Do you love America like I do?

Denise, I think we Brits are much more self-critical. We question the decisions our politicians make and criticise them when we do not agree. We respect people who deserve respect and we honour those who fought or who gave their lives in wars they did not want. We do not tend to take a Jingoistic view of our country or still 'love it' when it makes bad decisions.
We have a long history going back thousands of years and have produced some of the world's greatest statesmen, scientists and inventors. Some things we do well and some things we do very badly. Not all our history makes us proud.

On balance, Britain's not a bad place to live, but I doubt if many people really love it (in your sense of the word) or forgive mistakes too readily.
 

I love people, not countries. I love the many cultures of our world, hope and pray that we all can help one another. I was fortunate to be born in the US because it gave me the opportunity, as an independent woman, to pursue the career of my choice and live the life I wanted. It wasn't easy, yet it was available. I see things here that I don't like and things that I do like. Same with other countries. I've been to every State except Alaska and Hawaii and to some other Countries. Our States are as different as foreign countries. Compare California to Alabama or Kentucky to Vermont. Big difference in many ways. I think, as the world becomes more flat, we need to take on a world view and work together to solve the huge problems like hunger and climate change.
 
I'm sometimes still a tad puzzled by saying that people 'love' their country. They may 'love' the area in which they live, but not necessarily other parts. Countries like the USA, Australia etc.. are so large and diverse that it's virtually impossible to appreciate the whole country.
Click to expand...
As an Australian, let me try to unpack what I mean about loving the land of my birth. I appreciate that I live on a continent that also happens to be an island and that there is just one nation that lays claim to it. That bestows a number of blessings - diversity of landscape from tropics to temperate rainforests to deserts and most of it is sparsely populated, allowing people to experience wilderness anytime we choose to. We have a wonderfully unique flora and fauna that we love and are very protective of, even if they are elusive and seldom seen by those of us who dwell in the cities. We know that they are there and, like the English who are nutty about animals, we are concerned about their welfare.

The diversity has also contributed to our prosperity because we are blessed with mineral wealth, farming and grazing lands and easy living conditions where the climate is kind. We are short of water overall, but for our small population we have enough so far. The third advantage is that because we are a nation continent we have no border disputes with our neighbours and our history has been peaceful for the most part, at least on the home front.

We call our home "the wide brown land" and travel around it as much as we can with the motto "see Australia first" before going overseas for holidays. Distance does not discourage the average Australian. We drive and fly a lot more than most precisely because we do love our country and want to explore it personally.

Our history is short and much of it disgraceful but there are things to be proud of too. Because I love my country I refuse to be silent about current disgraceful actions of either the populace or the governments we elect; just as I love my children and grandchildren but speak out when I feel they are letting down the standards that they have inherited from the generations that raised them.

NWLady, please don't think that every comment is barbed towards you personally. I know that you are the original poster of this thread but the discussion is of a general nature as far as I can tell.
 
Capt Lightning said:
Denise, I think we Brits are much more self-critical. We question the decisions our politicians make and criticise them when we do not agree. We respect people who deserve respect and we honour those who fought or who gave their lives in wars they did not want. We do not tend to take a Jingoistic view of our country or still 'love it' when it makes bad decisions.
We have a long history going back thousands of years and have produced some of the world's greatest statesmen, scientists and inventors. Some things we do well and some things we do very badly. Not all our history makes us proud.

On balance, Britain's not a bad place to live, but I doubt if many people really love it (in your sense of the word) or forgive mistakes too readily.
Click to expand...

This thread asked do you love America like I do. I think the thread is off-track, not that I really give a hoot. I accomplished what I wanted to with it;)
 
Dame Warrigal said:
As an Australian, let me try to unpack what I mean about loving the land of my birth. I appreciate that I live on a continent that also happens to be an island and that there is just one nation that lays claim to it. That bestows a number of blessings - diversity of landscape from tropics to temperate rainforests to deserts and most of it is sparsely populated, allowing people to experience wilderness anytime we choose to. We have a wonderfully unique flora and fauna that we love and are very protective of, even if they are elusive and seldom seen by those of us who dwell in the cities. We know that they are there and, like the English who are nutty about animals, we are concerned about their welfare.

The diversity has also contributed to our prosperity because we are blessed with mineral wealth, farming and grazing lands and easy living conditions where the climate is kind. We are short of water overall, but for our small population we have enough so far. The third advantage is that because we are a nation continent we have no border disputes with our neighbours and our history has been peaceful for the most part, at least on the home front.

We call our home "the wide brown land" and travel around it as much as we can with the motto "see Australia first" before going overseas for holidays. Distance does not discourage the average Australian. We drive and fly a lot more than most precisely because we do love our country and want to explore it personally.

Our history is short and much of it disgraceful but there are things to be proud of too. Because I love my country I refuse to be silent about current disgraceful actions of either the populace or the governments we elect; just as I love my children and grandchildren but speak out when I feel they are letting down the standards that they have inherited from the generations that raised them.

NWLady, please don't think that every comment is barbed towards you personally. I know that you are the original poster of this thread but the discussion is of a general nature as far as I can tell.
Click to expand...

Again, my post was to bring out others like myself that love America, I wanted to know they are here, they are, that's all I really cared about. denise
 
Dame Warrigal, I totally understand. That's what we Texans mean when we are yelling about our Texas Pride. There is everything from deserts to green Piney forests, and I still haven't seen it all, much less all of the USA, although I've driven thru half of our state's.
I would love to visit other countries, but money and time are working against that.
So I say, love what you have, and appreciate the pictures of other places. :star: :hatoff:
 
I couldn't find the post that an Australian made about "not belonging to a flag-waving" country, but I did get a little confused about the truth of that when I googled;) this:

2007-4-25-73965819.jpg


Maybe you just meant your country waves it's flag for other reasons, denise
 
Vivjen said:
It was a Brit; not an Australian....
Click to expand...

Ok, got one for that too, good ole google;)

crowd_1301539a.jpg


If I was there, I'd wave one too, with Americas. If I know much about our history over the past few decades, we are great allies. Hope that hasn't changed. Whole point is, not everyone loves their country, but other countries are as patriotic (I mean some of their people) as the US.
 
That photo of Australians waving flags was taken on ANZAC Day and the old man being celebrated was a returned serviceman. ANZAC Day is celebrated each year on April 25th all round Australia and at old battlefields in France, Turkey, PNG and occasionally in other places such as Burma and Vietnam. It is an occasion for flying the flag and is enthusiastically supported, with young people becoming more and more involved.

The Turks find it amazing that so many young Australians each year make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli to see where so many even younger Australians died in the failed invasion of their country. I made the trip in 2000 to see for myself the place where Australians first served and died in large numbers for their country and for the Mother Land because they were also fighting for the British Empire. It is a place of reverence because of all those who fell there, from many nations, and the Turks are very gracious to visitors.

Next year will be the centenary of the landing at Gallipoli and there will be a massive outbreak of flag waving here and overseas.
It would not be appropriate to wave an American flag at Gallipoli because in 1915 the Americans had not yet joined the war but I'm sure no-one would mind.
 
Anzac Day,=Australia & New Zealand Army corps, New Zealanders will be at Gallipolli remembering those that fought for their freedom.
 
Fern said:
Anzac Day,=Australia & New Zealand Army corps, New Zealanders will be at Gallipolli remembering those that fought for their freedom.
Click to expand...

And the NZ flag will also be prominent on that occasion.
Will you have a new one by then Fern?
I suspect that if you do, the old one will still have pride of place.
 
Yes Denise I am one of the Aussies who loves America very passionately, same as my husband who is an Englishman... as you state do you love America like I do ?.. I have to say yes but not in the same manner as you as I wasn`t born there, so my loyalty to my own country of birth prevails... but having said that! I have visited many times.. have loved every bit of it as have been north, south, east and west of America.. so many states .. I was once there for a memorial day service and It was the most awesome feeling and service I have ever attended something that I will never forget ..
 
Rainee said:
Yes Denise I am one of the Aussies who loves America very passionately, same as my husband who is an Englishman... as you state do you love America like I do ?.. I have to say yes but not in the same manner as you as I wasn`t born there, so my loyalty to my own country of birth prevails... but having said that! I have visited many times.. have loved every bit of it as have been north, south, east and west of America.. so many states .. I was once there for a memorial day service and It was the most awesome feeling and service I have ever attended something that I will never forget ..
Click to expand...

Thanks Rainee, and I respect your reply so much;) I got to work for an Australian fella that was here in the US doing some revamping of an oil refinery. He actually was the accountant for a Japanese company, but lived in Oz. He and his wife were so good to me, even had me over for dinner at their place they rented while working over here. He called me on the morning of 911 to tell me to turn on the TV:( We watched in horror. He and his wife were nuts about America, and had a great time seeing all the larger cities. They went to several during their stay, and she shopped!! We had to laugh because she just loved shopping, and brought all she could to show us at the office, lol;)

Anyway, I love the good folks in your country as well, and think Australia is an amazing place. I've seen only pics so far, but maybe one day;) denise
 
Dame Warrigal said:
That photo of Australians waving flags was taken on ANZAC Day and the old man being celebrated was a returned serviceman. ANZAC Day is celebrated each year on April 25th all round Australia and at old battlefields in France, Turkey, PNG and occasionally in other places such as Burma and Vietnam. It is an occasion for flying the flag and is enthusiastically supported, with young people becoming more and more involved.

The Turks find it amazing that so many young Australians each year make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli to see where so many even younger Australians died in the failed invasion of their country. I made the trip in 2000 to see for myself the place where Australians first served and died in large numbers for their country and for the Mother Land because they were also fighting for the British Empire. It is a place of reverence because of all those who fell there, from many nations, and the Turks are very gracious to visitors.

Next year will be the centenary of the landing at Gallipoli and there will be a massive outbreak of flag waving here and overseas.
It would not be appropriate to wave an American flag at Gallipoli because in 1915 the Americans had not yet joined the war but I'm sure no-one would mind.
Click to expand...

Gads, I didn't mean I'd wave my flag at your gathering, I meant if it was a gathering for the US to celebrate something like that I would. I just typed it wrong. denise
 
As I said, no-one would mind because you are from an allied country.
Enemy flags (Japanese, German etc) would be resented but we are very inclusive of the Turks if they want to join in.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top