Could you give an example of something you think would destroy America?
For example I could define destroying America as “making the US unsupportable for human life” and give give the example of “nuclear war with China” as an easy answer that would be hard to argue against. But what is the “mildest” definition of “Destroying America” that you would support, and could you give some example(s) that you think would cause it.
I have been hearing so much gunk about America being “destroyed” ever since the 1960s, and I’m sure it went on before that. I generally give short shrift to that sort of emotionalism regardless of political stripe, which means I adhere to the traditionalist view of “destroy,” meaning lasers and bombs and such.
America is destroyed when a certain percentile of Americans feel they have been effectively disenfranchised. While it is impossible to know this number, it is fair to say every nation has a number. One can say of the USA, “its number is coming up”. Others might suggest it already has. For me, it’s not worth worrying about. I have too many other things on my mind…
I define it as when ignorance and superstition are allowed footholds in governmental and educational institutions. No, of course America hasn’t been destroyed, but I believe the foundation is certainly being laid to hasten its decrepitude.
Yeah, that, except I’d drop the “officially.” Any substantial discontinuity in our system of government would count for me, including, but not limited to, establishment of a government that failed to adhere to the Constitution even if continuing to pay lip service to it.
Does this mean that even if the living standard of everyone in America increased, and the US was still the dominant super power, but the government failed to adhere to the constitution. You’d consider America destroyed?
Isn’t that like saying that a person of one religion that converted to another “died”, even if he was happier and physically healthier afterwards?
Yes, but only if it happened as I outlined – through a substantial discontinuity of government. If the provisions for change in the current constitution are followed to establish a new form of government, no destruction. Also, I don’t rule out the possibility that America could be destroyed and replaced with something better, which is, I think, what you’re hinting at.
This analogy suggests that you view “America” as nothing more than a body of people. If we were through force to become a body of people ruled by a benevolent dictator, even if happier and healthier, would that still be America?
How about amending the constitution? It can be done according to the constitution. What if there was a new amendment that was legally made, which said that “If it can be proven beyond reasonable doubt that the government by chosing to not adhere to the constitution, can increase the well being of all Americans, it may chose to do so if 2/3 of both houses will vote in favor of it.”
Or something like that.
Also, “being something else” isn’t the same as “being destroyed”.
I did not intend it to suggest that and it is not my view. In fact, I am really not trying to suggest anything (that I am aware of), other than perhaps that people may want to stop from time to time and think about what they say. And think about what they think. Which I am sure you would say you think is a good idea.
What is the standard for “proven”? I’d say global warming is as close to proven as can be and there are a helluva lot of people denying it anyway. I’d say conservative economics have been proven beyond a doubt to be a catastrophe. A helluva lot of people believe in it anyway. I’d say evolution is as proven as can be and yet a helluva lot of people deny it anyway. Makes a mockery of “reasonable doubt”.
And then tossing out the Constitution? That pretty much removes the foundation of the country and makes it…I dunno…something else but not this country.
Would you give up Free Speech if we could improve the well being (whatever that means) of Americans by 0.5% on average? Everyone is better off so meets the criteria.
If people get worse off the following year do we get the Constitution back or do they only need to do it once to shred the Constitution?
Personally, I like to think of “destroying America” in a good way. You know, as in, “Peter North really destroys Jenna Haze in that scene,” or, "Try this shit man, it will get you fucking destroyed!"
The U.S. is destroyed when it waste its resources in the military establishement. The deficit is the worst menace of the U.S. survival as a world power.
Yes. Since 1789, France has been through five monarchies, five republics and a period of Fascist rule/foreign occupation. Yet through it all, France remains France, the same national culture and civilization. And America under a different system would be America. Put it this way, the United States is one thing, and America is another (just as the USSR was one thing and Russia is another); a nation is not immortal, but it is usually much longer-lived than any particular constitution or political order.
