American patriotism

[navarre]

I have yet to see a programme, movie or street in America that does not have the Stars and Stripes in it. The Americans have every right to be patriotic, but I think this is a bit ridiculous. American schoolchildren, regardless of nationality, are brought up to think that America is the greatest country in the world. Patriotism is all well and good (I'm sorta half patriotic myself), but don't you think this is a bit out of hand?

[Daft]

Nation is an outdated social construct. Patriotism is a symptom.

[Paj!]

When I was in Florida in December/January, I like stopped in shock in SeaWorld when the national anthem started playing, and everyone like stood still with their hands on their hearts.

 

Realistically get over it. The US and China are two of the most annoying countires in the world in terms of politics. (to me)

[navarre]

When I was in Florida in December/January, I like stopped in shock in SeaWorld when the national anthem started playing, and everyone like stood still with their hands on their hearts.

 

Realistically get over it. The US and China are two of the most annoying countires in the world in terms of politics. (to me)

 

 

I really don't see why Americans are so proud. The climate and landscape is nothing special, the economy is failing, and their past is full of fuck-ups.

[MoogleViper]

Love is blind.

[Gizmo]

Patriotism is often an arbitrary veneration of real estate above principles.

George Jean Nathan (1882 - 1958)

[Shino]

I'm kind of patriotic, I'm proud of my country's history and achievements but the kind of stuff they have over there is basically brain washing.

[Ramar]

I wish this country would have bit more bloody patriotism.

[martinist]

موت إلى أمريكا باسم إلهة!!!

[navarre]

I wish this country would have bit more bloody patriotism.

 

I second that notion. You'll have a tough time finding over 2 Union Jacks in London.

[Jonnas]

I'm kind of patriotic, I'm proud of my country's history and achievements but the kind of stuff they have over there is basically brain washing.

 

Exactly.

I love my country. I'm proud of the good things in its past and present, and I can easily admit the faults and bad things ot has/had.

 

But the patriotism in the US is...disturbing. They are raised to believe their country and its leaders are/were godly.

[spirited away]

I don't mind that we're not openly patriotic all the time as a nation. I like it at big sporting events, when we're brought together and prove we're proud of our queen and country.

[Demuwan]

I wish this country would have bit more bloody patriotism.

 

I don't see anything wrong with being proud of your heritage, either.

[martinist]

I wish this country would have bit more bloody patriotism.

 

We have empire day.

[Aimless]

I wish this country would have bit more bloody patriotism.

I don't.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think the UK is a really nice place to live; I don't hate my country. However, patriotism in its traditional forms strike me as rather... well, un-British. I'm quite proud of my nationality, but making a big song and dance about it is doing a disservice to what it means to be British, I think.

[Charlie]

I wish this country would have bit more bloody patriotism.

 

Scotland as a whole are very patriotic, it's the media in England which makes all you guys unpatriotic. With the media slagging the PM, the national teams all the time who would want to be patriotic?

 

I don't mind that we're not openly patriotic all the time as a nation. I like it at big sporting events, when we're brought together and prove we're proud of our queen and country.

 

Like booing your team off at half-time when you aren't playing well? Hmm. When England lost to Croatia and therefore didn't qualify for Euro 2008 they were booed. The Scotland team got a standing ovation from the crowd after they lost to Italy and didn't qualify.

[The fish]

I like this country, overall, but I like it for what it stands for, not because it's the UK.

 

I like Canada, New Zealand, and most of the rest of Europe (not Switzerland, amongst others) just as much as the UK on principles, if not more.

[scubahood]

Scotland as a whole are very patriotic, it's the media in England which makes all you guys unpatriotic. With the media slagging the PM, the national teams all the time who would want to be patriotic?

 

 

 

Like booing your team off at half-time when you aren't playing well? Hmm. When England lost to Croatia and therefore didn't qualify for Euro 2008 they were booed. The Scotland team got a standing ovation from the crowd after they lost to Italy and didn't qualify.

 

Thats because Scotland are used to not qualifying. In all seriousness I generally find it impossible to feel even remotely patrotic in my opinion this country is going more and more downhill by the day.

[Raining_again]

I second that notion. You'll have a tough time finding over 2 Union Jacks in London.

 

Come over to Northern Ireland and you'll be sick of looking at them all the time.

 

And that's not a good thing.

[spirited away]

 

Like booing your team off at half-time when you aren't playing well? Hmm. When England lost to Croatia and therefore didn't qualify for Euro 2008 they were booed. The Scotland team got a standing ovation from the crowd after they lost to Italy and didn't qualify.

 

Well it's still football...

[navarre]

Scotland as a whole are very patriotic, it's the media in England which makes all you guys unpatriotic. With the media slagging the PM, the national teams all the time who would want to be patriotic?

 

 

 

Like booing your team off at half-time when you aren't playing well? Hmm. When England lost to Croatia and therefore didn't qualify for Euro 2008 they were booed. The Scotland team got a standing ovation from the crowd after they lost to Italy and didn't qualify.

 

I know. And Wales is. Isn't it funny how the biggest, almost defining country of the United Kingdom has the least patriots? Thats just not cricket, eh commander?

[Monopolyman]

I wish this country would have bit more bloody patriotism.

 

Really? From my experience, the British are amongst the most patrioic in the world. In some ways, it sort of distorts our country, in a political sense.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Like booing your team off at half-time when you aren't playing well? Hmm. When England lost to Croatia and therefore didn't qualify for Euro 2008 they were booed. The Scotland team got a standing ovation from the crowd after they lost to Italy and didn't qualify.

 

I see your point, but it's not entirely a fair one. The England team were expected to at least get past Croatia, given the squad that they had. What the fans didn't expect was their team to go 2-0 in the first half, then come back to a 2-2 qualifying position, and to balls it all up by losing it just minutes later.

 

With Scotland, they performed much better than anyone thought they did, and they were giving a great account of themselves. The real reason that Scotland got the ovation was because of the effort, hardwork and determination that the players put in, to at least give themselves a shout at qualifying. Something which England lacked.

 

But, you are right, the fans are supposed to encourage the players. But, the players are also there to entertain the crowd, and to win. Or, at least try to play.

 

Back to the topic at hand: There are so many good things about America, I think you'll have to be pretty blind not to see that. Whilst over the last 10 or so years they have been responsible for various 'fuck ups', they are responsible for so much more.

 

They've had a great influence in Film, Music, the Internet, a whole lot more. In school, we had to learn the Welsh national anthem in assembly, but why on Earth should that be a crime? It's your country, you should at least be proud of it and acknowledge it in some way, like your heritage. It shouldn't be a bad thing to be proud of where you're from.

 

Now, playing the National Anthem at SeaWorld or something, and having to stand and attend to it, it probably is going a bit far. But, do you HAVE to stand and salute to it? What happens if you don't?

 

But, where exactly does the line end? When can it be too much? Maybe nobody has the balance quite right yet.

[triforcemario]

Patriotism is why I hate every single Roland Emmerich movie.

[Ramar]

I don't.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think the UK is a really nice place to live; I don't hate my country. However, patriotism in its traditional forms strike me as rather... well, un-British. I'm quite proud of my nationality, but making a big song and dance about it is doing a disservice to what it means to be British, I think.

 

Care to explain because I find your post rather confusing.

 

Are you implying that being proud of Britain is un-British. Because that doesn't make much sense for a country that was once proud to fly its flag and sing Rule Britannia.