that warrants the endless patriotism and flag-waving. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/26 "2015-02-05T13:20:03Z")
I’m pretty disappointed in my country and wish we were more like Holland or Canada. But I know my loyalty would still be with the United States in the event of attack. I don’t think I’d call it love, but it’s something. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/27 "2015-02-05T13:34:56Z")
“Love” is not the right word. More like “appreciate.” “Thankful for the opportunities,” too. It’s not just America–I just can’t imagine loving any country or physical location. Those concepts just don’t work for me. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/28 "2015-02-05T13:44:28Z")
When I was young and inexperienced I did. But over the years it became apparent that my country was really ambivalent about me. So the one-sided nature of our relationship was a strain. Then, one by one all its problems became apparent over time, and I fell out of love. I don’t know exactly when it happened, it was a gradual process I guess. There are things I will always like about it - the countryside, for example, but things I will always hold in mild contempt, like the culture. We are separated now, and I am happier. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2015, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/29 "2015-02-05T13:51:05Z")
Ask not whether you love your country, ask whether your country loves you. I guess I love that I can post something potentially negative about my country without expecting a knock on the door in the middle of the night. That’s about as far as I’ll go on that subject. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/30 "2015-02-05T13:52:50Z")
Don’t know why I would. There are things I like and things I don’t. Wasn’t my choice to be born here, what’s my motivation for love? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/31 "2015-02-05T13:54:45Z")
I like it okay. All my stuff is there! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/32 "2015-02-05T13:58:22Z")
Look, we all know the answer the OP is looking for. “Yes I love my country, but I love the USA even more!” > [@blackbolt\_1987](#): > > It’s not that easy to answer. I hate the International Bankers and their central banking scam that were all currently enslaved under. Yeah, but aren’t those bankers international? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/33 "2015-02-05T14:12:11Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Look, we all know the answer the OP is looking for. “Yes I love my country, but I love the USA even more!” Fuck that shit. I am not looking for any answer in particular, and there’s not a goddamn word in the Op to indicate otherwise. The only sorts of answers I want are thoughtful and honest ones. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/34 "2015-02-05T14:14:21Z")
Gratitude is a better word. I am grateful that I can live here, that I don’t have to live in India, that my parents brought me here, that I can make choices here as a woman I wouldn’t have available in India. But there are major problems with this country, too. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/35 "2015-02-05T14:15:35Z")
Yes, I care about it; its why I have such strong opinions about it. Honestly, if I didn’t give a damn about it, why would I be here, raise kids here, and spend time fighting against change-for-the-worse and for change-for-the-better? The people who only want money can buy and wave a flag; I live the flag. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/36 "2015-02-05T14:15:51Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > “Love” is not the right word. More like “appreciate.” “Thankful for the opportunities,” too. It’s not just America–I just can’t imagine loving any country or physical location. Those concepts just don’t work for me. Yeah, that. I love sentient things capable of understanding love; I don’t know what it would mean to “love” a location, object, or abstract concept. So strictly speaking my answer to your question is no. However, I think the United States and its people generally contain more good than bad; I am pleased to live here and believe in the principles on which the nation is theoretically based. If that’s more the spirit of your question, then yes. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/37 "2015-02-05T14:20:46Z")
There are things about America that I love and there are things I do not love. Overall, I like it very much. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/38 "2015-02-05T14:29:20Z")
Yes. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/39 "2015-02-05T14:38:30Z")
> [@blackbolt\_1987](#): > > It’s not that easy to answer. I hate the International Bankers and their central banking scam that were all currently enslaved under. Who are these “International Bankers”? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864/40 "2015-02-05T14:39:31Z")
To the OP, yep. Lots of flaws, but I love the US, and want to help make it even better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-love-your-country/711864.md?page=3)