Disgusting, Disgraceful, and Disturbing...

Well, if it was just the conservatives winning the election, and different views are exposed in Washington, no biggie.

However, in this situation, we have a radically right-wing president, radically right-wing congress, and a soon to be radically right-wing judiciary. How do you think the facists in Germany got their start back in the late 30's and early 40's? Extreme nationalism, single party, hatred for people who won't tow-the-line, etc.

It can happen here.

My grandfater, a decorated pilot in WWII, told me that people who slap the flag on everything are not patriots. A flag doesn't make you a patriot. Living the ideals of our great country is what makes you a patriot. That's showing love for what our country stands for. That is why so many of our allies are so upset with us, that we are not holding true to our values: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for everyone.

I'll answer this one

Any self-respecting President would not have run for reelection if he thought nearly half the nation outright think he has done a rotten job. Bush could have done the respectable Nixon thing and stepped aside gracefully.

(

Hiro, I agree totally...the problem is: Bush is not listening to THOSE people, he's listening to the voices in his head - err..I mean, his 'instinct'.

They're wearing a flagpole. And on it hangs the American Flag. Except it's at half mast, and upside down. And comes with a tie dye jetpack attachment. The object name states something to the effect of: "down with Bush."

Here here. I thought it was wonderful after 9/11 for people to properly display flags on the outside of their houses, or on newly erected flag poles. It was a wonderful display of the principles of our country!

However, then everyone had to put a flag on their car, a bumper sticker on their butt, and a flag lapel pin. Everyone wanted to slap the flag on something to showt that they cared about america. It started to feel like that if you didn't have a flag on something, you were unamerican. Then the flags flapping on top of the minivan started to fade or were shred to tatters, the bumper stickers started to collect road grime, and every politician had a flag lapel pin on not really caring what it stood for, but that they didn't want to be labeled a non-patriot.

My grandfater, a decorated pilot in WWII, told me that people who slap the flag on everything are not patriots. A flag doesn't make you a patriot. Living the ideals of our great country is what makes you a patriot. That's showing love for what our country stands for. That is why so many of our allies are so upset with us, that we are not holding true to our values: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for everyone.

Hank, you speak my mind.

For those who wonder why we are angry, let me try to simplify. Practically half the country is being shut out, and has been for several years. The issues at hand are not trivial issues to the folks being shut out. They are life and death for many of us. Many children will die of sub-standard healthcare. Many of us have diseases that will have to wait another 4 years before anyone will even BEGIN to search for genetic solutions. Many of us fear the future of our civil rights under the lifetime term of an ultra-conservative Supreme Court. Many of us have a rising gorge at the thought of being purposely and repeatedly lied to - no matter HOW justified the liar feels. Many of us resent how clever Mr Rove has been, culminating in his drive to mobilize homophobic Evangelical voters who came to the poles primarily to vote on the 11 anti-gay state constitutional amendments. And many of us resent the way our religious views have been co-opted and belittled and made to seem evil. Not to mention repeated attacks on our patriotism.

Is that enough to explain our anger? Whether or not you think these fears are justified or accurate, can you understand why so many of us are not in the least interested in "healing" the "dangerous divide"? We don’t feel like we put the divide in place in the first place. We feel like a second America has been created and we are totally extraneous to the considerations of that country’s leaders. Most of us feel it would be a serious betrayal of our own values to compromise with the Right. You can understand that, eh? Your folks have “principles", too, right? Even the Left can feel like God is on our side - and vote and speak accordingly.

So, can you understand it now? Or do you share your leaders' perspective that anyone who isn't your soldier is your enemy, and anything they believe deserves to spit upon?

Can you understand that even the "others" can have principles, hopes and dreams, and that they can be just as Godly and patriotic as you?

I hope you can. But I'll survive if you can't.


--
Kathy Yamamoto
"I'm very pissed and very clever and I have 55 million friends."

As a Brit, I find seeing my flag on the side of a fighter plane or tank very hard to reconcile.
Jai Nomad

Okay multiple replies in one here:

Camille: I have no problem with disagreeing with popular opinion or the politics of our elected leaders. What I do have a problem with is the way people choose to execute their feelings or opinions. I think it shows poor taste in most cases. When those people are sufficiently capable of expressing them in more constructive ways. By all means, they have the right to do it and we protect their right to do it. But in no way does that mean I can't get miffed when I see it done in ways I find offensive.

Moleculor: I refuse to respect the opinion of somebody who expresses it in a way that disrespects my country or my leader. I will, however, acknowledge that they have the right to their opinion just as I do mine. But I will never, ever, respect someone that chooses to show their opinion in such a tasteless way. Sorry.

Talen: I'm very thankful that this country allows me and everyone else to express our opinions. And because of my appreciation of that, it makes me more sick when I see people who take full advantage of that right to disgrace the symbols of that very country that allow them that right in the first place. What can I say? It's all in the execution. And seeing someone figuratively spit on my flag knowing full well it's that flag's country that allows them to even express that in the first place, makes me angry.

Merwan: Eugene, Oregon. My first week here I saw a hippie riding her bicycle with a large flag patch on her back, upside down and with a few choice words written on the back of the jacket near it. And it has been that way ever since. Many protests here. And a lot of them leave a nasty taste in my mouth when I see them. I like Portland. I rent a car and drive up there every so often for a visit. Took a really nice dinner cruise last time I was up there with my girlfriend

Madiera: I wasn't aware of the event you mentioned. But I can see that we share feelings on this, and I appreciate you speaking up. I didn't expect it from anyone that agrees with me on this. As it's a potentially heated topic and could end up becoming nasty. So I thank you kindly for your reply.

And thank you to everyone else too, regardless of how you stand on this. All your thoughts are read through carefully and appreciated.

Most of the principles you speak of are in place and have been in place from as far back as World War II.

.....
In conclusion there will always be disagreements in this world and even terrorists believe what they are dieing for is morally justified. The only thing we can do is try to prevent the world from destroying itself..meaning all of mankind.