It doesn’t help that it’s hard to find a key that is within most people’s range. The best I can pull of is G, but that low G is pretty low at the beginning.
Did I mention I love to sing?
Well, the whole hand on the heart thing isn’t done here, but I do stand and sing. I also have a flag in my window (I put it up for Independence Day three years ago, and forgot to take it down; at this point, removing it would be making a point I’m not interested in making).
The only time I ever hear the anthem live is at sporting events (which before this year were always Baltimore Orioles or recently, Washington Nationals), and I usually stand with my hand on my heart and sing along, as does the rest of the crowd. I attended a White Sox game here in Chicago and no one was putting their hand on their heart or singing, so I just stood.
Patriotism is important to me. I believe in the ideals of this country. I believe in uniting people from vastly different backgrounds and cultures under the American flag. Like olivesmarch4th, I am proud of the beauty of the country and I’m also proud of its rich cultural heritage. (I’m somewhat involved in the folk music scene which always makes me feel very patriotic.) I don’t like the pledge of allegiance because I would rather not pledge allegiance to the government, nor do I think we are a nation under God (even though I believe in one God myself).
I am American. Thought **Ivan **was, too.
I stand, don’t put my hand over my heart, haven’t said the pledge in years.
This, love our country, don’t put my hand over my heart (never even heard of that until recently, but do remove my hat. I sing along with the national anthem, even, just not the hand over the heart. Pledge of Allegiance squicks me out a bit, though. Smacks too much of McCarthyism.
I’ll remove my hat, and be respectful, but nothing else. I’m not into flag fetishism (which is distinct from patriotism).
I guess I look at the concept of national pride very differently. While I did happen to be born here by my own good fortune, I do believe this country is something I have helped to accomplish. I am not a separate entity from the place I was born; I have been shaped by it and I have shaped it myself. I have felt a sense of responsibility for the people and the systems that make this place run. I have paid taxes and formed relationships and refrained from throwing garbage out the window. My part may be small – infinitesimal, even – but I take some degree of ownership for this place I live, ergo, I have no qualms about being proud of it. To imply that it’s silly to be proud of your country to me implies passive existence rather than active participation.
I do not think, Kyla, you are a passive member of society. In fact, I know that, like me, you have a passion for policy. What you have done is spend two years busting your ass for a degree because, probably even more than the average person, you are willing to take ownership for the society in which you live. And just as much as you may feel a sense of responsibility for this country’s flaws (I don’t know about you, but I certainly do), you have the right to feel proud of its achievements. Because–and this is the key–you have helped to build your country.
And really that’s what patriotism is about – the recognition that for hundreds of years, people have felt the same responsibility and taken the same ownership and felt the same pride in their contribution and that’s how collective effort can create amazing things.
Entirely depends upon the country. Some countries, such as mine, have an awful lot to be proud of.
I can’t see why anyone would be a patriotic Uruguayan, for example.
I don’t do the pledge. No how, no way.
But I do stand for the anthem, hand over heart, etc. I think it’s nice to sing along. There’s nothing objectionable in it and I find it moving. I also love “America the Beautiful” and know all the verses, but you can keep “God Bless America”, thanks.
And while I agree with this, I also want to point out that the feeling can be the same, no matter the country. Comments like this:
make me slightly mad. And heck, I’m not from Uruguay, anywhere close, nor know anybody close to me from there.
Like I said before, the things mentioned in the poll are not what I would consider “patriotism”, and I dislike that it is interpreted in such a superficial, ritualistic way.
It’s a meaningless ritual but I participate out of respect, except for the hand on heart bit.
Personally, I’ve always felt the American treatment of the national anthem - bringing in some American Idol also-ran to sing it - makes it an even less meaningless ritual.
Get a band, play the tune, and let the people sing the fucking thing. That’s how it’s done.
I guess I’m just more cynical and pessimistic than you are, olives. I don’t think that anything I’ve personally done has had any effect on our country at all, and that even with the fancy schmancy degree I’ll probably never even get (I still have to take two classes and right now people are not making this easy for me; did I mention I was pessimistic?) I doubt that will change.
Is there a point you are making in there somewhere?
They didn’t do it for me or anyone else alive now. The vast majority of those who “fought for our freedom” did it because they were forced to, or had nothing better to be doing.
I first read “Ugandan.” And I thought that in some ways it’s true that they haven’t had the best history, what with a murdering dictator and all, but I still thought it was kinda a dick comment.
Now that I know it says Uruguay, wtf? It’s kind of like picking on Canada I guess. They could be proud of being the nicest, least corrupt, most peaceful country in South America. Of having an affluent and highly educated population. Of gaining independence after fighting off Spain and Brazil. They had a short period of military rule, but it was cast off through peaceful protest and minimal bloodshed.
I wasn’t picking on Uruguay, there’s nothing wrong with Uruguay, there’s just not anything there to really be proud of.
I’m going to get a list of countries from Wikipedia and list the ones I think are worth being proud of
Right, here’s my list. I don’t know what the numbers signify, they were just part of the list and it would be a hassle to remove them:
Argentina 6
Australia 33
Brazil 10
Chile 8
China 54
Egypt 4
Estonia 2
France 91
Germany 89
Ghana 2
Greece 10
Hong Kong 6
India 32
Iran 18
Israel 7
Italy 57
Japan 73
Korea 59
Latvia 4
Lebanon 1
Luxemburg 1
Nepal 1
Netherlands 16
New Zealand 8
Nigeria 7
Pakistan 17
Panama 1
Peru 2
Poland 12
Republic of Ireland 11
Russia 42
Singapore 3
South Africa 21
Spain 69
Sweden 27
Switzerland 11
Thailand 20
Turkey 16
United Kingdom 74
United States of America 638
Yugoslavia 1
That’s (checks which forum this is in…damn…toning things down accordingly) not correct on several levels. Without the sacrifices of those guys you so casually dismiss, you’d probably be speaking German today…or wondering if the German Empire was going to sail over from France to invade your country.
That list of countries was incomplete, it turns out.
Please also add:
Bhutan
Botswana
Ethiopia