Patriotism
I saw this quote at Fred Bieling's blog, one of my favorites. Fred is very interesting to me because he is in the military- but for the most part,progressive. (Maybe a tad libertarian?) There seems to be this pervasive black-white thinking in many of the things I read. And yet, we are not readily categorized into good or evil, hippie or wingnut, liberal or conservative, right or wrong. Most of the time issues, like us, have many shades of gray.
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.”
- Mark Twain
12 comments:
Patriotism is like a NASCAR race on a nice sunny day. And sometimes, the government acts like a three car pile up on an inside turn.
I think one important thing about America that makes us different is that patriotism can have different meanings for different people and only propagandists say otherwise.
ironic that people telling others what to think are not really getting it.
Good one.
Purple, that's the color, a little Red, a little Blue...
Anyone who sees the world in black or white must be color blind.
Excellent point. I can't actually say I've met a single person who is completely right or left. Most of us are definitely a blend of ideologies.
Putting people in boxes is often fun, but pointless. I don’t recall ever meeting an normal sane person who could be classified by any simple description.
As to patriotism, where I come from it is considered to be the last resort of the scoundrel.
Nice quote. Goes well with James Baldwin's:
"I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."
Relation of Alec Baldwin? LOL
i am not too big on patriotism. It is too close to nationalism for me.
Very interesting, podvizhnik.
There is no real incentive for the parties to answer to us. And they won't.
"the only possibility I see for a viable mass party lies in the fusion of politics with religion. (Alex, I'll take "Islamism" for $200!)"
That would not be representing the people either unless the people were all of the same religion and dissent was suppressed.
Instead of answering to special interests, politicians would answer to theocratic leaders. That would not help.
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