by Xena 107 Replies latest jw friends
I think Prisca can make snide comments and these are not welcome but she is entitled to her opinion about how she see's American displays of patriotism.
What I was trying to get across is that we should debate the topics and issues and not get into personal insults.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggghhhhhhttttt....
As I read Prisca's comments, she was saying what her impression was based on her experience:
I find American patriotism to be excessive and very blinded. I haven't seen such "my-country-right-or-wrong" type attitudes anywhere else to the level that Americans celebrate their love for their country. It's not to say other countries, whether in Europe, Asia, Australia or Africa, are not nationalistic, but I'd have to say I don't see such blinded ignorant patriotism as expressed by the Americans.
However, I can see how it could be viewed as being generalising. Surely though, most of our comments are generalising to some degree ... whether you live in or out of America and have met 5, 500 or 5,000 Americans the actual "sample size" is so small that it's statistically insignificant.
You could ask 50,000 Americans a question and it wouldn't mean you could speak for everyone.
To Prisca: I have noticed a prepensity you have for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to wind people up ... I hope you can refrain from doing this.
email: if you have any sort if intelligent point to make then you need to make it more clearly I'm afraid.
If you disagree with anything in that statement then I'd be interested to hear specifically what and why.
To Prisca: I have noticed a prepensity you have for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to wind people up ... I hope you can refrain from doing this.
IMO Prisca has never refrained from saying anything she wishes to say. She says thing that hurt and then gets mad when people say things back to her.
Shari,
I hope that you did realise that I was actually condemning those comments earlier?
Englishman.
Englishman, yes I did, I only stated your name because I borrowed the quote from your post. I'm sorry that I didn't make that clear. Please forgive me.
America is very colorful place just like the shades in the rainbow. My ancestry is native american, spaniard, with a drop of french.
I wish you can all come and visit america. I invite you all to come and see stay a while. One region is so very different from another. We have a mix of culture within our culture. Not to mention ideas within ideas. New Yorkers are very different than Georgians we sound different we look different but we are still americans.
So naturally we divide politically It's normal it gives us a sense of freedom and variety it's an interesting mix it's how we express our individuality so we're never dull.
Our climate is different from one region to another. I recommend the caribean islands the waters are warm in blue & green beautifully tropical. I know many foreigners who've come to visit and never want to leave.
I hope that your notions on who you think we are can be swayed. I hope you all come around and see us in a different lite. It's time to win the peace.
To Prisca: I have noticed a prepensity you have for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to wind people up ... I hope you can refrain from doing this.
This is an example of what I was talking about. Her "opinion" was insulting to many the way she communicated it and you merely "hope she can refrain from doing this" but if I, or others voice our "opinion" about what she said you threaten to ban us?
It seems that certain people can voice their opinion in any manner they wish but when others have a problem and then voice theirs in response- THEY are out of line.
This doesn't make sense and it is totally inequitable to the posters on this board. Well, except for a few.
XW
Do the Euorpeans on here consider themselves patriotic and how do they display this? How do they view the US attitudes toward patriotism?
to get back to the topic, the way i see it here in britain is that patriotism is something that happens on a national level, rather than an individual level. i mean, here in britain, we have things like troopping the colour, and state opening of parliment, edinburg tatoo etc with all the pomp and circumstance. we see history of a great empirial nation all around us in things like castles, museums, and all that sort of thing. whereas in america there doesnt seem to be much of that, so it seems that it has to be made up in other ways, and on more of an individual basis.
another aspect of it would be the history of how the working class have been treated in britain of hundreds of years and their lack of benifit from the empire, which has more or less created apathy, even resentment towards patriotism. combining that with continental europeans reality of the manipulation of patriotism as experienced through 2 wars, it's easy to see why some would view some americans patriotism as over the top, when those americans wouldnt see much wrong with it.
it's all about how others see americans, which americans could never see about themselves.
another aspect of it would be the history of how the working class have been treated in britain of hundreds of years and their lack of benifit from the empire, which has more or less created apathy, even resentment towards patriotism
That is very interesting. We have classes, however, they are only limited by your income. Look at any poor kid who made good and you see our perception.
In many countries in Europe, class distinction exists. Kings, Queens, Earls, Dukes, Sirs, etc. (Besides the Kennedy's we don't have royalty--) America has tax brackets. The higher your income, the more doors will open.
My thought is that if I can create the best widget in the world I will be better off (wealthy), be able to afford a better home in a better neighborhood and provide a future (education) for my children. This may be true in the UK, however, you still have a Queen and families who pass a title down, generation to generation.
We, as Americans, do take this open class system for granted. We are taught at an early age (even JW kids) that American history is like no other country. We fought for freedom and assume everyone wants freedom and equality.
No, America is not perfect. No country is. Everyone knows and accepts this.
I have no problem being an American. Would I prefer to be British? Only if I were in line for the kingdom.
