Are you a patriot (preferably answer if American, but feel free to if not)?

Question

I am a patriot. A *smart* patriot. I will go to prison if I feel my rights are being violated and I say something. I am saddened by the amount of people who said no to "would you go to jail for your beliefs". I'm not stupid proud, not like that.

But I'd like to see how many true Americans exist today.

Answer 1

USA FIRST

Answer 2

i consider myself a jeffersonion patriot ,and i think it's time to refresh the tree.

Answer 3

Well my friend, I spent 30 years in the US Marines, seeing and doing things you have no idea about, does this make me a patriot? No, It makes me a man that loves my country and all the people I have fought for around the world, I don't know where you are from but if you are willing to go to jail for your beliefs you are living in the wrong country, I don't need to go to jail for my beliefs, I fought for them, And earned the right. How about you?  

Answer 4

My father fought in WW2 then was called back to go to Viet Nam at age 45 (I was 16 then) My husband was a disabled veteran who was misdiagnosed by the VA  and died at 57. My father also died at age 57 from agent ORANGE in 1979.

I am tired of one war after another -this war in Iraq is questionable I think -so no I am not the patriot that I use to be. The situation now seems so evil  -and I believe that people are being sacrificed for oil.

Just my opinion.

I wish that I did not feel that way but I can not hide the truth.

Answer 5

Define 'Patriot'...

Some people's definition of patriot means blind obedience to the government.  Others think it means keeping America unchanged at any cost (think anti-immigration).  Others say if you don't support the war you're not a patriot.  Get my drift?

I am a patriot in the sense that I love my nation, and am willing to sacrifice and work for the good of my nation.  I believe in the constitution and have sworn an aoth to support and defend it.  

I believe that the ideals of our nation are more important than the institution of it.  What I mean by that is, I would rather see planes topple every building in America than see us turn ourselves into something we are not in order to prevent it.

Answer 6

I am a patriot, I served my country but not in jail.

Answer 7

Its not quite as simple as all that, because I believe a very basic tenant of civilized society is that its members are supposed to obey the law and use peaceful means to change laws they do not agree with.  See Basscat below for one who has earned the right to say it better than I.

There are times, however, when I feel that peaceful means are ignored and that critical issues are getting worse - and under those circumstances, yes, I will fight for my country - and if that means going to jail, that means going to jail.  Dare I mention Rosa Parks?  Nelson Mendela?

I don't think of it as patriotic though.  I think the US Constitution is the best thing going on the planet right now (even with its flaws) - and I fight for THAT.  I fight for the people that I love, but also the people that I admire - IN EVERY COUNTRY.

The US Constitution has been a great tool  in intelligent democracy and a guiding light for its first 200 years.  Its certainly still very important, but other countries have learned and others are, in some ways, superior to us.  We set the bar in many places, but not in all.

I fight for people.  Not for countries.  I fight for ideas, not for flags.

I sure as h**l don't fight for oil.

Answer 8

I love the United States of America, but

Look at the hungry children, wearing rags and barefoot, look at the senior who worked all of his life who can't afford medicine and food so is forced to survive on pet food, look at the proud unemployed woman whose job was shipped overseas and now can't put gas in the car to find a job, look at the disabled homeless veteran sleeping in a box who can't work nor survive on $500 disability per month....many of you self righteous silver spoon fed punks have never been exposed to these faces of reality while sitting atop your high horse looking down on the less fortunate. Many of you call yourselves Christians but follow none of the teachings of Jesus concerning the poor and less fortunate. Unlike you who enjoy hearing the sound of your own voice His word was one of compassion and love for all, not just those who can afford a decent existance. After reading these posts, primarily of the McCain crowd, the "ME" generation, there is little or no hope for our country to return to it's former glory and standing as a world leader. Look in the mirror, the selfish face staring back at you is the reason things are what they are, but keep in mind, you may one day be in the position of that senior or that woman or that veteran, and if that day comes I hope others will show you more compassion than you have shown to others.

Answer 9

I love what America is supposed to stand for; justice, freedom, wisdom, etc. I hate what the country has become. I hate its inhabitants. I hate its current leaders.

We're some of the most obnoxious, ignorant, hypocritical, gluttonous people on the face of the earth today. And don't give me that "Oh, every country has those people." We're the only country in the world that celebrates this behavior. We're the only democratic country that votes more based on appearance ( Bush got votes because "he was a guy I would drink a beer with.") than facts. We look down on any showing of intellect or individuality (individuality does not, in any way, include this emo/scene trend. GTFO.)

We police the world, start bogus wars, overthrow any regime that doesn't agree with ours, be it a dictatorship, a communism, a democracy... If they don't fall in line, we annihilate them. The rulers WE elect easily manipulate the feeble-minded and lead us into war after war, justify heinous crime after heinous crime, while the American public rolls over and accepts it. We are the first to point out wrongdoing in any country, and the last to correct it at home. We condemn those who point out any flaws in our country as "Un-American." We forsake science and education for sports and war.

Your talk of "true Americans" points out how ignorant we really are. The "true Americans" are the cause of the country's problems; resistant to change, to reasoning, to intelligence. A true American - no, a true believer in democracy and justice follows the actions of the government, cries out when their country does wrong, and votes intelligently.

Unfortunately, there are less and less true Americans around today. We've all become mindless, following whatever O'Reily tells us, slowly distancing ourselves from any sound logic or reasoning. The media tells us Bush is bad? We all hate Bush the next morning. To answer your question: yes. I am a patriot. A believer in what America stands for; a hater of what it has become. A believer in justice, freedom, and wisdom; a hater of ignorance and  mindlessness.

Answer 10

I'm a American who wasn't 1984 Orwellised from Kindergarten to the last day of high school made to pledge a flag or was American mind controlled daily into believing, the USA was the best country in the world either.

I went to school overseas because of the extremely, very low rated curricular education system in world standards which is only being used to teach American children in US schools.

When I finished school and came back home to the states, I seen and witnessed first hand how 1984 Orwell minded American people truly are inbred with patriotism. I truly felt I was in the twilight zone and very out of place as though I was one of the unchanged people in John Wyndham's book, "The Day of the Triffids" and was totally surrounded by "Pod People".

I'm an American who was raised not to ever be verbally discriminating towards a persons color, race, sexual orientation, mentally and physically challenged disability's and personal belief's. Or be verbally  offencive discriminating other citizens, stereotyping and labeling them into separatist groups. I never listened to daily McCarthy war and US bomb ranting, materialistic bragging or to delusional US based culled religious opinion or watched highly modified fictional propaganda poppycock and US Puritanism values on public television, which in the United States is called "Free Speech".

I only see it as using discrimination to verbally offend all other fellow Americans. I've lived, worked and travelled to over 43 world countries, I proudly say I'm an American when asked where I'm from. Yet when ever I go back to the US to visit family. I'm told I'm anti American, for not being a cement headed ugly American for not wanting to laugh, hear or listen to what I only see as discriminating bullying not free speech.

I suppose by being educated overseas, being non discriminating and showing respect to all people and being open and very broad minded and world travelled has taught me common sense and manners to be a good human being.

It dosn't make me any less American because I've live in a foreign country with a very high standard living, a strong financial economy and paid three times more than I ever would in the USA and enjoy a lot more freedoms and equal rights as all citizens.Than the flag waver back home in the states whos never been more than two hundred square miles from where they were born or went to school.

Answer 11

i love my country, id die for my country, id go to jail if i had to, ill never call any other country mine. i love america

Answer 12

yes that's why I joined the Army. Later I'm joining the CIA

Answer 13

It would seem losing your freedom for fighting for your freedoms would be counter-productive, no?



Even General Patton said he 'didn't want American soldiers dying for their country' ...he said he'd 'rather see the enemy SOB die for HIS country'.