If you people hate america so much why don't you leave ?

i haven't gone clubbing in years, too old. i did babysit some friends once fairly recently when they went out, though.

my point is that it's weak to just complain and piss and moan, then never do a fucking thing about it. stand and fight! tkae your coutry back. or if your ethics and beliefs require you go somewhere else, go! but the bitching and moaning with no follow through is tiresome.

 

We were all poor in my family. I was poor, my parents were poor, the maid was poor, the butler was poor. We didn't even have enough money to fix the Rolls Royce.

 

Racism is universal. I remember doing a gig with my band at a black establishment. There was a dance room and another room where the bar was. We were in the room with the bar and played for a couple hours. The crowd was all black and not a single member came into the room we were in. My band was an equal mix of black and white players, but because some were white, no one came into our room. We played to an empty room.

Mind you, we were in the bar room. You know how much people want their drinks, and yet no one came in. They stayed in the other room with the jukebox. As soon as we finished, the people started coming into the room. Also, we were doing the gig as a benefit for a young black woman who died in an accident, which made the whole situation seem even worse. I used to think racism was only a white problem until this experience.

 

I completely agree and couldn't have said this better myself!

I'm not so sure. I think that there are many who are satisfied simply with being able to provide for their own needs and being entertained. As long as no one is "rocking their boat," they're satisfied with the status-quo. Don't get me wrong. I realize that you can't take life too seriously, but at the same time, you need to keep abreast of what is going on around you. There are also others who don't believe it is their duty to get involved in community endeavors. Many others have become addicted to the notion that government can provide for all peoples' needs. Still others have the idea that because their parents or other relatives did something a certain way, it was the only proper way to do things. What these people need to understand is that they cannot afford to be lazy, need to understand that government is rarely-if ever the solution to societal problems and that just because our forebearers (parents, relatives, teachers, et.al.) did something a certain way does not necessarily mean that it was right. We need to understand what's really going on and educate ourselves as to what the best solution is.

Well, if you define patriotism as what I'll call 'icon worship' (i.e. a haughty admiration for the flag, national anthem, pledge of allegiance, etc.) as well as the idea of nationalistic pride (idea of national superiority-"My country-right or wrong!") then you have a valid point. Not to say that I think you shouldn't own, carry or fly a flag, sing "The Star Spangled Banner" or whatever, but I think that things need to be taken in great moderation. (Presonally, I think that playing the national anthem before every sports event has become a perversion. Furthermore, I question the idea of having a national anthem to begin with-But that's another story!)

Again, my definition of patriotism involves dedication to the community with which one is a part of. In the case of America, part of this involves supporting one's constitution.

FTR, while I may not have always agreed with you, I admire and respect your articulation and intelligence.

 

Many of the politicians in DC don't even understand the Constitution. Recall the mixed-up situation right after Reagan got shot and the confusion over who was in power. Some of the policiticians were on the news talk shows trying to straighten it out and made even more mistakes trying to explain it.

 

awwww...does somebody need a cookie?

 

check mate