If You Don't Like It, then Move?

Question

I've seen this phrase a lot, especially in regard to all kinds of issues. Whatever happened to "I disagree with what you say, but I'll fight for your right to say it"? Is this not what America is about any longer.

Answer 1

The problem is that we as a society have lost our ability to be tolerant of others.  9/11 has taught us to fear our neighbors and those who do not look or think like us.  The ILLEGAL immigration problem has effected every part of our society, to the point we are even wondering if English is our national language.  People can only take so much.  The "get out of my country" attitude is only the start.  If we do not find a way to correct the immigration problem, make people feel safe from terrorists, etc.. it will only get worse.  I wonder how long it will be before people start banning together, arming themselves and creating there own little safe havens to keep everyone else out.

Answer 2

I, too, have used the expression that if you don't like it here then you can move. I used that expression a few years ago on a different website and I used it precisely because of what a particular liberal said. That liberal had made a very general endorsement of the idea that Europe is, in certain ways, better than the U.S. He said that he believes s*x is an open book. Anybody can do anything that they want to do, sexually, without there being any rules -- nothing to do with religion and nothing to do with politics. He said that this country is so puritanical that it has choked the living daylights out of enjoying life as we should and have a right to. So I told that liberal (in ALL CAPS) that if he is so in love with Europe and all of its supposed sexual permissiveness then he should pack his bags and move there.

A large part of why I say that is because of this: "Sodomy" became a matter of "human rights" in Europe in the early 1980's because of a ruling by the European Court on Human Rights, which was interpretting an international treaty on human rights that was created in the mid-20th Century. Some 20 years later, in 2003, "sodomy" became a matter of constitutional law here in the U.S. because the U.S. Supreme Court seemed to be more interested in applying the precedent of the European Court than in applying legitimate precedents of our own Court when it interprets the U.S. Constitution. Those of us who are conservative get really very outraged when we see our courts applying INTERNATIONAL law in determining the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. And furthermore, the U.S. S.C.'s ruling in Lawrence v. Texas was just plain outrageously deceitful and hypocritical. I am convinced that this ruling and the ruling in Mass. about g*y marriage are elements in -- they are forces of -- social divisiveness and the increase in partisan bickering.

So when I see a liberal proclaiming that this is country is too puritanical and that our government takes away from people the right to have s*x -- "nothing to do with religion, nothing to do with politics," that liberal had said -- I am extremely worried that the social divisiveness and the partisan bickering is going to just keep getting worse and worse. And I myself reacted the wrong way, as I later admitted to that liberal. I don't want to say things like that, but I felt very, very embarrassed by what he said and I think that what he had said is just soooooooooo divisive.

Answer 3

This is not a recent feeling. In the 60's it was more commonly "America, love it or leave it". That was in response to all the hippies and the anti-war people and the black power folks, etc.  It was the middle class response to all the change and craziness.



It is easy to feel that way about some people who seem to only complain about things and forget about the positives in our country.  

If you listen to many of the naysayers you would think we do nothing right and that we are an awful blight on the world.  But I agree, you should not have to agree with everything we do as a country.  Blind allegiance is not healthy either.

Answer 4

That is what America is about. Freedom of speech without fear of retaliation.

After September 11 it all seemed to change and it's unfortunate.

I came from a communist country a I have smelled fear. It's not pretty and I hope I never have to again.

Answer 5

I personally detest it when people like Cindy Sheehan go on national television and say that they would rather have hugo Chavez as President than President Bush.  Chavez is already the president of a country, so that seems like a relatively easy fix to me.

It also irks me when people complain simply for the sake of complaining, and have no intention of doing anything constructive about it.  If you hate the US as much as some of these people do, then by all means find a country without any problems in which to live, and good luck with that endeavor.

Answer 6

No, it's not America anymore.  But in about 10 more months, it will be!

Answer 7

It looks like Cuba may be a nice place to retire.  Some of us still fight for our rights, not just the right to party.

Answer 8

You my dear are WE THE PEOPLE and in this country may say what you want. That is what makes our country so great. If someone disagrees with you that's their problem but you still have the right to say it.