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Originally Posted by Scottie
Ok.
right well let me explain a couple of things from a my point of view.
I hate a them and us debate I see no them and us with Americans or any other country.
don't take this the wrong way and don't fall out with me I do try to keep out of these kinda topics but in for a penny in for a pound as they say.
Why is it impossible to understand what it feels like to be an American??? is this because you feel under threat of terrorism?????
So how many years have we Great Britain lived under the threat or the IRA years and who funded them the irish/americans in NY. noriad and what happened 911 they stopped the funding and what the IRA went hey wait a minute think we will drop arms nothing what so ever to do with our Goverment abailites. Maybe we have had to live with the threat of terrorism here in the UK for far to long and it has become a way of life to us or maybe it's the pick ourself up and dust ourself down attitude that we have.
" We are blessed with opportunity, freedom, and free will like no other society on earth"
e'hh well I have to dispute this what do you have that no other country has.???? what makes America special????
"For the Average American (and Average Americans have little interest in politics), it is hard to understand why, when they are working hard, trying to put thier kids throiugh school, living a life of minding their own business, people abroad seem to hate our guts."
Surely the Average American is not the only people who feel like this why do you think folks hate your guts?????
" - regardless of our internal views and disagreements, Americans will circle their wagons, and strike back hard when threatened from the outside. We generally value our society, the freedoms and liberties it includes, and we will fight for all its worth and all it means to us. Regardless of our liberal/conservative leanings, we are an innately (word?) fiercely patriotic people."
Well if you want to talk about threatned from the outside Great Britain has been invaded over thousands of years and prevailed. We have had the romans,vikings,French& Spanish armadas (the Germans who tried.) It was our spirit and not willing to be ruled by outsiders.
So if any body knows about circling wagons just take a look at our history. That's it though this is what makes us different I think it's what gives us a different out look to you our History a history to be proud off I would say.
"- . Regardless of our liberal/conservative leanings, we are an innately (word?) fiercely patriotic people."
LOL. I'm Scottish we invented the word Patriotic oh and FREEDOM William Wallace. Now I know you will have watched Brave Heart.
Now I don't hate Americans have no reason to although I do think some Americans and other countries are jealous of Great Britain because of our hertiage.
Allan has served along side many Americans and got on great with them.
Right now that's said.
This is what I believe. Nothing has ever been solved by a war all war brings is heartache to the innocnce.
I think it is not a good thing Hamas was brought to power perhaps if Bush/Blair didn't poke their nose in so much it would not drive the ordinary people to vote these types of people into power. Then we would not have to read posts like this.
I think oil makes people greedy perhaps Bush should invest in wind farms more.lol.
Ok that's me been a bit off topic don't know if I've made a lot of sense but I do love you guys. Have a nice day.  |
OK, I asked for it, so I deserved it. I take full responsibility for asking for your opinion, and I respect you for having the guts to give it. As I said before, I may not agree with it, which in this case, I don't mostly, but it still takes some courage to speak up.
A couple of responses:
First off, I am neither jealous of nor disparaging towards Great Britain. In my miopic world view, GB has been a great ally of ours, and us of theirs. I was trying to explain to you why people here get defensive. If you want to relive the Revolutionary War, OK by me. I don't know what the hell the Romans, Turks, Celts, or whoever has to do with Hamas and terrorism, though.
As for why people hate our guts - I suppose they hate our elected leaders, and by extension us. You can form long lines all day long of ordinary Americans that hate our leaders also - no big deal there. But, all 250 million of us are not elected leaders. And, probably about half of us did not elect our leaders. I never voted for Bill Clinton (sorry Juan - he just didn't do it for me), but he was the President, and I respect the office. I don't have to love the man to understand the historical significance of the most powerful position on earth.
As far as why I feel beleagured, it's simple. My view is that our world neighbors are always calling us in to clean up the crap they leave in each other's yards. They take their stroll over to the neighbors, they take a dump, and then they either complain that we didn't get their quickly enough, or they complain that we came too quickly. God forbid we step on the flowers whilst we're there. That'll give them an escuse to spew anti-American vitriole for the next 100 years.
Personally, I am tired of spending American treasure and blood to clean up these messes. However, I realize, and you'll love this one I'm sure, as the world's LONE SUPERPOWER, we have a responsibility to the world to do this.
I don't begrudge you your history at all. But that doesn't mean that I am not proud of mine. I took my kids to Washington, to look at the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution firsthand. It you don't tremble in the presence of those documents, then you do not understand what it is to be an American.
As far as oil, Hamas, the Bush/Blair tag team, and the price of war - you are talking to the wrong guy.
First, Bush and Blair had very little to do with Hamas winning elections. It had everything to do with rapt corruption in the PLO, and the Palestinian Authority. PUHLEASE!
Last I checked, Britain, and everywhere else in the world, still uses automobiles. We might have commercialized them, but there are plenty of them around the globe. Hamas is a problem, and we all know it. State sponsors of terrorism will find their just reward.
As for the price of war - last time I checked, American soldiers are dying faster in Iraq than any other country's. It's a mess we made, for sure, and we'll clean it up. I will tell you this too - there are a lot of dead American men lying in cemeteries in Europe. It is downright appalling for anyone in Europe to forget that. A generation removed, and it seems a lot of Europeans have forgotten. I'd prefer they just say thanks on occassion. F#$@ them if they don't. I could care less. I'll tell you this though - we have not forgotten our boys died in Europe, fighting for an ideal that was freedom. I'm not quite sure on this, but I believe that no Brits, or anyone else, died on American soil in that cause.
As far as living under the threat of terrorism - if you think that's what I meant, you missed it. I am more afraid of being hit by a golf ball while standing in my back yard. I don't live in fear of that at all. Maybe that, as Drex said, is the essence of being an American.
I understand my government makes some boneheaded moves on occasion, but who's government doesn't. There is something deeper, which, as I said, is our burden of prosperity.
As far as Braveheart - sorry, I didn't see that one. No clue what it was about. There is not much that comes out of Hollywood that I really care much about.
One last thing - I never questioned your patriotism, never even brought it up. Not sure what that was all about.
I could go on and on, but I better check out. God Bless America.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
JK - according to that little survey thing, I'm afraid I was more of Libertarian than a Republican. Still trying to figure out what to make of that.