Ireland has never thrived on division, ever. Every aspect of our history will demosnstrate that.
How patriotic are you?
- Thread starter itsxpaperdoll
- Start date
Ireland has never thrived on division, ever. Every aspect of our history will demosnstrate that.
palabravampiress
Bidet of Evil
Wow. This is an interesting topic.
In many ways, I am proud to be an American. I am proud to be part of the incredibly gutsy and idealistic nation that literally changed the world when it broke away from monarchy and introduced democracy to the modern era. Reading the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Common Sense, and other documents from the revolutionary era really stirs my patriotic feelings. Participating in the government by voting, writing to elected officials, and protesting does so, as well. Americans are right to be proud. Over the course of a few hundred years, people from disparate backgrounds banded together along ideological lines and formed a nation that can match just about any other in terms of historical significance, art, education, technology and just about any other measure of a successful civilization. *We* did that -- not a handful of powerful royal families or war lords. By participating in our government, we continue to do that.
In other ways, I am deeply ashamed of my country. If one is proud of the fact that the citizenry are the stewards of one's nation and proud of the civilization that the citizenry created, then one must also take equal and personal responsibility for the mistakes that the citizenry made. My country committed genocide on a massive, cross-continental scale. It enslaved generations. It incarcerated its own innocent citizens in internment camps. It created and deployed the deadliest weapon of mass destruction yet seen on the face of this planet. It engineered and supported puppet governments in supposedly sovereign nations. Most recently, it stood by and swallowed the lies of a tyrannical president who led us into an interminable and unjust war at the cost of thousands of lives. For so young a country, we certainly have made our share of mistakes. As a citizen, I blame myself for my part in the most recent mistakes and try to learn from past mistakes so as to prevent them during my watch.
Another part of me is ambivalent to both the pros and the cons of being an American. It was the luck of the draw that I was born here. My ancestors didn't forge ahead as part of this great experiment. No; my ancestors came over on the Queen Mary in the early part of the last century. I even met most of them when I was a kid. On the other side, my ancestors were Native Americans who cut their losses and assimilated. I realize that I have not personally contributed much to the world. I can't feel to proud or too guilty about things that happen on a national or even global scale because I am, like the majority of people in the world, just trying to live my own life the best way I know how. In some ways, a lot of this stuff seems like it must be up to chance. I can't take the weight of the world (or just the nation) onto my shoulders and, quite frankly, I wouldn't want the responsibility if it was offered to me.
I guess I'm probably slightly above average on the patriotism scale. I educated myself with regard to my nation's history and politics, participate fairly regularly in my duties as a citizen, and take a fair amount of responsibility for the actions of my country, but I also acknowledge my own insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
In many ways, I am proud to be an American. I am proud to be part of the incredibly gutsy and idealistic nation that literally changed the world when it broke away from monarchy and introduced democracy to the modern era. Reading the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Common Sense, and other documents from the revolutionary era really stirs my patriotic feelings. Participating in the government by voting, writing to elected officials, and protesting does so, as well. Americans are right to be proud. Over the course of a few hundred years, people from disparate backgrounds banded together along ideological lines and formed a nation that can match just about any other in terms of historical significance, art, education, technology and just about any other measure of a successful civilization. *We* did that -- not a handful of powerful royal families or war lords. By participating in our government, we continue to do that.
In other ways, I am deeply ashamed of my country. If one is proud of the fact that the citizenry are the stewards of one's nation and proud of the civilization that the citizenry created, then one must also take equal and personal responsibility for the mistakes that the citizenry made. My country committed genocide on a massive, cross-continental scale. It enslaved generations. It incarcerated its own innocent citizens in internment camps. It created and deployed the deadliest weapon of mass destruction yet seen on the face of this planet. It engineered and supported puppet governments in supposedly sovereign nations. Most recently, it stood by and swallowed the lies of a tyrannical president who led us into an interminable and unjust war at the cost of thousands of lives. For so young a country, we certainly have made our share of mistakes. As a citizen, I blame myself for my part in the most recent mistakes and try to learn from past mistakes so as to prevent them during my watch.
Another part of me is ambivalent to both the pros and the cons of being an American. It was the luck of the draw that I was born here. My ancestors didn't forge ahead as part of this great experiment. No; my ancestors came over on the Queen Mary in the early part of the last century. I even met most of them when I was a kid. On the other side, my ancestors were Native Americans who cut their losses and assimilated. I realize that I have not personally contributed much to the world. I can't feel to proud or too guilty about things that happen on a national or even global scale because I am, like the majority of people in the world, just trying to live my own life the best way I know how. In some ways, a lot of this stuff seems like it must be up to chance. I can't take the weight of the world (or just the nation) onto my shoulders and, quite frankly, I wouldn't want the responsibility if it was offered to me.
I guess I'm probably slightly above average on the patriotism scale. I educated myself with regard to my nation's history and politics, participate fairly regularly in my duties as a citizen, and take a fair amount of responsibility for the actions of my country, but I also acknowledge my own insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
fly on the wall
you have but-face.
My first instinct is to say 'moderately patriotic.' Somewhere in between "RAH RAH AMERICA!!" and "God, this place sucks."
So, being my first instinct and all, I'm gonna stick with it. 🙂
So, being my first instinct and all, I'm gonna stick with it. 🙂
L
Lemon
I'm totally with you on that!
i love being Scottish!! any hassle from anybody , you know someones always got your back and will smash them over the head with a Irn bru bottle. i've lived with loads of English people although i won't say anything bad about them ..it was terrible . Differently breed. much love x
Lemon
Potential
Sometimes I love living in America but a lot of the time I wish to live somewhere else. Like it would be great to live in Russia with the other half of my family, but America is pretty awesome. But I do have dreams to live in so many places...I would like to experience it all.
E
Edmund Blackadder
Oh my, you're a commie!!!