What I mean is The US is too arragant. Its got to get of its high horse before the horse gets fed up of the assholes controlling it (Presidents/Congrees)
Yes I am a patriot. If you are not a patriot, you don't care enough. You take things for granted. If there isn't any nationalistic people in your counry, they wouldn't try to divide the country into 3 parts. They just wouldn't care. if you don't want this topic to be affected by current politics, mentioning Bush is counter productive. Of course it is a joke, but it does have some truth to it. The fact of the matter is every flag burners have their own reasons for burning the flag. As I said before it is protected by freedom of speech. Some are unpatriotic, some do it because they care too much. Without knowing the intent, it is impossible to make generalized judgement.
If I saw someone burning my country's flag, I'd beat the hell out of him... of course if he doesn't weight 110kgPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! as for the US-> I'm not its fan or patriot and someone burning its flag wouldn't upset me much. Of course it is still unethical.
yeah but why buring country flag yeah it can hurt people feeling but it just a form of threat which they not going to do and plus it not the only one flag! there are loads of same flag mmmmmmmm...
I don't know. I care for people. You think it is necessary to add patriotism? Where's the line between patriotism and nationalism? Yes, we have people like that, but their politic parties do not get many votes, so it is safe to say that most people don't care too much about the matter. Americans have a much deeper feeling about their country. Also, our biggest nationalist party has racist views as well. So I try to find out what a country can mean. You're probably right. I just didn't want anyone to think that I was going to make this another America bashing thread. I wanted to give people the opportunity to talk about other things, like for example all those beautiful national parks, culture,... whatever makes them proud, starting with the flag. That's why I said that a country is more than their politicians. It should be under freedom of speech/expression no matter what. That's how I feel. Of course national security must be considered at all time, but the act itself is just burning cloth. Correction: maybe the Bush administration is too arrogant. Two: this is just a catch phrase, it has no meaning, there are millions of Americans, this is not a good generalisation. Three: me, here in Belgium, how would I react if someone flew a plane into the center of Brussels? Maybe I would need all my self control to not cheer for our army (those five fighter pilots) going after the terrorists.
I don't understand. It's just an expression. Is swearing unethical? Is all that attacking America in the threads unethical?
for me, my country's flag represents my nationality, my heritage, my history, my culture. Attacking it is insulting to me. don't know about the states. I'm not a great US lover- but who is...* and discussion is different than flag burning *(outside of the us)
"Australia's flag is great because it looks basically like the night sky. What a wonderful thing to choose to represent your country!" That is indeed cool. "I don't much like the design of your flag, but the maple leaf is interesting. I think of a cannibis leaf, which seems a good way to represent your country. Especially when it is as laid back and has as many donut shops as yours." I like the Canadian flag but I don't think it's one of the top 3 or so. The colour scheme represents our nation very well, very laid back. I think we're one of the few nations to use red as a colour of respect and oneness rather than power and fighting. Yeah, they have t-shirts here with a cannabis leaf instead of the maple leaf. Joeman; "Yes I am a patriot. If you are not a patriot, you don't care enough. You take things for granted. If there isn't any nationalistic people in your counry, they wouldn't try to divide the country into 3 parts. They just wouldn't care." This is beyond sad. There is a distinct difference between meanings of the word patriot. On the one hand you have a person who stands by their country whenever, despite whether they do horrible things or good. On the other you have a person who says that their country has done some great things in the past and present and they are wanting to help for the future. The majority of American patriots are the former. "Only ignorant idiots would believe US is more arrogant than any other country in the world." That's possibly the most retarted comment I've heard in a political discussion not made by someone who believes racism doesn't exist. American arrogance is matched by some other nations - but sure as fuck not by many. The fact that Americans were so shocked at being attacked in September is one shining example. I spent the entirety of grade 9 debating with my history teacher when America would be attacked. The June before the attacks we finally stopped and concluded it would come within 3-5 years. We were wrong, but weren't surprised. You want to see American arrogance? Phone CBC in Canada and ask for a copy of Talking to American's by Rick Mercer.
Tyler: Well, we have a lot to be arrogant about. We saved your ass in world war two, and we saved your ass from the godless commies, and we made the world safe for democracy numerous times. USA USA WHOOO WHOOO WHOOOO! WE'RE NUMBER ONE! Anyways, we may be arrogant, but at least we don't eat snails! And our women shave! U - S - A! U - S - A! You're just jealous 'cuz my country beat your country
A4Ever, this thread is turning into an American bashing thread. What??? US has done something bad? WTF are you talking about Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! If you believe Americans are the most blindly patriotic people in the world you are mistaken. I have lived in many countries in my life. Most of you don't besides just your own. Yes. I stand by my country no matter they do good things or bad. It is not because I am ignorant, but because it is consistent with my belief how world politics should work. Without making the thread going into a different direction that is all I am going to say. I am not in a mood to type something long. In democratic country all our important government officials are elected. If they do something terrible we are all responsible. If we elected horrible government officials, that is because either people are horrible or people don't pay enough attention. Once they are elected we should stand behind them instead of bashing them. (like Bush) So you are claiming US is the most arrogant country in the world? First of all how can you possible know that if you haven't lived in any other countries? How exactly do you measure arrogance? Are you making your claim based on a few anecdotal examples? Based on what you said above, you are confused bewteen ignorance and arrogance. There are ignorant people in every country. Let me give you couple examples. In class room in US saying "US is the greatest country in the world" is considered politically incorrect. In Japan, kids in class room are not only taught Japan is the greatest country in the world, but they are taught Japanese are the "most intelligent" people in the world. What about Japanese flag? Land of the rising sun. In China, they don't call their country "China". That is what the West call them. They called their country the "center country". They are the center of the earth. China is not the most powerful country in the world right now, but they have accumulated enough arrogance from being a super power since 5000 B.C. BTW, I never said racism doesn't exist. I have said not only racism exist, but it goes both ways. Caucasians are not anymore racist than any other races out there. A little bit of racism can be a good thing. I am not bothered by racism personally. Only wussies are.
"A4Ever, this thread is turning into an American bashing thread. What??? US has done something bad? WTF are you talking about If you believe Americans are the most blindly patriotic people in the world you are mistaken. I have lived in many countries in my life. Most of you don't besides just your own. Yes. I stand by my country no matter they do good things or bad. It is not because I am ignorant, but because it is consistent with my belief how world politics should work. Without making the thread going into a different direction that is all I am going to say. I am not in a mood to type something long. In democratic country all our important government officials are elected. If they do something terrible we are all responsible. If we elected horrible government officials, that is because either people are horrible or people don't pay enough attention. Once they are elected we should stand behind them instead of bashing them. (like Bush)" First off, I'm not big on US bashing. Generally people who do that are those who just like to knock the big dog no matter what. Second, I did not say Americans are the most blindly patriotic. However, I do disagree with you. Patriotism when it consists of standing by whatever your elected officials do is detrimental. He fucked over another country to get oil? Shit, we voted him in, God Bless America! He killed thousands when it wasn't necessary (note: this is hypothetical)? Fucking A - he did what we voted him into do; God Bless America! Not a good idea. "So you are claiming US is the most arrogant country in the world? First of all how can you possible know that if you haven't lived in any other countries? How exactly do you measure arrogance? Are you making your claim based on a few anecdotal examples? Based on what you said above, you are confused bewteen ignorance and arrogance. There are ignorant people in every country." I have spent about 2/3 of my life in Canada. The rest was spent in the States (mainly), France, Switzerland, England (briefly), Germany, Belgium, Russia (briefly), Mexico, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbados, Israel, Japan (briefly) and a couple other places. A few anecdotes is not what I consider my experiences. I spent 2 months in Detroit when I was 13 playing hockey, 3 1/2 months in Portugal when I was 12 and 3 months in France between two visits. Those are hte only three countries I would consider myself understanding of besides my own. "Let me give you couple examples. In class room in US saying "US is the greatest country in the world" is considered politically incorrect. In Japan, kids in class room are not only taught Japan is the greatest country in the world, but they are taught Japanese are the "most intelligent" people in the world. What about Japanese flag? Land of the rising sun." The people I met in Detroit looked at me as if I was an alien when I mentioned the camps America had once set up for Natives. Ditto the interment camps in WWII. Of course, I (and they) was only 13. American education system is sad, and Canada's appears to be getting even sadder, though in a different way. Anyway, I'm curious to hear about this Japanese thing. Did you learn or teach there? "In China, they don't call their country "China". That is what the West call them. They called their country the "center country". They are the center of the earth. China is not the most powerful country in the world right now, but they have accumulated enough arrogance from being a super power since 5000 B.C." Communism doesn't hurt to make that a fact either. "BTW, I never said racism doesn't exist. I have said not only racism exist, but it goes both ways. Caucasians are not anymore racist than any other races out there. A little bit of racism can be a good thing. I am not bothered by racism personally. Only wussies are." No, it was Banshee who said that. Something about how she doesn't believe different races exist therefore racism is not a real thing.
Xev: "Well, we have a lot to be arrogant about. We saved your ass in world war two," We were heroes of WWI. And made one of the greatest sacrifices of WWII. "and we saved your ass from the godless commies," I'm not too sure we ever really feared the commies. They only sent spies to Canada to try and get into America or look at our sciences. "and we made the world safe for democracy numerous times. USA USA WHOOO WHOOO WHOOOO! WE'RE NUMBER ONE!" Like when? I'd say your wars fought to save democracy are outnumbered by your facist leaders put in power. "Anyways, we may be arrogant, but at least we don't eat snails!" American food is some of the shitiest I've ever tasted. So is Toronto food. It's about as sad as it comes. Give me French sauces, German meat and mid-eastern stir foods and I'll be happy! "And our women shave! U - S - A! U - S - A!" Ug. I don't know why people talk about the French when dealing with this. To be honest, I only ever experienced the non-shaving women in southern States, Germany and Greece. "You're just jealous 'cuz my country beat your country" That site was kind of funny. A lot of you guys seem to think you won in 1812 eh? I mean, it's not like we burned down your capital city? And in the debate the Yankee seems to be putting Canada down because we have a French leader. Um, okey-dokey then. Your leader almost died from a pretzal, doesn't speak English, waves to a blind guy... Anywho, all in good fun.
Here's an interesting consideration: What is it that makes a flag? My traditionalist grandparents for example would never burn a cloth flag that you would buy at a store, but it's nothing to them to burn the little ink-on-paper American flag that's on the front of their daily newspaper in the fireplace. If the design of a flag is on cloth, it is immaculate and holy. If it is on paper, it's burning material / waste material. Seems kinda odd to me, now that i think about it -- that it isn't the art-design of a flag that's being revered and considered unburnable per se, but the art-design specifically being on a certain type of material, as if in being on it the design is suddenly transmuted into something else entirely.
Tyler, if you think the American people didn't know or expect that a terrorist attack could happen, then you are clueless. We already had a WTC attack in 93, and the Oklahoma City bombing. In 1996 Clinton passed anti-terrorism laws, and the Media has been warning of terriosits attacks since the early 90's. Even now, most Americans polled expect a nuclear attack this decade and realize that a free society is always an easy target. Your knowledge of Americans is obviously very small. No offence Joeman, but this is perhaps the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard.
"Tyler, if you think the American people didn't know or expect that a terrorist attack could happen, then you are clueless" To quote People Magazine - "It shocked us all." Debate forums (I wasn't here yet) were filled with the shock of American public. No one expected this huge an attack. Or, rather, very few.
The gravity of the attack and how many people died, was surprising. But the fact that a terriost attack happened, wasn't. Also, People magazine(like most of our pathetic Media here in America) is all about drama to reel in buyers.
Tyler, it's called "parody" or "burlesque", also "joking". Sorry, thought you'd recognize what with "godless commies" and all. Your knowledge of Americans is obviously very small. This second comment is true. Not only were we not shocked at the attacks per se (more upset that thousands of humans had been killed, I guess that sort of thing tends to upset people - can't imagine why Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! ), most semi-educated people know about the internment camps. I mean, what the fuck? You go into one of the poorest parts of Michigan in a state with one of the worst educational systems, and you expect pre-highschoolers to know these things? Come on. Oh, and soulthern women shave, unless they are ridiculously overweight. Soulthern women are cute. Especially when they come up north to college and run wild. BTW, does anyone ever see Jay Leno when he asks people on the street about history? That is funny!
Couple things. Whether someone do something that is good or terrible is always subjective. I have been in this kind of debate too much. I have learn if a person is from your country then what he did is good if he is not from your country then he is terrible. It is all matter of perspective. That is a big part of what patriotism is about - only make judgement from your own country's perspective. Most people have partriotism in them. It is hypocricy if they say they don't. For those who say patriotism is a bad thing, I can usually find circumstances when they are being hypocritical. Correction: I actually never meant standing by a politician no matter what is a good idea. What I was trying to say is I always stand by a politician no matter what he does is good or bad, as long as what he does is good for America. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! That is sad for some people I guess. So you speak English, French, German, Belgian, Russian, Spanish, Hebrew, and Japanese? I don't consider travelling "living there". You don't learn their culture without speaking their language. I have a lot of relatives married to Japanese. My grand parents were educated in Japan. (They are not Japanese) That is where they met. They don't speak each other's language, but they communicated in Japanese when they were dating. The Japanese are totally brainwashed in the class room. In fact most kids don't know anything about WWII. They don't even know they invaded other countries until grow up and find out on their own. Yes they are arrogant especially when their economy were red hot in early 90's and their products were kicking everyone's butt.
