RateItAll: The Opinion Network

Somebody keeps bring out the useless argument that if you are liberal you are not patriotic. It simply doesn't follow.

It seems that way sometimes, But I am not really a conservative because the liberals do or dont do anything. For the record, I consider myself a conservative because at some point in my life I came to the conclusion that America in general is not the great country it used to be. We found a way to change so many things that made our children weaker, our women everything else but mothers and the idea of taking pride in American made products went out the window. Then we slowly but surely decided that we should worry more about what immigrants need, than hard working Americans! I realize that ageing tends to make folks long for their younger days but what I feel is not just about that. The word conservative, derived obviously from the word 'conserve' serves well here. I tend to believe that the old way of doing most things as well as the old ways of thinking is what made us a World power. Its really quite simple. The old ways of rearing children, old ways of getting people motivated and working, the old way of looking at and respecting authority, our countries leaders and the military, the old ways of handling faith and religion, the idea of making your own lot in life without a hand out, even The old ways of making music for that matter, something far less important on the scale but still important to me as an individual. Any of these traditions that I can help preserve I would. We just cant ignore the fact that we were a undeniable force until the 1960's. With the exception of our growth in the area of civil rights, I do not recall antything else at this moment that I would have changed about the ways Americans lived their lives before then. I believe we have seen our prime as a country. I only hope that Conservatism with allow us to hold on to what is left that is good about being American and possibly bring us back to greatness. Changing everything just because it doesnt suit a certain minority group or gender (which in my opinion the liberals love to do)is never the answer and has brought us to where we are now.

Don't you just love it when liberals lecture conservatives about what the true meaning of patriotism is? On how it's really all about tolerance and understanding while they so ardently call us ignorant. On how real patriots have the courage to mask their faces with bandanas and write the letter A on businesses that give people jobs. It is the liberal ability to push their head so freakishly up their ass that keeps me away from liberalism.

A laughable assumption. When a conservative criticizes the government, they're protecting the noble ideals of the founding fathers. When a liberal criticizes the government, they're unpatriotic traitors. On the list of intellectually lazy conservative arguments, this ranks right up there with You're a Communist.

Actually, patriotism is the love or zealous support of one's own country (or fatherland) especially in dealing with other countries. All liberals are insulted by this statement, amd I don't blame them. It's a shame that this hits home with such a biting sting. But, a reputation is a hard thing to live down and facts are stubborn things. Ask Jane Fonda. Ask Bill Clinton. Ask John Kerry. I believe that you can be a democrat in America today and still be a patriot. I just don't think you can get yourself elected to public office anymore. And that's a shame. Patriotism should motivate all politicians of both parties. Neither party should be able to arrogantly wrap itself in its patriotism while the other party's constituents call it jingoism. Is it really the ignorance of republicans that is at fault in this situation? UPDATE: Sometimes they unwittingly mock themselves, read bluetar's post again.

Liberals don't mock patriotism - we mock stupidity. I think a lot of conservatives have mistaken being another brick in the wall who follows blindly for patriotism. Just because they said it, doesn't make it true. Liberals are open minded and free. We question. We're not sheep. Supporting the war, Bush, or whatever is not patriotism. Ever hear the quote, ONLY HE WHO DOUBTS REALLY CARES? Think about it. Conservatives are too naive. They just think by God, the president said it..........so, it's true. Anybody that thinks otherwise is unpatriotic! I hate what we have become. History repeats itself, yet, we have learned so little. BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS! We think we're so perfect and indestructible. WE ARE A BLIP ON THE SCALE OF HISTORY! And if the Bush administration had been the leaders of Rome, historians would be talking right now, about how bad they F'ed up . ONLY HE WHO DOUBTS REALLY CARES! I just wish we could all get smart, and realize what's going on. It's got nothing to do with patriotism and everything to do with common sense. ONLY HE WHO DOUBTS REALLY CARES! Liberals don't mock patriotism, but an intelligent human being must wonder at this point, what is there to be patriotic about? Only he who doubts really cares.

Can't say it much better than Canadasucks says. Why divide this country even more. I am getting sick of these liberal vs. conservative lists. We are the United States of America, the USA. With the way things are going now, It wouldn't suprise me at all if one day this great country was split into the CSA and LSA. Enough is enough. George Washington was adamant in proclaiming that a two party system would be horrible for the USA. He was very right.

Most liberals are useful idiots ignorant of liberal principles at their core. Kantian liberalism as professed by most contemporary liberals however lacks the inherent capability to find any useful obligation to anyone other than themselves. Because of this internal chaos you'll hear liberals spit out statements like I'm a citizen of the world things like that because through the liberal prizm our culture is no more superior than any other and as a deriviative of pure power is actually a terrorist state. You'll hear some of them- like the supporters of Michael Moore and Ward Churchill- blame the United States for the attacks on 9-11 without any solid basis for this analysis other than their hatred of our postion in the uni-polar world. You'll hear them call Bush a Nazi, our soldier butchers and torturers without any credible evidence, compare Gitmo to the Gulags when no rational connection can be made, compare Ashcroft to a KGB agent and the hatred goes on and on. And this is all in the name of patriotism? Modern liberals operate under the assumption that everything America does in its defense is evil. Bush is evil and all our motives are evil. You cannot continually side with the enemy by bashing your country and define yourself as a patriot- sorry you're a traitor.

Shockingly ignorant statement. A true patriot questions, pushes, and cares deeply about your freedom. Blind followers afraid to question or resist are not what made this nation great. . .just like those that have made serious sacrifices are also patriots as well. The sides should work together instead of pulling at a doll like two children. The argument is based out of fear and anger.