CIPHER_one Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 (not my own words) One of the great attractions of patriotism - it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of our nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat. Bully and cheat, what's more, with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous. -- Aldous Huxley, British Writer [1894-1963] In times of government and media-declared war, elite pressures combine to compel people to express or reflect one's patriotism. The question immediately arises: what *is* patriotism? Love of country? Love of one's people? Or, blind, yielding obedience to government dictates? Is it the supine surrender of one's will to that of those in political power? Or is it the conviction that one must speak truth to power -- yea, even unpopular, unheralded truth? Questions such as these are not easily answered, for there is no one, single response. They are answered individually, in the silence of the soul. How one answers depends where one is in national life, or where one comes from. An American citizen, elected to a high place of Congress, dares to refuse to surrender her political independence to the nation's chief executive, urging caution as she casts a lone vote. She is threatened with death, not from foreign terrorists, but from domestic ones! A nationally known broadcaster announces that he is at the disposal of his Commander-in-Chief, "just tell me where to go, Mr. President, and I'm there" (or words to that effect), tears welling up over his stage make-up. Consider, shall we say, these two extremes of public behavior. Which is more, well, patriotic? One retains her political independence, saying, in effect, "I was not elected to surrender my powers to legislate to the executive, but to represent my constituency, and the principle of separation of powers, without which, democracy is illusory." The other publicly surrenders, saying, in effect, "I will not pretend to objectivity. You are my Commander; I am the commanded. My journalism is at your service, Sire." The one is Congresswoman Barbara Jackson Lee, member of the House of Representatives, 9th Congressional district, a Democrat from California. The other is CBS network anchor Dan Rather, the multi-million dollar, unelected corporate journalist. Which is more popular? Which is more American? The U.S. Constitution has no provision (to this writer's knowledge) for a national legislator to surrender her independence to the executive - even in times of war. As for the "Commander in Chief" reference, despite Dan's journalistic genuflection, the Constitution's Article II states that the President is Commander in Chief of "the Army and Navy of the United States," and, under certain conditions, "the Militia." Unless Dan enlists, anchors aren't included. A free person is not patriotic because he surrenders his freedom. He is either free, or he ain't. Which are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest young republican Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 ....than whose words are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIPHER_one Posted November 5, 2001 Author Share Posted November 5, 2001 mumia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoB.1 Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 First, you have to be true to self. Everything has multiple levels and angles, even patriotism. I can understand people putting up their flags and whatnot...but, blindly following the government? That's like the little rodent whateverthefucks that follow one after the other of a cliff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcia_vega Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 i have no loyatly to any country. a country is just an imaginary line that separates one part of the land from another, and i didn't draw the lines so i really don't give a shit about which side i ended up on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Luv Roo Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 those rodents are called LEMMINGS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tEkRoCkS Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 patriotism is also a good song by COMPANY FLOW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OGBforMumia Posted November 5, 2001 Share Posted November 5, 2001 Originally posted by tEkRoCkS patriotism is also a good song by COMPANY FLOW. you aint lyin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*ZEMONEDOE$ Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 god bless the u.s. and fuck the rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiberoptical Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 poulation control. thin the herd...useless eaters. mk ultra is alive and well...you are a victim of it. we did not even vote for bush. state sponsored disinformation agent for writers. mr. cleansheets are you apt to become a jesuit? ORDO AB CHAO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BROWNer Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 become an independant farmer. . . ? cleansheets... what are you doing about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esai Posted November 6, 2001 Share Posted November 6, 2001 ALL YOU PATRIOTS CAN SUCK MY DICK. IM A TRUE NATIVE TO THIS LAND AND IM SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING EUROPEANS FUCKIN IT UP. FUCK BIN LADEN AND BUSH. PEOPLE DONT SEE THAT BOTH THE TALIBAN AND THE US ARE THE SAME IN MANY RESPECTS, THEY BOTH ONLY SERVE THE INTERESTS OF A SELECT FEW, AND THOUSANDS PAY FOR THIS. BOTH GROUPS BRAINWASH THE MASSES TO FOLLOW THEIR RHETORIC WHILE THE PUBLIC IS REALLY GETTIN FUCKED IN THE ASS BY THEIR LEADERS. MOST PEOPLE ARGUE BACK WITH IGNORANT COMMENTS BUT CHECK IT OUT, LOOK AT HISTORY AND CURRENT EVENTS FROM ALL POINTS OF VIEW AND THEN ARGUE. PEOPLE GET ALL DEFENSIVE AND MAD CUZ THEY CANT LOOK AT THEIRSELVES AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE BEING PLAYED FOR FOOLS BY OUR, AND MANY OTHER GOVERNMENTS. THE TRUTH IS BUSH, AND ALL THE CRACKERS IN CONGRESS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS COUNTRY, ONLY CARE ABOUT THE CONCERNS OF THE WEALTHY, AND ABOUT THROWIN A BONE TO THE MASSES TO KEEP THEM HAPPY AND AVOID A REVOLT. IMSURE MY COMMENTS WILL ONLY BE ANSWERED BY STUPIDITY BUT EVERY CONSCIOUS PERSON SHOULD MAKE AN EFFORT TO ENLIGHTEN PEOPLE. I TRULY LOVE THIS LAND BUT NOT ITS GOVERNMENT STOLEN LAND X3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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