And those criteria are . . . ?
Um, yes. :rolleyes:
Exactly. Given the history of this nation, patriotism right now shows you approve of the current regime rather than the previous one, and that’s worth celebrating IMO even if one doesn’t always like the current personalities in charge.
I apologise if talking about someone other than America is derailing the thread; I had hoped that you guys might be interested in the sociological implications of patriotism in other countries as well.
Ah, the triumph of the uninformed self-righteous!
Nobody said anything about refraining about countries other than America. But Curtis isn’t the only one with a hobbyhorse. We have a wooden cavalry ready to charge on the merest pretext of Amero-centrism.
The derailment is complete. Anyone who wanted to talk about whether patriotism is a meaningless ritual will have to find some other thread. All we’re going to get are screeds about bones in noses and Americans who can’t find any other countries on maps.
I don’t sing it, both for political reasons as well as religious ones. But I know all the words, and the words to Die Stem too. Nah, I’m definitely not apolitical nor cynical, I’m actually very politically active, and a political idealist. But my politics are anarchist, so celebrating the nation-state doesn’t sit well with me. But I’ve got nothing against others doing it - hell, my wife will have those mirror-socks on her car as soon as she’s back in the country (as soon as we can find some cheaper than R120 - talk about a rip-off!)
So’s PsyXe, if the World Cup flag comment is anything to go by. And I’m unpatriotic in spite of my country’s history - after all, my side won! I should be as flag-waving as any successful revolutionary.
I’m not really sure what you’re talking about here; I can only assume there’s a history involving this topic that I don’t know about. I promise I wasn’t trying to be snarky about America - after all, this is a Chicago-based message board. I was just trying to offer an alternative perspective on the topic, which was, I believe, whether people stand for the national anthem etc. etc.
So: Do you stand for the national anthem?
I think it’s in reference to the recent Pit thread about making everything all about America.
Being a herd animal, I’ll stand when everyone else stands, sit when everyone else sits, just like in church. But that’s it. No singing, no melodramatic bowing of the head, removal of hat, crossing of heart. Bare minimum. As I am not religious yet want to get by in a church, I am not patriotic and yet want to get by at the baseball game, or whatever. Both God and Country aren’t what they used to be, nor am I.
How detailed do you want me to be? I have problems explaining things at length (I ramble without structure) but I’m prepared to do it, if you’re prepared to ask the questions
More detailed is better, I suppose. I’m prepared to ask follow up questions, but I’m afraid you’ve got to start the ball rolling, since I have no idea what kind of criteria you referred to.
To me it has never been a meaningless ritual. I love my country and feel very blessed to have been born here and to our founding fathers and Vets that fought to keep it free. I get a good feeling during the national anthem.
Without Patriotism we would not be the United States of America. I don’t understand the correlation of Patriotism and religion? Isn’t patriotism pride in country? I have it because I feel very grateful to have been born here and appreciative of my freedom.
If we stop caring about that we won’t be free for long.
Is this about my comment? It’s because our National Anthem is a (Christian) hymn.
Oh, for Petes sake. So we need to change the wording to the hymn to suit the atheists? I’m all for it because it is about love of country and is just asking for Gods blessing of our country not that we must believe in God.
Instead of 'God Bless America" we can call it, “We Love America”. I think it is a beautiful hymn that should be preserved in some form.
A. The whole nine yards.
We stand for “O Canada” at the RBC Center.
We interrupt this thread for this breaking news story:
I think Snowboarder Bo covered it, but it’s the anthem that has no name, not [del]America, Fuck Yeah![/del] The Star-Spangled Banner
I stand up but just to stay out of fights. I did the pledge once, mostly but left out parts and that was when I was inducted into the Army.
I never participate in either if I can help it. Nationalism is not a sentiment I’ve ever really been able to feel or understand.
Not that that’s the hymn I was referring to, but yeah, if you want to be consistent with your own governing documents, you do, “ceremonial deism” be damned.
It’s clearly not your ox being gored, is it?
…and what a lovely anthem that would be. Although if I were in charge, Guthrie’s little ditty, in its original form, would be my first pick.
How about just a little bit of detail, then?
Thanks! Did you get my PM about the joys of mirror socks?
Anyway, IMO, nationalism is an ugly, ugly thing especially if it’s mixed up with race. However, in a multi-racial society a certain type of patriotism that tries to instil the feeling that we’re all in this together, that whatever colour we are we’re all proud citizens of one country, can be a positive force. I think that’s true for South Africa if we just do it right, and it might possibly be true for the US as well (not that I know enough about the US to be making pronouncements).