paularoid
06-01-2007, 01:43 PM
I pledge allegiance to the importance of questioning authority.
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/outsider/2007/05/30/america-love-it-or-leave-it/
America: Love It or Leave It
by outsider on May 30, 2007 at 10:47 pm
I disliked the phrase, "America, love it or leave it" when it made the rounds in the ’60s,
and I dislike it now. I don’t see how any thinking adult can claim to love the freedoms
we enjoy while mouthing such un-American sentiments.
I am grateful daily for having been born in America. Considering my personality, there
are few other countries I could have been as happy growing up in. When the
opportunity arose, I volunteered to defend the country that had granted me such a free
and enjoyable life. I love my country, I love its Constitution, and it saddens me to see
the powerful, especially those who are employed to represent its citizens, use this
country’s freedoms to cause it harm.
Not just due to Bush, not just at the hands of the Senate; this country is straying from
what makes it a great country.
I’ve said before that I can envision a move in the near future to push the U.S. further
toward a theocracy. I hope I’m wrong. And I don’t put the responsibility for this on
those Christians actually trying to live up to the tenets of their belief: love, joy and
peace. Those in power use their Christian veneer as another mask to wear to
appease another influential group of citizens. Why do politicians spend so much
time with religious and high society types? Because those people can deliver
votes, and votes win elections.Then the politicians gain even more power, as do
the wealthy who support them. These people represent a perversion of both the
faith they claim and the position of trust they hold. Those who have goals in mind
that directly contradict the spirit and the law of this country, they are traitors, no
better than Jonathan Pollard.
I enjoy the freedom to, and feel an obligation to, speak out against those I
perceive as hostile to the roots of our republic. If I wanted to live anywhere else,
I’d have left years ago and wouldn’t give a damn what happened here, except
as it effected me there.
So yeah, I do get pissed when someone suggests that I should just fall into step.
I get even more irritated when someone implies that by pointing out the flaws in
the government I’m failing to support the troops. The stupidity of that comment
is on a par with "every time you masturbate a kitten dies," but a thousand times
more insulting and inaccurate.
It was people who exposed Nixon and Clinton, people who refused to respect
the office of president if that required turning a blind eye to the activities of the
president. The desire to keep our country honest crosses all political lines.
But too many people are starting to believe that unquestioning loyalty is the
only patriotic position that’s acceptable. Anything less than blind obedience
is called "hatred." Administrations sometimes fear those who want to expose
their corruption. They have the tools, money and popularity, to influence
public opinion far better than any of us could hope to. Our only weapon is the
Constitution. Once they can create an atmosphere in the U.S. in which
well-meaning citizens will allow their freedoms to slowly be curtailed, there
may be no stopping them. Bush is like an experiment being conducted by the
real power behind the throne. They want to see just how little effort they have
to expend to alter public opinion. It seems to not require much.
I really want to get angry at those who utter "Love it or Leave it," but I feel pity
instead. They really want to love their country, and they certainly don’t hate it,
but the object of their passion is a chimera. They have bought the story,
accepted without questioning the official explanation. It’s sad.
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/outsider/2007/05/30/america-love-it-or-leave-it/
America: Love It or Leave It
by outsider on May 30, 2007 at 10:47 pm
I disliked the phrase, "America, love it or leave it" when it made the rounds in the ’60s,
and I dislike it now. I don’t see how any thinking adult can claim to love the freedoms
we enjoy while mouthing such un-American sentiments.
I am grateful daily for having been born in America. Considering my personality, there
are few other countries I could have been as happy growing up in. When the
opportunity arose, I volunteered to defend the country that had granted me such a free
and enjoyable life. I love my country, I love its Constitution, and it saddens me to see
the powerful, especially those who are employed to represent its citizens, use this
country’s freedoms to cause it harm.
Not just due to Bush, not just at the hands of the Senate; this country is straying from
what makes it a great country.
I’ve said before that I can envision a move in the near future to push the U.S. further
toward a theocracy. I hope I’m wrong. And I don’t put the responsibility for this on
those Christians actually trying to live up to the tenets of their belief: love, joy and
peace. Those in power use their Christian veneer as another mask to wear to
appease another influential group of citizens. Why do politicians spend so much
time with religious and high society types? Because those people can deliver
votes, and votes win elections.Then the politicians gain even more power, as do
the wealthy who support them. These people represent a perversion of both the
faith they claim and the position of trust they hold. Those who have goals in mind
that directly contradict the spirit and the law of this country, they are traitors, no
better than Jonathan Pollard.
I enjoy the freedom to, and feel an obligation to, speak out against those I
perceive as hostile to the roots of our republic. If I wanted to live anywhere else,
I’d have left years ago and wouldn’t give a damn what happened here, except
as it effected me there.
So yeah, I do get pissed when someone suggests that I should just fall into step.
I get even more irritated when someone implies that by pointing out the flaws in
the government I’m failing to support the troops. The stupidity of that comment
is on a par with "every time you masturbate a kitten dies," but a thousand times
more insulting and inaccurate.
It was people who exposed Nixon and Clinton, people who refused to respect
the office of president if that required turning a blind eye to the activities of the
president. The desire to keep our country honest crosses all political lines.
But too many people are starting to believe that unquestioning loyalty is the
only patriotic position that’s acceptable. Anything less than blind obedience
is called "hatred." Administrations sometimes fear those who want to expose
their corruption. They have the tools, money and popularity, to influence
public opinion far better than any of us could hope to. Our only weapon is the
Constitution. Once they can create an atmosphere in the U.S. in which
well-meaning citizens will allow their freedoms to slowly be curtailed, there
may be no stopping them. Bush is like an experiment being conducted by the
real power behind the throne. They want to see just how little effort they have
to expend to alter public opinion. It seems to not require much.
I really want to get angry at those who utter "Love it or Leave it," but I feel pity
instead. They really want to love their country, and they certainly don’t hate it,
but the object of their passion is a chimera. They have bought the story,
accepted without questioning the official explanation. It’s sad.