What to do about the 9 percent without American pride

[argentus]

For the majority of Americans, their country of birth is something that they have no control or say in. They also haven't done anything in their life that elevates them above the rest of humanity, either. To imagine that you have 'specialness' because of where you are born is silly.

How have you the arrogance to characterize "the majority" of Americans?  The majority of them, in your opinion, "also haven't don't anything in their life[ves] that elevates them above the rest of humanity, either".  

Do you need a cookie or a hug?  Why would you throw down on the working class -- the middle America?  You don't have a Goddamn clue how most people in the U.S. struggle to make ends meet.   You want to be edgy.  You suceeded.  Now support your claims.  Most of the working class don't think they are special;  that is your conceit.   They think they work their asses off to support their families, and in doing so somehow further the species.   That's it.   That's all there is.  Nobody thinks they are "special".  They hope they are worthy.   They hope their children will prosper.  They hope they are enough.

[Bootless]

For the majority of Americans, their country of birth is something that they have no control or say in. They also haven't done anything in their life that elevates them above the rest of humanity, either. To imagine that you have 'specialness' because of where you are born is silly.

Now I must confess that it was not merely click bait. It was an invitation for others to read Steinbeck's The Winter of our Discontent. Here's a passage. It's Ethan, the protagonist, just getting to the turning point where he's ready to go criminal to get ahead.

The structure of my change was feeling, pressures from without, Mary’s
wish, Allen’s desires, Ellen’s anger, Mr. Baker’s help. Only at the last
when the move is mounted and prepared does thought place a roof on the
building and bring in words to explain and to justify. Suppose my humble
and interminable clerkship was not virtue at all but a moral laziness?
For any success, boldness is required. Perhaps I was simply timid,
fearful of consequences—in a word, lazy. Successful business in our
town is not complicated or obscure and it is not widely successful
either, because its practicers have set artificial limits for their
activities. Their crimes are little crimes and so their success is small
success. If the town government and the business complex of New Baytown
were ever deeply investigated it would be found that a hundred legal and
a thousand moral rules were broken, but they were small
violations—petty larceny. They abolished part of the Decalogue and kept
the rest. And when one of our successful men had what he needed or
wanted, he reassumed his virtue as easily as changing his shirt, and for
all one could see, he took no hurt from his derelictions, always
assuming that he didn’t get caught. Did any of them think about this? I
don’t know. And if small crimes could be condoned by self, why not a
quick, harsh, brave one? Is murder by slow, steady pressure any less
murder than a quick and merciful knife-thrust? I don’t feel guilt for
the German lives I took. Suppose for a limited time I abolished all the
rules, not just some of them. Once the objective was reached, could they
not all be reassumed? There is no doubt that business is a kind of war.
Why not, then, make it all-out war in pursuit of peace? Mr. Baker and
his friends did not shoot my father, but they advised him and when his
structure collapsed they inherited. And isn’t that a kind of murder?
Have any of the great fortunes we admire been put together without
ruthlessness? I can’t think of any.

And if I should put the rules aside for a time, I knew I would wear
scars but would they be worse than the scars of failure I was wearing?
To be alive at all is to have scars.

For so long Americans have thought of war and killing as a thing done "over there", they go away to war, then return to re-assume civil life. Like changing clothes. After all, one of the largest veteran's organizations is named Veterans of Foreign War (VFW).

I suppose a movie like Legends of the Fall depicts some thoughts of veterans of the Indian Wars which were fought in North American territories to become states in these United States. And thus, history is built over the graves of the forgotten and nameless.

[DBCowboy]

Now I must confess that it was not merely click bait. It was an invitation for others to read Steinbeck's The Winter of our Discontent. Here's a passage. It's Ethan, the protagonist, just getting to the turning point where he's ready to go criminal to get ahead.

For so long Americans have thought of war and killing as a thing done "over there", they go away to war, then return to re-assume civil life. Like changing clothes. After all, one of the largest veteran's organizations is named Veterans of Foreign War (VFW).

I suppose a movie like Legends of the Fall depicts some thoughts of veterans of the Indian Wars which were fought in North American territories to become states in these United States. And thus, history is built over the graves of the forgotten and nameless.

I invite people to TALK to veterans.

[Bootless]

I invite people to TALK to veterans.

Fine. Talk then.

Veterans are not a monolithic group.
Some may just as soon get back to civilized life. Like this song depicts:


Boy Blue - ELO

Others may get addicted to violence; become mercenaries, soldiers of fortune, prison guards, bounty hunters, private militias, or biker club members.

That movie character Shane; he so wanted to hang up his guns for good, but one thing and another and he was back to slinging.

Some times I wonder how General Douglas MacArthur's troops felt about clearing out the Bonus Army's encampment once they were veterans.

On July 28, 1932, U.S. Attorney General William D. Mitchell ordered the veterans removed from all government property. Washington police met with resistance, shot at the protestors, and two veterans were wounded and later died. President Herbert Hoover then ordered the U.S. Army to clear the marchers' campsite. Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur commanded a contingent of infantry and cavalry, supported by six tanks. The Bonus Army marchers with their wives and children were driven out, and their shelters and belongings burned.

[DBCowboy]

Fine. Talk then.

Veterans are not a monolithic group.
Some may just as soon get back to civilized life. Like this song depicts:
[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pG925XRv4c]
Boy Blue - ELO

Others may get addicted to violence; become mercenaries, soldiers of fortune, prison guards, bounty hunters, private militias, or biker club members.

That movie character Shane; he so wanted to hang up his guns for good, but one thing and another and he was back to slinging.

Some times I wonder how General Douglas MacArthur's troops felt about clearing out the Bonus Army's encampment once they were veterans.

AS a Veteran, I have to ask, how many do you know?

[RichardHurt]

AS a Veteran, I have to ask, how many do you know?

I don't mean to purposely interject my opinion in a thread you are participating in. With that said maybe don't ever suggest that someone is or is not a veteran. Are you in some kick that you wanna swap war stories? Most don't and if you know many that do then they need more help.
And what exactly constituents a veteran vs the care giver that has to do things you normally wouldn't do?
My guess is you have no idea but god damn you will take every opportunity to call others evil and commies and other bull shit just to feed your own insecurities.
So I say this with somewhat respect, get fucked DB. You are a fucking coward that has no place to tell others how to respect the 1st nor the other numbers that follow. You are a follower. You were never meant to be a path finder.

[chr0naut]

How have you the arrogance to characterize "the majority" of Americans?  The majority of them, in your opinion, "also haven't don't anything in their life[ves] that elevates them above the rest of humanity, either".  

Do you need a cookie or a hug?  Why would you throw down on the working class -- the middle America?  You don't have a Goddamn clue how most people in the U.S. struggle to make ends meet.   You want to be edgy.  You suceeded.  Now support your claims.  Most of the working class don't think they are special;  that is your conceit.   They think they work their asses off to support their families, and in doing so somehow further the species.   That's it.   That's all there is.  Nobody thinks they are "special".  They hope they are worthy.   They hope their children will prosper.  They hope they are enough.

Honestly, 1st world problems.

There are some, but few, exceptional people out there trying to better the human experience of others than 'themselves and those of their clique'.

Not by passively hoping, but through their own will, effort and self-sacrifice. And a lot of them don't have a reasonably remunerated steady job, nor a house, nor recourse to the law, nor a living extended family, nor a car, nor a phone, nor a TV.

I am talking about the likes of Mother Theresa, Oskar Schindler, Mahatma Ghandi, Florence Nightingale... etc.

These humanitarians are exceptional. They come from all across the world, some are from the USA, too. They are elevated above the rest of humanity, even though that is not their goal or motivation. They do it not for personal gain, but just because it is 'the right thing to do'.

But so few are like that, it makes the ascribing of such criteria to a geographical location, laughable.

How could a nation be so entrained in self-justifying propaganda that they can't even conceive that there is something different?

[DBCowboy]

I don't mean to purposely interject my opinion in a thread you are participating in. With that said maybe don't ever suggest that someone is or is not a veteran. Are you in some kick that you wanna swap war stories? Most don't and if you know many that do then they need more help.
And what exactly constituents a veteran vs the care giver that has to do things you normally wouldn't do?
My guess is you have no idea but god damn you will take every opportunity to call others evil and commies and other bull shit just to feed your own insecurities.
So I say this with somewhat respect, get fucked DB. You are a fucking coward that has no place to tell others how to respect the 1st nor the other numbers that follow. You are a follower. You were never meant to be a path finder.

[Video: https://youtu.be/NUC2EQvdzmY?si=VQlwDP4QnYb13Kns]

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[RichardHurt]

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Its nice to see you absolutely to support free speech when the current talking heads absolutely does not.
Oh wait you support the suppression of free speech and find it funny that hundreds lost jobs........But wait a second, they are now making more money. So how is this whole woke bullshit helping your ideals helping?

[SomeStupidName]