h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I agree with abbi and Subcom. Well said!

This country has a lot to be proud of and thankful for in its original ideals, diversity and resources. I'm not proud of the way they've been applied and misused lately.

As an individual US citizen this is a really great time to *be* American because it challenges me to think about what that actually means to me, personally, and to DO something about it, to do my share towards making democracy work the way *I* think it should.

You mean, this is still a democracy!??? Herrrmmm.... seems to me that Bush is only listening to the small minority that agrees with him.

"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union...." Too much can change in 225 years.

Although, in her defence, the country can never seem to do right. There will always be critics because we are the world superpower. If we are isolationist, it's a crime, if we try to "help out", we are overly violent.

You think we would have learned from Vietnam.

No state is required to be a superpower. Many states have voluntarily given up having a large military, have given up the development of nuclear weapons, and have taken full part in international organizations (such as the UN) in order to ensure the joint security of all members. Granted, a country such as Canada depends in large part upon the US to defend it in the (unlikely) event of attack from overseas, but Canada also depends on itself and its global friends and allies to come to its aid in the (less unlikely) event of attack from across its southern and north-western borders.
When I talk of "attack from overseas" I'm not meaning "terrorist" attacks which by their nature are pretty much imposible to defend against and certainly not ammenable to counter-attack. In this post I'm meaning invasion when I use the term attack. I suspect that if the American military did not have such a huge presence around the world, "terrorist" attacks would be less of an issue.
Again, I think that an answer to some of America's foriegn policy problems would be to unilaterally step down from its position as a superpower. It won't happen, but it would be a wonderful thing for all of its citizens.

I'm still proud to be an American, although I'm ashamed, embarrassed, and utterly mortified by the things that many (not all!) other Americans, Bush in particular, say and do. I don't support Bush's oil war, and for this, according to many of my fellow citizens, I'm apparently not a 'real' American. What many of my fellow Americans have been demonstrating over the past year and a half or so isn't blind patriotism so much as arrogance and ignorance, and quite frankly, it disgusts me. Some of us have the presence of mind to reject the cr*p the government and the media are trying to force-feed us. I agree with Deidzoeb- it's our duty to uphold justice which necessitates opposing the war.

I love this place I live in, and the wealth of opportunities that being American has afforded me, but I don't feel that being fortunate makes me a better person than anyone else. I don't share the opinion that 'our' way is the 'only' way. Nor do I choose to isolate myself from the rest of the world, unaware of anything that wasn't churned out on the nine-o'clock news. What makes me truly sad is the 'you're either for us or against us' attitude that the American government and so many of our people seem to have.

In the USA, females are not required to register with Selective Service (i.e. the agency that would support a draft, if we had one) - the requirement applies to males only. There is currently no draft instated. So, for those two reasons, you neice cannot possibly be a "draft-dodger." They may think she's guilty of being in violation of the law requiring "Andrew" to register with the Selective Service, but that should be cleared up rather quickly when they discover she's Andrea and not Andrew.


- JD

I am proud to be part of a country that was *founded* on ideals I wholeheartedly agree with. But, as the consensus seems to be in this forum, I am mortified with how they're currently being applied in this country and around the world.

~Amy (a home-grown American since 1982 )

Evening. I'm not an American, but I know several and went to Bpston for christmas, and I would just like to pop my head in and say how wonderful most of the Americans I have met are. For example, walking through Salem, I stopped to read a plaque on the wall. A guy who happened to be walking past drinking a cup of coffee stopped, and told me about a documentary he had seen which explained the event the plaque was commemorating, and then he just said "you have a nice day now" and continued on his way- and that kind of set the standard. The people i encountered just walking down the street or through Boston Common were very nice people- friendly, and unlike in a lot of English places, you actually believe them when shop assistants or waiters say "have a nice day".

Once, I was wandering round Copley Place T-station, trying to work out which platform i wanted, and looking rather confused. A begger sitting on the floor who looked like a homeless Father Christmas asked me where I was going, when I told him, he gave me directions to the right stop. When I dropped some money into his hat, he thanked me and told me "to "have a nice day". when even the beggers are courteous and polite, you know your in anice place.

The current US President and his administration are, in my opinion, evil warmongering religious zealots. But I don't half wish the people I encounter here in the north east of england were as nice as those of massachussets.

Obviously, it would be foolish to typecast an entire nation on the basis of the population of one state, and a group of students at my university, but all I can say is that if all, or even most Americans are like those I have encountered, then I can fully understand why people would be so proud to be American.

All being said on this thread is exemplary.

I am puzzled though by the idea of being proud to be of one nationality or another. Hence the loudly-expressed (I would say 'generally' except, here, it's not) variety of US nationalism. (goes beyond patriotism- that whole 'best country in the world' idea, not just proud to be American but under the impression they are superior.)
I think you can only be proud of your acheivements. I therefore cannot be proud of being British, or English, or anything, since it's an accident of birth.
However, being faithful to your interpretation of the better ideals of your country should give you reason to be proud.

Sure I'm proud to be an American. I love my nation. Sometimes what the government does is a little confusing, silly, or wrong. I think we have a pretty good form of government. The republic has been weakened by people who want government to be all things to all people. I don't agree with that.

I think the United States has done some dodgy things in the past. We've also done a lot of good.

I have fought for my country. I went to the last Gulf War, and I was happy to help. If called again, I would gladly serve. I would like to see our current issues with Iraq resolved quickly. It's clear what is going to happen, so we should do it, conclude the war, and return to focusing on international terrorism.

I don't care if someone doesn't support war. This is Amercia, and people are supposed to believe what they want, no matter how silly it is.

Our president isn't my first choice, but I think he's done a pretty good job. I thought his predecessor did a a job that was barely acceptable. Still, the nation moves on.

I like the US. I like the people. I love the countryside. I love our oppertunity and justice. I am proud to be an American.

::sniffles::

Quite an interesting thread. It's nice to see a comfortable, open discussion, without some of the anger and name-calling I've seen in other threads.

I'm still proud, but that doesn't mean I agree with everything my government does!

"the loudly-expressed...variety of US nationalism. (goes beyond patriotism- that whole 'best country in the world' idea, not just proud to be American but under the impression they are superior.)"

Like when Homer Simpson wins an argument with Marge and celebrates by honking his car horn and chanting "USA! USA!"

(Homer Simpson watches Canadian Football)

I think it's OK to be proud to be an American but don't think their government is anything to be proud of.

Although as the government of one of the world's biggest democracies wasn't even elected you can't really blame the American people for that.

I tend to think that the person each of us grows up to be is partially a product of the culture we were raised in, and broadly speaking there will be elements of that culture that are common throughout the nation (especially with modern mass communications). I think this gives you a bit of leeway when claiming to be proud of your nationality.

Ok... I agree... all very good discussion... excellent, really... and I also appreciate the openness.

A few days ago my friend proposed her feeling that "this must be how the German people felt and thought just as the Nazi Regime was taking hold of Europe"... Vastly different time periods, geography, and cultural backgrounds aside, do you think there is something to her statement? And why?

Or, perhaps more specifically, here's the question I'm now quite interested in: is it possible that we will lean toward "German" concepts of nationalism!?? Patriotism, from my limited German understanding, is really not a word in their personal, private vocabulary. Being a patriot conveys a bit of Nazism, even today-- from the viewpoints of two of my German friends. That is not everyone, mind you.

However, I never saw the German flag on display in my six days there. And I spent one day at a school there. Elementary/years 3 and upward, I think is the U.S/UK translation. Not one flag. U.S.!??? A flag for every classroom. More after 9/11.

And I admit that in England I saw perhaps as much as three Union Jacks(quite different from English flags) when I have been there(four weeks and 12 days). But that's perhaps little more than me being verbose!!!

So do you think it's possible for nationalism in the States to become extinguished in this decade and in the ones following!??

I don't see any particular reason for a decline in American patriotism. The country is doing fairly well. We've lost some of what I think helped make this country and our government great. I don't think we have the same sense of individual responsibility.

We're becoming more and more depenedent on government. Even our state governments are looking for money from the federal government, instead of raising money on their own as is their right and responisibility.

The framework of our central government is still there. Even though the 2000 elections were a little rough. The election was within the margin of error. The rule of law carried us through, and we have a properly constituted government.

We're still mudling through.

Im not proud to be American

Im English





Which is worse..... cos instead of being the poor sods that VOTED IN Bush, we're led by Bush's personal monkey. Hes called Tony Blair y'know.

www.bushorchimp.com

its funny

Ah. When I was staying there last month, Blair on the news made me more sick than Bush used to do at home. Maybe that's because I didn't change the channel. Thanks for the website!!!

There's a difference between pride and arrogance.

There's a difference between patriotism and nationalism.

There's a difference between the structure of government and who's in charge.

There's a difference between a country and it's individual citizens.

I think more people should remember that.