Not really. I value my country and would be the first to volunteer if we went to war. The comment you quoted was an interesting visualization. What pisses me off is when people dont understand that my grandpa hates japanese people to this day. Having been in the war and having seen his best friends get murdered, and him get shot a couple times. Then these people have the audacity to say he is an asshole for not letting these things go. If those same people lived in his shoes when this shit went down, might give them a little perspective, especially from someone who fought for the privileged lifestyle they get to live.
I come from many generations of soldiers from the big wars...my father, my uncles..my grandfather.....etc...war vets don't always hate former enemies for a lifetime. People change and war changes people. I don't hate the Vietnamese today because I was in that war
Yeah, i got you. And you do have a point. I did try to join when i was graduating high school in the ROTC. They didnt want me. Since then, ive grown up, and knowing im the last child my parents have as my sibling died, they begged me not to enroll. So my comment may come off as brash, but i would go if we had a world war 3 that could infringe upon our freedoms
Good on you for doing that. That takes a lot of growth. He doesnt outwardly hate them in public. Just let the old man live his life and die with his prejudices if he wants to. He has earned that. Also, thanks for serving for us. I never knew that and it gives me some serious respect for you.
In a combat situation, there's not a lot of help for it, but it can matter in terms of how it informs our thinking. We generally think of the cost of war being "American lives and treasure," implying that if American lives aren't lost, and the financial costs aren't high, there isn't a problem. If we also factored in the lives being lost of non-Americans, it would often change the calculus considerably. I'm simply not convinced that being born on one side of a border versus the other fundamentally changes a person's value and I don't personally feel that nations should take that view either.
Patriot and patriotism are two of the scariest and most exclusionary words in the English language. In this country, if you don't profess to be a patriot, you have effectively declared yourself to be anti American. Just ask GW Bush. Patriotism is a cloak in which to wrap oneself in so as to avoid being held accountable for potentially immoral and unethical behaviors. It a propaganda term to shame those who aren't willing and/or able to stand up to the elitists who actually run this country and who want you to give your lives for the health of their personal bank accounts. I'd fight (ferociously) if this country was actually under attack, but I wouldn't be doing it for "America". I'd be doing it to protect my family and friends. Anyone who thinks WWII was a "good" or justifiable war needs to go back and really study history. Had greed not been seen as a virtue following WWI, devils like Hitler would never have gotten a foothold. You get what you are willing to pay for. Mankind is generally greedy and self centered and always has been. I'm not sure if behaviorally we as a civilization today are better or worse than those who came before us. I tend to think it's just more a matter of there being more us these days, with far too damn many outlets with which to voice our anger, angst and selfishness. It just magnifies what has always been a problem.....
This isn't the same America that our grandfathers fought for back in dubya dubya two. Our government is significantly worse.
WWII was absolutely justifiable, and as I've studied a decent bit of history, I'm happy to discuss further where I won't hijack a thread. To the earlier points, we've been in a war for nigh 15 years now. 2.7M Americans have deployed overseas (0.83% of the population). About half of them more than once, in large part since <1% of the population is going.
This American has little to say in this thread, from what I have read, I have a minority opinion on this subject. Yes I am an American and quite patriotic about it. Sorry to see, I maybe alone.
I am living the dream here in Beautiful Central Oregon. Most people in my life have been or are exceptionally good people. Karma has been very good to me. Don't let the little shit ruin your day, or your life.
Most people in the US (at least in the major cities) are selfish scum. Being in the boonies in Oregon, you're surrounded by nice people, therefore you have a better perception of Americans.
>>> Yes sir! Very nice people. I have been in all but one state, worked in a most of them. I do have a feel of where to be. I did make this choice. However, I failed to notice how liberal this state became in my absence. I don't think I would make the same choice over again, but it really is not much of an effect because of being surrounded with nice people from around the country and other parts of the world.
You talking to me? I don't have any desire to move elsewhere. You are the one that hates our government, not me. barfo
Yep, talking to you. So by your measure, this is the best country. You got it right even though you said it wrong the first time. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
