Sacred Relics, or distractions?

Happy Times · 05-28-07, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NefariousKoel

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tchocky

I remember reciting the pledge at school, I'm glad I was quite young at the time. In Ireland there's no such thing. How I feel about my flag is how I feel about my country, and that would be "conflicted". I didn't choose to be born here, or anywhere. My parents conceived there, and my mother chose to give birth in the Irish hospital, and not the British one just over the border. Big deal.

State-mandated nationalism, theism...ugh.

That said, I don't really understand people being proud of their country by default, which is what the pledge looks like to me.

I mentioned how I disliked reciting 'the pledge' when I was younger, but it didn't have any effect on how I felt about my country when I got older. After watching world events unfold over a few decades, I became thankful for where I was.

Is having national pride really that dead in Europe? I think not when someone insults a European's nation... I see the reaction. Deep down they're still proud of who they are. It's just damn unfortunate that this political correctness has become second nature - even part of your culture.

Overall, I'm proud I'm an American because my ancestors left such staleness behind.

Actually that pride is growing in European countries, i would say its coming a trend but i havent seen surveys or anything. I base it on people ive talked and conversations ive had. Even Germans started to show signs during the World Cup.
But i dont see many risks though, most see that taking it too far leads only in ruins, again. There seems to be a lot of respect in most EU countries towards eachothers history and culture. But most citizens in all member states dont want Turkey in the Union.

So i think it works as its suppose to, keep us together and not killing eachother.:rotfl: