"We have a special flag". Oh. You love USA because you have a special flag? Nice. Then you must love every other country in the world, because every country in the world has a special flag.
"We don't have slaves". Oh. That can be said of most countries in the world.
"We are free" - "We vote for our leaders" - "We have the things we need" - "There are neat places to visit" - that too goes for every modern democracy.
"We have people that keep us safe (police men, fire fighters)"
If that's a reason why you love USA, keep paying taxes. But - that too goes for every modern democracy.
"We honor the people who have died for us."
Er... how, precisely? Giving them a nice funeral, a memorial and a memorial day. While at the same time dishonoring people who had the bad taste of NOT dying. Vietnam veterans are classified as drug addicts, veterans speaking up against the despicable acts of USonian military, torture and illegal wars are classified as traitors and anti-American, and... yeah... military is being paid with tax funds too... So - refuse to pay taxes, refuse a veteran his pension. What the heck, he didn't die, so he can go and work, like all the decent people and stop leeching!
"Our country is BIG!"
Oh, yeah... You'd love Russia or China even more!
"You can see mountains, beaches, jungles and more in the USA".
That is something unique for USA. But on the other hand, if your country didn't have "mountains, beaches, jungles and more", would you not love it?
------------------------------------
I love Finland because it's mine. It is the country I was born in. I love Finland because I'm Finnish. Because I love Finland, the sky is higher there than anywhere else... Because I love it, it's the most beautiful country in the world, even though it's small and doesn't have all kinds of amazing places. It has nice places to visit, though, beautiful places, amazing places, places worth seeing. Maybe I'm partial, but - I don't think I am. Every country has that. :-)
I love Finland, because I know Finland. I feel at home there. I feel accepted. I feel I belong. Finland is my mother. Finland is my home. Finland is the soil where my roots are. Finland is my origin.
There are all the other people who love Finland too, and I can share my love with them, the pride of achievements... and even though Finland is a small country with only few citizens, we have achieved a lot.
We made Finland independent and we have kept it independent for almost a century now. And we kept Finland independent against Russia... and as USA was fighting on their side, against USA too. No f-ing yankees in MY home country, and THAT is something to be proud of in today's world!
I love Finland, because Finland is a country one can be proud of. Of course we are not perfect, but there's more to be proud of than to be ashamed of. And most other people think Finland is a good place too.
Finns are creative, artistic, inventive, intelligent people. Hard-working people, fair, honest, courageous... Independent and ethical. You know the tree by its fruit and the country by its citizens.
2 comments:
Yes, everyone does love their own country. And yet, America's constitution is unique. Our citizens have rights many countries do not. America is a place that people try to escape to for the freedoms and opportunities it offers. It is okay for our children to feel that our country is special. It is interesting to me that those who criticize our people or country, not always, but often, choose to live in the USA instead of their own country.
Of course it's ok for your children to feel that your country is special. You should. Everyone should be proud of their country and love their country. Unashamed, unapologetic, unabashed.
But there's nothing special in having a flag and even though a lot of countries don't have rights, a lot of countries do. USA ISN*T "the freest country" in the world. Canada is freer than USA. Canadians have more legal rights, more personal freedom and the society is more tolerant. So do New Zealanders and Scandinavians. Most of USA's "freedom and rights" are words, and nothing more.
There is one thing USA is the best in the world and that's private entrepreneurship and economical possibilities. A lot of people have come to USA and they have brought with them their will to succeed, their ideas, their resources... but with the today's "alien hate" that will end. Your president is on war on open media, freedom of information, science and
And being proud of things that aren't true...
"It is interesting to me that those who criticize our people or country, not always, but often, choose to live in the USA instead of their own country."
Most of the people I know who criticize USA wouldn't live there even if you paid them. I think you should check
a) why they choose to live in the USA
b) what is their own country
c) do they criticize that country even more and
d) what do they criticize?
I can acknowledge the good in something while criticizing the bad, and there IS bad in USA just like in everything else. To me it feels like one may not say ANYTHING that COULD be IN ANY WAY understood as criticism, or one "hates USA". And it doesn't matter if you do speak of the good as well. I used to think WE had a bad national self-confidence, but it's nothing compared to yours.
Post a Comment