Are you americans so...

[Dreamer128]

Patriotism ok, but some movies really manage to overdo it. Take ‘the patriot’ for example. Good guy Mel Gibson decides he is tired of war and bloodshed, and plans on going home. But suddenly he notices the American flag and returns straight away to butcher the English. The horrible speech by the ‘American President’ in ‘Independence day’ is another example of patriotic overkill. I can understand that Americans like it, but as a European I find it rather horrible.

[Faceman]

*no offense intended*
I think that the Netherlands lack political representation on the (far) right side of the political spectrum - at least I've been told so. I am semi-liberal, semi-anarchist, semi-communist myself but I come from a catholic family and I appreciate the the arguments with conservative people because they make you understand the other point of view. If everyone decides to be of one opinion the danger of forgetting about important issues are quite big.
I love arguing with people who are not of my opinion to refine my point of view (and I do not mean my points to back my side of the argument but my opinion) and I think that politics must be quite careless if nobody disagrees.

[Ziroc]

You are really bordering on breaking the TOS, please keep this light-hearted, or it'll be closed.


i.e:

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Be Polite: No targeting of another user by harassing or giving unwarranted attention to or attacking ones race, gender, ethnicity or country. Also, respect each person's views and questions--this includes attacks on NEW users.
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[wellard]

Maybe that in the US it's much more acceptable to show your patorism on your sleeve, while in other countries it is seen as a bit embarrassing. [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]

But I would say that people in general are equally patriotic through the world it's just more in your face in the US. For example to have a flagpole and flag in your front garden in Australia or America is something never laughed at. In Britain it would be. As an Englishman Beaumanoir I would guess it hard for you not to get *emotional* when listening to Shakespeare’s Henry V st.Swithens day speech. Just transpose independence day film for Kenneth branagh's portrayal, or listen to Churchill’s "never have so many owed so few" speech. Or at Wembley singing your national anthem. Maybe there are as many instances of British patorism in popular culture but only someone from outside of Britain would notice them and find it uncomfortable [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

That Henry V speach chokes me up as much as my own national anthem...its not so much about nationality...its the concepts and principles that the whole thing stands for....but yeah I am patiotic, but try not to slip into nationalism.

Saint Crispin's Day Speech
from Henry V by William Shakespeare
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.


[ 06-09-2003, 09:15 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

Surprisingly enough, I have Danny DeVito to thank for knowing this speech and for finding a something I had not know about before.

I know it is a cheesey american film, but Renaissance Man is worrth watching in my opinion.

[Reeka]

I believe that American patriotism has alot to do with us being a relatively "new" country and able, at least theorectially, to point to a specific date on which our country was "born." The Europeans nations cannot, as a whole, do that. Also, it is something that is taught in school: pledging allegiance to the flag, learning the patriotic songs, that sort of thing.

[ocelot]

I can't speak for everyone but I see a world organization in making alot of decisions for the common man lately. We have the G-8, WTO...etc.

How about depleting the oceans of 90 percent of it's life and no one knows anything.
Do an honest day of work in any country - be proud of that.

[spydar]

just a humble canadian opinion here, being both respectful and liking of european and american tastes...

americans do show an extreme amount of patriotism, most of it good if not somewhat sickening (but I am a pessimist so it may just be that happy people annoy me). the only problem I have with american patriotism, that is magnified by the media, is how you guys seem to be able to turn absolutely ANYthing into a "hurray for America" bandwagon, take any movie on Vietnam for example, or better yet the newer movie Pearl Habour. it still baffles me.

and as for europeans, being a first generation canadian who hopes to get her citizenship in the Netherlands sometime soon (my dad was born in the Hague). I think patriotism is looked at differently there, as they seem to have a little more dignified way of going about things. but it's also somewhat frowned upon (especially for germany I find) for europeans to show extreme patriotism.


the only thing that is worrying myself and pretty much everyone I know is the new kind of patriotism, or nationalism if you like, that the american government seems to be throwing about (government not citizens). It makes me very nervous.

Originally posted by ocelot: How about depleting the oceans of 90 percent of it's life and no one knows anything. Do an honest day of work in any country - be proud of that.

That particular statisticis meaningless and inaccurate [img]smile.gif[/img] Since we have absolutley no idea how much life is in theocean, there is no way to say how much it has been depleted...heck we still don't know where the giant squid lives exactly and no one has ever seen one alive in the wild.

I like the idea about an honest days work though.