Am I a patriot?
Dec 9th, 2009, 10:31 AM
#41
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 10,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Patriotism strikes me as a bizarre concept. A very outmoded one at that.
Yes I love England, yes I support the national teams..
A patriot?
The government is a bunch of arses, and I can't say I'd go to war if they demanded it, them or the next lot.
I will by certain British products over foreign ones, if I prefer them (Cadburys....mmmm), but not on priniple.
I'm not sure if I know what patriotism means.
Stuffing Johnny foreigner for one's own self interest?
Yes I love England, yes I support the national teams..
A patriot?
The government is a bunch of arses, and I can't say I'd go to war if they demanded it, them or the next lot.
I will by certain British products over foreign ones, if I prefer them (Cadburys....mmmm), but not on priniple.
I'm not sure if I know what patriotism means.
Stuffing Johnny foreigner for one's own self interest?
Dec 9th, 2009, 01:33 PM
#46
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,666
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>>>>>>
Is pouring French wine down into the gutter and renaming fried potatoes when they disagree with your foreign policy "patriotic" ?
>>>>>>
we britons have renamed german shepherd dogs as 'alsatians'...and this is a permanent name remaining for decades after the war. it is used by all of us britons because we can't bear to say german shepherd. 'freedom fries' and pouring wine down the drain was far from a universally accepted thing among americans (most were pretty embarrassed by it all). and while some americans did have genuine disagreement and disatisfaction with france, i don't think that 'freedom fries' was taken as seriously by any americans as us britons want to believe. it also ended just about as quickly as it started. but we britons still love to talk about it. it makes us all tittery.
and we britons are perpetrating a scam when we say we are not patriotic. we just show it in different ways. most britons here have a complete inability to accept any criticism for anything british. we drone on about the nhs as though it is the greatest thing on earth. but it's 3rd world and has horrid cancer survival rates. we pay much more for an inferior system. ex soviet countries have more efficient systems that deliver similar results.
what the heck is wrong with us?
Is pouring French wine down into the gutter and renaming fried potatoes when they disagree with your foreign policy "patriotic" ?
>>>>>>
we britons have renamed german shepherd dogs as 'alsatians'...and this is a permanent name remaining for decades after the war. it is used by all of us britons because we can't bear to say german shepherd. 'freedom fries' and pouring wine down the drain was far from a universally accepted thing among americans (most were pretty embarrassed by it all). and while some americans did have genuine disagreement and disatisfaction with france, i don't think that 'freedom fries' was taken as seriously by any americans as us britons want to believe. it also ended just about as quickly as it started. but we britons still love to talk about it. it makes us all tittery.
and we britons are perpetrating a scam when we say we are not patriotic. we just show it in different ways. most britons here have a complete inability to accept any criticism for anything british. we drone on about the nhs as though it is the greatest thing on earth. but it's 3rd world and has horrid cancer survival rates. we pay much more for an inferior system. ex soviet countries have more efficient systems that deliver similar results.
what the heck is wrong with us?
Dec 9th, 2009, 02:28 PM
#49
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 10,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&v=vS5QMT-JUt4
A bit of adult content, an interesting example of a Manchester accent for our colonial cousins, and a perfect description of walkinaround.
A bit of adult content, an interesting example of a Manchester accent for our colonial cousins, and a perfect description of walkinaround.
Dec 9th, 2009, 03:10 PM
#51
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,448
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
stephany - I appreciate the fact that you were expressing what seem to be good intentions. However I do think the situation is more complex than such simple approaches.
In fact I think that kind of "patriotism" is really just another word for "us vs. them" thinking. So people in the US deserve to have their small businesses thrive, but people in Italy don't?
And where does this "us vs. them" type of thinking end anyway? Should everyone in California refuse to visit another state because California businesses are in trouble, we'd hate to spend any of it in New York? Should I stay in my own county? city? neighborhood? house? and not give my hard-earned dollars to anyplace else?
DH got a grant from the EU for his research on viruses and a vaccine for a deadly disease. So we should take their money but not give them any of ours?
We know that "no man is an island". It's time to admit that no country is either (geography aside).
In fact I think that kind of "patriotism" is really just another word for "us vs. them" thinking. So people in the US deserve to have their small businesses thrive, but people in Italy don't?
And where does this "us vs. them" type of thinking end anyway? Should everyone in California refuse to visit another state because California businesses are in trouble, we'd hate to spend any of it in New York? Should I stay in my own county? city? neighborhood? house? and not give my hard-earned dollars to anyplace else?
DH got a grant from the EU for his research on viruses and a vaccine for a deadly disease. So we should take their money but not give them any of ours?
We know that "no man is an island". It's time to admit that no country is either (geography aside).
Dec 9th, 2009, 03:58 PM
#52
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,805
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-91DXSg4O68
"Money Makes the World Go Around"
Stephany - You are encouraging people NOT to visit the country of your birth? Why? I too am interested where you are from.
"Money Makes the World Go Around"
Stephany - You are encouraging people NOT to visit the country of your birth? Why? I too am interested where you are from.
Dec 9th, 2009, 04:32 PM
#53
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,510
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I planned to leave December 22, to spend 6 weeks in the US -- first, in New York City and then in Savannah GA.
I guess I had better cancel that trip and spend my travel money in my native land. As a patriot would.
Eh?
tedgale, Canadian
I guess I had better cancel that trip and spend my travel money in my native land. As a patriot would.
Eh?
tedgale, Canadian
