[J m HofMarN]

I'm curious. Why is it that so many consider any criticism of the US at all to be outright anti-Americanism? Is it possible to love ones country but still be willing to criticize it?

[Despondent]

"Down with America! I hate Everything!"

actually yeah. I was quite critical through most of the '90s, sported old glory in the Fairlane, proudly.

[reiner]

Working for change is never anti-patriotic. Those who work against change seem destructive. At least that's my opinion.

[Emu]

Exercising freedom of speech and the right to criticise things you believe to be wrong is in no way anti-American.

[Dr Lecter]

Being a leftist normally just means you hate the government. A big mistake people make when people say stuff against the Oil War... I mean Iraq War is that there is nothing whatsoever wrong with not wanting war. If anything its anti-[insert your nation's name here] to be pro a war that all about killing its own people and commiting acts that make Nazi concentration camps look like Disneyland.

[Chyld]

I'd have thought that the whole point of democracy was to be able to say "I don't like this!" The Fourth Reich of America seems to disagree with this, it seems.

[Slade]

"Anti-american" is a bullshit phrase the rampant right-wing developed as part of its propaganda campaign designed to inherently slander anything that opposes its steady march toward the construction of a capitalistic Oceana. You simply provide the masses with a phrase that has simple, far reaching connotations even the most inbred person can understand that denounce the cause of your opposition and you're set. They think "Hyuck, that there talky-box has our Presydent on it. He's never wrong about nothin', ever, and when I think he is, I'm just bein' a durn stupid fool, 'cause theres all sorts of stuff goin' on I don't know about."

The reason I say what I feel is because I love what my country is supposed to stand for, and seeing it hacked away at the knees while a bunch of slack-jawed yokels and power-hungry madmen cheer it on because they think that they are actually destroying their "enemies" (or making $$) has caused me to lose all of my faith in humanity's ability to not fuck everything it touches up.

Good times.

In conclusion, yes, you can love your country regardless of your political standpoint, it's just that in this day and age other people will willingly buy into believing that you are doing the exact opposite of what you're actually doing.

God bless America.

[barend]

it's funny the right wing are generally a group of gun toting, flag waving, religeous freaks who say anyone in there country who isn't identical to them is anti-american, and they go out of thier way to make life hard for those people.

the lefties are people who hate the above situation...

a majority of people, as it seems, are in favor of the righties...
that being the case they must then represent the needs and wants of america.

so Can you love your country while being leftist?

yes, but it doesn't love you back... so that relationship is pretty sad.
you're better off hating the place like the rest of the world does.

[Kirby]

a majority of people, as it seems, are in favor of the righties...
that being the case they must then represent the needs and wants of america.

Nope, it's pretty split down the middle with only a few choice states that are prodominatly one or the other. It's just that the Right Wing is louder.

Ugg... Ann Coulter, the loudest, most obnoxious of the bunch.

"Anti-american" is a bullshit phrase the rampant right-wing developed as part of its propaganda campaign designed to inherently slander anything that opposes its steady march toward the construction of a capitalistic Oceana.

I concur, this is just one step away from '4 feet good, 2 feet baaad'

This reminds me, when did libral become a four-letter word.

To me the only problem with the lefties is that they are not as organized as the trade federation er... republicans. All we do is speach out against key social issues without any clear longterm goals (hell even the communist party had a clear cut agenda).

So my proposal is to make the libral party evil, much like the republican party but just a notch less destructive. After that we just keep on making new parties, and make them less evil till the last untill we finaly come up with a not-so-damn-evil political party.

[barend]

Nope, it's pretty split down the middle with only a few choice states that are prodominatly one or the other.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

last two elections say otherwise...
(sure they were both rigged, but if the lefties had had the balls to cheat, we'd all be singing a different song now)

It's just that the Right Wing is louder.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

same thing... maybe lefties should be a little louder and agressive.

it seems that righties are proffesional victimisers and lefties are professional victims.

i say get up and smak the other side about...

--------------------------

man, i want to see a civil war... get in there guys!!!

[Despondent]

Working for change is never anti-patriotic.

So what if someone hoped Democracy could change the Middle East?

If anything its anti-[insert your nation's name here] to be pro a war that all about killing its own people and commiting acts that make Nazi concentration camps look like Disneyland.

I've never been to Disneyland.

I'd have thought that the whole point of democracy was to be able to say "I don't like this!" The Fourth Reich of America seems to disagree with this, it seems

And we live in a country where you can buy a press and print what you want.
But there's always this forum where you'll have plenty of agreement.

and seeing it hacked away at the knees while a bunch of slack-jawed yokels and power-hungry madmen

And that's how many view your champions, Bill and Hil.

it's funny the right wing are generally a group of gun toting, flag waving, religeous freaks who say anyone in there country who isn't identical to them is anti-american, and they go out of thier way to make life hard for those people.

generally. The others are true patriots, like yourself.

yes, but it doesn't love you back... so that relationship is pretty sad.
you're better off hating the place like the rest of the world does.

Well, that's short of treason. You're within your rights.

This reminds me, when did libral become a four-letter word.

(It's seven letters.) I suppose when the liberals considered it an insult.

i say get up and smak the other side about...

In the Nineties, the democratic party was very loud and agressive...

last two elections say otherwise...
(sure they were both rigged, but if the lefties had had the balls to cheat, we'd all be singing a different song now)

...but they never got the majority. That's quite amazing given the powers they had.

Then again, the slack-jewelled Arkansan's haven't lost yet, either.


Seeing how most everyone is in agreement, who do you usually debate with?

Can you love your country while being leftist? actually yeah

[barend]

patriots like myself? hmm...

actually, before i can respond to that...

what do we mean by "country" here?

the people? the physical landscape? what?
i like the landscape of my country, but the people are a bunch of morons...


we need to define what loving ones country actually entails...

[Slade]

I try to not actually debate politics, because I'm never going to agree with the opposition, and the opposition is not going to agree with me (and some don't even listen to their opposition at all). It's like two people yelling at walls, and serves no purpose.

Yes, it's all about perspective. And I've been saying that the Dems need to get organized and counter-attack the right since 2000, but they seem to either be cowards or think they are too good to stoop to the level of the Reps, it seems...

[Dr Lecter]

man, i want to see a civil war... get in there guys!!!

Although I am very left wing and anti-war. If there was a civil war in Britain it would be a good thing. I would side with whatever side was going against the government

[barend]

a civil war in england would be ugly...

crowbars, smashed bottles, and lead pipes...

at least in america, they have guns... it would all be over in a few hours.
and they few rednecks left alive would get paranoid and fight each other to monopolise the toilet paper supply...

the country would be dead in two days...