Ok, it seems that some Americans on this forum felt that when I posted the topic America by the numbers I was trying to imply that America had only bad things, which was really not my intention.
So, in the interest of fairness, in this one feel free to voice your thoughts on why you love America, if you feel current European opinions are injust and any other pertinent considerations.
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:40 pm Posts: 746 Location: Tampa
I love America for its amber waves of grain, the majesty of its purple mountains, and the fact that we get to see Pearl Jam oh so much more than anyone else!
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
What I like is that no matter how much I hate this country, it's government, and schmucks that we call citizens ... I always have the hope that I can change it for the better.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:46 pm Posts: 9617 Location: Medford, Oregon Gender: Male
just_b wrote:
What I like is that no matter how much I hate this country, it's government, and schmucks that we call citizens ... I always have the hope that I can change it for the better.
Heh, I remember those days.
_________________ Deep below the dunes I roved Past the rows, past the rows Beside the acacias freshly in bloom I sent men to their doom
What I like is that no matter how much I hate this country, it's government, and schmucks that we call citizens ... I always have the hope that I can change it for the better.
"All that's sacred comes from youth
Dedication, naive and true
With no power, nothing to do
I still remember"
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:14 am Posts: 37778 Location: OmaGOD!!! Gender: Male
I think the United States Constitution is among the most perfect documents ever written. It is balanced so delicately in so many different ways. Executive vs. Legislative vs. Judiciary. Senate vs. House. Federal vs. States. I've often compared it in conversations with my lawyer friends to the perfection of America's game, baseball. Over 150 years, the game has changed much and yet little. Regardless of how tightly the ball is wound, or how fast the players are, or how far they hit the ball, or how fast and with what curve the pitchers throw the ball, it is still a split second play when an infielder throws a runner out at first base, and a ball hit into the outfield will almost always be a single, and fly ball will almost always be caught, and a runner has just enough time to steal second base on a pitch to the plate. Divine balance. Ninety feet. Sixty feet, six inches. Four balls, three strikes, three outs.
In addition to the balance in the Constitution, it is a beautifully flexible framework of law designed to lay out the general plan, but able to allow future generations to fill in the spaces with the ideas and necessities of their own time. With the existence of a wholly independent judiciary, not beholden to the legislators, the executive, or in most cases even to the people but beholden only to the Constitution itself, there is an ongoing assurance that the lawmakers will not follow the whims of the times and paint outside the lines that have been handed down to them.
I love America's diversity. I love America's optimism, its ideals, and its mythology.
I wish we'd value Liberty over Security. I wish we'd value Humility over Righteousness. I wish we'd value the First Amendment over the Second. I wish we'd do more "speaking softly" and less "carrying a big stick". I wish we'd recognize that our enemies don't hate us for those things about us that are different from them, but for those things about us that are the same as them. I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol.
--PunkDavid
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
"I wish we'd value Liberty over Security. I wish we'd value Humility over Righteousness. I wish we'd value the First Amendment over the Second. I wish we'd do more "speaking softly" and less "carrying a big stick". I wish we'd recognize that our enemies don't hate us for those things about us that are different from them, but for those things about us that are the same as them. I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol."
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 2:18 am Posts: 3920 Location: Philadelphia
Quote:
"I wish we'd value Liberty over Security. I wish we'd value Humility over Righteousness. I wish we'd value the First Amendment over the Second. I wish we'd do more "speaking softly" and less "carrying a big stick". I wish we'd recognize that our enemies don't hate us for those things about us that are different from them, but for those things about us that are the same as them. I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol."
SECOND THAT!!!! (nicely said)
_________________ I remember doing nothing on the night Sinatra died
And the night Jeff Buckley died
And the night Kurt Cobain died
And the night John Lennon died
I remember I stayed up to watch the news with everyone
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 4:56 pm Posts: 19957 Location: Jenny Lewis' funbags
punkdavid wrote:
I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol.
well put. there may be lots that i dislike but, for better or worse, you guys are our neighbours, and we're pretty much alike (except our shoddy leadership isn't as well documented )
As a testament to our countries mutual love, please accept this picture that i took this summer 100 yards into US soil:
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 4:32 pm Posts: 766 Location: Grayson County, Virginia
Except for American football and Bojangles, this country sucks.
_________________ "I came here as a child when it first opened," said Tarsley. "Now that I have kids, where are they supposed to go for Whoppers or Chicken Tenders? We need to ask ourselves, as a culture, 'Where are our priorities?'"
Ok, it seems that some Americans on this forum felt that when I posted the topic America by the numbers I was trying to imply that America had only bad things, which was really not my intention.
So, in the interest of fairness, in this one feel free to voice your thoughts on why you love America, if you feel current European opinions are injust and any other pertinent considerations.
Well, I know this will come off the wrong way, but I don't care what the current European opinions are of America. No, it isn't perfect, but it's home.
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:03 am Posts: 24177 Location: Australia
punkdavid wrote:
I think the United States Constitution is among the most perfect documents ever written. It is balanced so delicately in so many different ways. Executive vs. Legislative vs. Judiciary. Senate vs. House. Federal vs. States. I've often compared it in conversations with my lawyer friends to the perfection of America's game, baseball. Over 150 years, the game has changed much and yet little. Regardless of how tightly the ball is wound, or how fast the players are, or how far they hit the ball, or how fast and with what curve the pitchers throw the ball, it is still a split second play when an infielder throws a runner out at first base, and a ball hit into the outfield will almost always be a single, and fly ball will almost always be caught, and a runner has just enough time to steal second base on a pitch to the plate. Divine balance. Ninety feet. Sixty feet, six inches. Four balls, three strikes, three outs.
In addition to the balance in the Constitution, it is a beautifully flexible framework of law designed to lay out the general plan, but able to allow future generations to fill in the spaces with the ideas and necessities of their own time. With the existence of a wholly independent judiciary, not beholden to the legislators, the executive, or in most cases even to the people but beholden only to the Constitution itself, there is an ongoing assurance that the lawmakers will not follow the whims of the times and paint outside the lines that have been handed down to them.
I love America's diversity. I love America's optimism, its ideals, and its mythology.
I wish we'd value Liberty over Security. I wish we'd value Humility over Righteousness. I wish we'd value the First Amendment over the Second. I wish we'd do more "speaking softly" and less "carrying a big stick". I wish we'd recognize that our enemies don't hate us for those things about us that are different from them, but for those things about us that are the same as them. I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol.
--PunkDavid
Dave, that was an astoundingly great post. Kudos to you
_________________ Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear, Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer. The sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay.
I think the United States Constitution is among the most perfect documents ever written. It is balanced so delicately in so many different ways. Executive vs. Legislative vs. Judiciary. Senate vs. House. Federal vs. States. I've often compared it in conversations with my lawyer friends to the perfection of America's game, baseball. Over 150 years, the game has changed much and yet little. Regardless of how tightly the ball is wound, or how fast the players are, or how far they hit the ball, or how fast and with what curve the pitchers throw the ball, it is still a split second play when an infielder throws a runner out at first base, and a ball hit into the outfield will almost always be a single, and fly ball will almost always be caught, and a runner has just enough time to steal second base on a pitch to the plate. Divine balance. Ninety feet. Sixty feet, six inches. Four balls, three strikes, three outs.
In addition to the balance in the Constitution, it is a beautifully flexible framework of law designed to lay out the general plan, but able to allow future generations to fill in the spaces with the ideas and necessities of their own time. With the existence of a wholly independent judiciary, not beholden to the legislators, the executive, or in most cases even to the people but beholden only to the Constitution itself, there is an ongoing assurance that the lawmakers will not follow the whims of the times and paint outside the lines that have been handed down to them.
I love America's diversity. I love America's optimism, its ideals, and its mythology.
I wish we'd value Liberty over Security. I wish we'd value Humility over Righteousness. I wish we'd value the First Amendment over the Second. I wish we'd do more "speaking softly" and less "carrying a big stick". I wish we'd recognize that our enemies don't hate us for those things about us that are different from them, but for those things about us that are the same as them. I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol.
--PunkDavid
Dave, that was an astoundingly great post. Kudos to you
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:53 pm Posts: 20537 Location: The City Of Trees
"I do NOT want to listen to some German tourist lecture us on how we don't appreciate our parks!" --Homer Simpson, shooting down Lisa's idea of staying at a youth hostel.
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:43 am Posts: 18418 Location: Anytown, USA Gender: Male
punkdavid wrote:
I think the United States Constitution is among the most perfect documents ever written. It is balanced so delicately in so many different ways. Executive vs. Legislative vs. Judiciary. Senate vs. House. Federal vs. States. I've often compared it in conversations with my lawyer friends to the perfection of America's game, baseball. Over 150 years, the game has changed much and yet little. Regardless of how tightly the ball is wound, or how fast the players are, or how far they hit the ball, or how fast and with what curve the pitchers throw the ball, it is still a split second play when an infielder throws a runner out at first base, and a ball hit into the outfield will almost always be a single, and fly ball will almost always be caught, and a runner has just enough time to steal second base on a pitch to the plate. Divine balance. Ninety feet. Sixty feet, six inches. Four balls, three strikes, three outs.
In addition to the balance in the Constitution, it is a beautifully flexible framework of law designed to lay out the general plan, but able to allow future generations to fill in the spaces with the ideas and necessities of their own time. With the existence of a wholly independent judiciary, not beholden to the legislators, the executive, or in most cases even to the people but beholden only to the Constitution itself, there is an ongoing assurance that the lawmakers will not follow the whims of the times and paint outside the lines that have been handed down to them.
I love America's diversity. I love America's optimism, its ideals, and its mythology.
I wish we'd value Liberty over Security. I wish we'd value Humility over Righteousness. I wish we'd value the First Amendment over the Second. I wish we'd do more "speaking softly" and less "carrying a big stick". I wish we'd recognize that our enemies don't hate us for those things about us that are different from them, but for those things about us that are the same as them. I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol.
--PunkDavid
one of the best posts i have ever read PD...and i LOVE the baseball comparison....
_________________
stip wrote:
In five years, when you get laid and grow up, you should go back and read some of these posts and if you've turned into a decent person you'll realize how much of an asshole you sound like right now
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:58 pm Posts: 1148 Location: Green Bay
punkdavid wrote:
I think the United States Constitution is among the most perfect documents ever written. It is balanced so delicately in so many different ways. Executive vs. Legislative vs. Judiciary. Senate vs. House. Federal vs. States. I've often compared it in conversations with my lawyer friends to the perfection of America's game, baseball. Over 150 years, the game has changed much and yet little. Regardless of how tightly the ball is wound, or how fast the players are, or how far they hit the ball, or how fast and with what curve the pitchers throw the ball, it is still a split second play when an infielder throws a runner out at first base, and a ball hit into the outfield will almost always be a single, and fly ball will almost always be caught, and a runner has just enough time to steal second base on a pitch to the plate. Divine balance. Ninety feet. Sixty feet, six inches. Four balls, three strikes, three outs.
In addition to the balance in the Constitution, it is a beautifully flexible framework of law designed to lay out the general plan, but able to allow future generations to fill in the spaces with the ideas and necessities of their own time. With the existence of a wholly independent judiciary, not beholden to the legislators, the executive, or in most cases even to the people but beholden only to the Constitution itself, there is an ongoing assurance that the lawmakers will not follow the whims of the times and paint outside the lines that have been handed down to them.
I love America's diversity. I love America's optimism, its ideals, and its mythology.
I wish we'd value Liberty over Security. I wish we'd value Humility over Righteousness. I wish we'd value the First Amendment over the Second. I wish we'd do more "speaking softly" and less "carrying a big stick". I wish we'd recognize that our enemies don't hate us for those things about us that are different from them, but for those things about us that are the same as them. I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol.
--PunkDavid
You didn't just pluck that off the top of your head, did you? That is one of the best posts I've ever read.
_________________ When the last living thing Has died on account of us, How poetical it would be If Earth could say, In a voice floating up Perhaps From the floor Of the Grand Canyon, "It is done. People did not like it here.''
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
punkdavid wrote:
I think the United States Constitution is among the most perfect documents ever written. It is balanced so delicately in so many different ways. Executive vs. Legislative vs. Judiciary. Senate vs. House. Federal vs. States. I've often compared it in conversations with my lawyer friends to the perfection of America's game, baseball. Over 150 years, the game has changed much and yet little. Regardless of how tightly the ball is wound, or how fast the players are, or how far they hit the ball, or how fast and with what curve the pitchers throw the ball, it is still a split second play when an infielder throws a runner out at first base, and a ball hit into the outfield will almost always be a single, and fly ball will almost always be caught, and a runner has just enough time to steal second base on a pitch to the plate. Divine balance. Ninety feet. Sixty feet, six inches. Four balls, three strikes, three outs.
In addition to the balance in the Constitution, it is a beautifully flexible framework of law designed to lay out the general plan, but able to allow future generations to fill in the spaces with the ideas and necessities of their own time. With the existence of a wholly independent judiciary, not beholden to the legislators, the executive, or in most cases even to the people but beholden only to the Constitution itself, there is an ongoing assurance that the lawmakers will not follow the whims of the times and paint outside the lines that have been handed down to them.
I love America's diversity. I love America's optimism, its ideals, and its mythology.
I wish we'd value Liberty over Security. I wish we'd value Humility over Righteousness. I wish we'd value the First Amendment over the Second. I wish we'd do more "speaking softly" and less "carrying a big stick". I wish we'd recognize that our enemies don't hate us for those things about us that are different from them, but for those things about us that are the same as them. I wish more Americans voted for their leaders than voted for their Idol.
--PunkDavid
Will you read that over America the Beautiful and make an mp3 for the board?
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
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That is one of the best posts I've ever read.