What is patriotism? (An email I wrote in response to a swipe from a friends relative)

[cooperthedog]

Technically, a patriot is a someone who espouses the “official” values of the nation, typically via ritual or ceremony (flags, pledges, etc.).

One can demonstrate degrees of patriotism, from the shallow (e.g. purchasing a “support our troops” bumper sticker, yet opposing additional personal payments (taxes) to support the actual war/troops), to the ultimate sacrifice (giving your life in combat).

The problem is that our founding fathers version of patriotism was focused on defending/supporting our *system* of government (i.e. the Constitution) vs. individual leaders, institutions, or objects. The current administration likes to do alot of flag waving and associate its values and authority as absolute, which I would label as nationalism. I think a true patriot is someone who is willing to defend the Constitution, question and change their appointed leaders, & sacrifice for their country (physically or financially).

As for the BSC bailout, I think it was a necessary evil. Credit markets seizing up, banks failing, etc. can cause untold damage to all. Also, this gov’t giveaway isn’t much different from all the rest, “privatize the gains & socialize the losses” – its how our “free”-market works…

[Aecetia]

http://www.patriots.com/

[Aecetia]

http://www.patriots.com/

[Aecetia]

http://www.patriots.com/

[Aecetia]

http://www.patriots.com/

[Aecetia]

http://www.patriots.com/

[barnaby33]

cooperthedog, the point is it wasn’t necessary. As for the BSC bailout, I think it was a necessary evil. Credit markets seizing up, banks failing, etc. can cause untold damage to all. Credit markets are seizing up anyway.

Socializing the losses is how our market works, or doesn’t. Actually its a large part of why it doesn’t. Acting like a bailout for any firm is necessary is just encouraging more of the same destructive behavior. It isn’t necessary, and yes the damage will be done anyway. Actually the damage was done when the credit was created. All the Fed is doing is re-distributing the pain to all of us instead of concentrating it on Wall St.

In this case patriotism is saying as loudly as you can, fuck this, its theft plain and simple.

Oh and JWM I don’t always agree with Karl either.

[barnaby33]

cooperthedog, the point is it wasn’t necessary. As for the BSC bailout, I think it was a necessary evil. Credit markets seizing up, banks failing, etc. can cause untold damage to all. Credit markets are seizing up anyway.

Socializing the losses is how our market works, or doesn’t. Actually its a large part of why it doesn’t. Acting like a bailout for any firm is necessary is just encouraging more of the same destructive behavior. It isn’t necessary, and yes the damage will be done anyway. Actually the damage was done when the credit was created. All the Fed is doing is re-distributing the pain to all of us instead of concentrating it on Wall St.

In this case patriotism is saying as loudly as you can, fuck this, its theft plain and simple.

Oh and JWM I don’t always agree with Karl either.

[barnaby33]

cooperthedog, the point is it wasn’t necessary. As for the BSC bailout, I think it was a necessary evil. Credit markets seizing up, banks failing, etc. can cause untold damage to all. Credit markets are seizing up anyway.

Socializing the losses is how our market works, or doesn’t. Actually its a large part of why it doesn’t. Acting like a bailout for any firm is necessary is just encouraging more of the same destructive behavior. It isn’t necessary, and yes the damage will be done anyway. Actually the damage was done when the credit was created. All the Fed is doing is re-distributing the pain to all of us instead of concentrating it on Wall St.

In this case patriotism is saying as loudly as you can, fuck this, its theft plain and simple.

Oh and JWM I don’t always agree with Karl either.

[barnaby33]

cooperthedog, the point is it wasn’t necessary. As for the BSC bailout, I think it was a necessary evil. Credit markets seizing up, banks failing, etc. can cause untold damage to all. Credit markets are seizing up anyway.

Socializing the losses is how our market works, or doesn’t. Actually its a large part of why it doesn’t. Acting like a bailout for any firm is necessary is just encouraging more of the same destructive behavior. It isn’t necessary, and yes the damage will be done anyway. Actually the damage was done when the credit was created. All the Fed is doing is re-distributing the pain to all of us instead of concentrating it on Wall St.

In this case patriotism is saying as loudly as you can, fuck this, its theft plain and simple.

Oh and JWM I don’t always agree with Karl either.

[barnaby33]

cooperthedog, the point is it wasn’t necessary. As for the BSC bailout, I think it was a necessary evil. Credit markets seizing up, banks failing, etc. can cause untold damage to all. Credit markets are seizing up anyway.

Socializing the losses is how our market works, or doesn’t. Actually its a large part of why it doesn’t. Acting like a bailout for any firm is necessary is just encouraging more of the same destructive behavior. It isn’t necessary, and yes the damage will be done anyway. Actually the damage was done when the credit was created. All the Fed is doing is re-distributing the pain to all of us instead of concentrating it on Wall St.

In this case patriotism is saying as loudly as you can, fuck this, its theft plain and simple.

Oh and JWM I don’t always agree with Karl either.

[BuyerWillEPB]

What is patriotism? Excellent question.

Before you get trapped in definitions of patriotism, don’t forget that even George Washington was a traitor. He led the rebellion against his legal sovereign, the King of Great Britain. That’s the very definition of traitor.

In fact, every one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were traitors and would have been hanged as such if they were captured. Only by some miracle did the Americans actually win the war and therefore the former “traitors” became patriots since they got to rewrite the history books.

Do our current batch of leaders have even a fraction of this kind of self sacrificing fortitude? I don’t think so.

Something to think about.

[BuyerWillEPB]

What is patriotism? Excellent question.

Before you get trapped in definitions of patriotism, don’t forget that even George Washington was a traitor. He led the rebellion against his legal sovereign, the King of Great Britain. That’s the very definition of traitor.

In fact, every one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were traitors and would have been hanged as such if they were captured. Only by some miracle did the Americans actually win the war and therefore the former “traitors” became patriots since they got to rewrite the history books.

Do our current batch of leaders have even a fraction of this kind of self sacrificing fortitude? I don’t think so.

Something to think about.

[BuyerWillEPB]

What is patriotism? Excellent question.

Before you get trapped in definitions of patriotism, don’t forget that even George Washington was a traitor. He led the rebellion against his legal sovereign, the King of Great Britain. That’s the very definition of traitor.

In fact, every one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were traitors and would have been hanged as such if they were captured. Only by some miracle did the Americans actually win the war and therefore the former “traitors” became patriots since they got to rewrite the history books.

Do our current batch of leaders have even a fraction of this kind of self sacrificing fortitude? I don’t think so.

Something to think about.

[BuyerWillEPB]

What is patriotism? Excellent question.

Before you get trapped in definitions of patriotism, don’t forget that even George Washington was a traitor. He led the rebellion against his legal sovereign, the King of Great Britain. That’s the very definition of traitor.

In fact, every one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were traitors and would have been hanged as such if they were captured. Only by some miracle did the Americans actually win the war and therefore the former “traitors” became patriots since they got to rewrite the history books.

Do our current batch of leaders have even a fraction of this kind of self sacrificing fortitude? I don’t think so.

Something to think about.

[Author]

Posts