You Know I just got done going to a funeral on Friday that was a member of our VFW Post here in Wyo. This man was a very good man and he was also a POW MIA. He never once made remarks of how there is no pride in this country any more. That is because the pride for this country starts with you as a person and goes from there. You can make a difference with what you do, say and percieve things. Life is too short to nit pick at things like no more Pride. Lets take a stand and make a difference. Shall we?

[american_flag_uk]

charlean well said man... WELL SAID.

Originally Posted by Just George

Name another country that has the freedom we enjoy.

just to be clear here, i like the US very much and would love to move there eventually.. but this statement is not very acurate. many european countries are in fact much better in personal freedoms (not to mention that free health care and cheap universities is also a kind of freedom that u don't directly feel unless u had it and then lost it)
also, USA is notorious now for abusing the word freedom in its forgein policy. i don't want to expand on that.. but i think it's an established fact by now.

the true power of the US i think, as an outside observer, is not really its "freedom" qualities.. but rather it's amazing and dynamic system of economy and business.. and the idea that anybody can become anything they want in USA.. (the american dream)...

it definitely WAS known for its freedom back when Europe was a disaster.. but not anymore.. ESPECIALLY in the eyes of people whose freedom is affected so negatively with the US forgein policy

[Bobby4USN]

Now now...don't bash someone for feeling a certain way especially when it is an understandable conclusion. The two party system is unpatriotic and unamerican. The Dems and the GOP have lost their way, we are in economic upheaval and the only conservatives in the political race that realize this and the need to stop spending were drummed out of the race. I do see a light at the end of the tunnel- if the country doesn't get destroyed completely by the following election the 3rd parties like the constitution party and maybe Ron Paul might get in. We know for sure that the conservative base of the GOP have left for the 3rd parties and hates McCain, we know the wise and fiscally conservative Dems have also felt hurt by the choices. The GOP was a 3rd party and deposed the Whigs- it can be done again. I know it is a depressing situation but this country is worth saving, if we return to the principles of real and not neo-conservativism it can be done. I see the GOP being replaced by the Libertarian or Constitution party in the coming years and if we can survive that long we might have a chance of getting a conservative in office. We need to cut spending on useless departments like the: DHS, IRS (when possible), FDA, DOE(both of them), FCC, and plenty more. By doing that we already cut the budget by a staggering number. Nobody likes to pay federal taxes but we will have to as well as continue to borrow ~$3billion a day from china and the like if we continue to spend into the red. All the functions of these departments should revert to the states, the way the framers intended. All who want power should never receive it!!!!
"If tyranny is to come to this country it will come under the guise of a foreign war" James Madison. We need desperately a more knowledgeable voter base in this country and an even wiser electorate.

[Bobby4USN]

oh, and by the way, the 700 bases abroad doesn't help win over the countries of the world. Imagine if china or even the UK put a base in Los Angeles, we would be pissed right? it encroaches on our sovereignty, well, do ya see the double standard? we need to fix that!

[Thomas Dybala]

Hmmm, dissent is patriotic, but I don't think revolt is. In our nation, we have the vote. When our forefathers, the greats who carved out this country..... revolted, they revolted against a monarchy distant across an ocean, which was not responsive to the needs and desires of the Americans.

PS Thanks to Peter Ansoff (sp) who responded to my post of 9/1/08. I checked google for the Flag Code and checked the accuracy of your response.
Yep, uh-huh. Thanks.

[Thomas Dybala]

Okay, I see how this works. I need to go to bed, but I'm getting worked up. Here's a statement I found.
"700 bases abroad doesn't help win over the countries of the world. Imagine if china or even the UK put a base in Los Angeles, we would be pissed right? it encroaches on our sovereignty, well, do ya see the double standard?"
It would encroach on our sovereignty only if some other country put a base in LA without our permission. Our military bases across the world are in position with the permission of the hosting countries. Am I right or am I right?! Well, yeah, I thought so.

[Thomas Dybala]

Okay, here's another one: "many european countries are in fact much better in personal freedoms" That clearly is an opinion. 'much better'?!!

And: "USA is notorious now for abusing the word freedom in its forgein policy. i don't want to expand on that.. but i think it's an established fact by now."
Well, no, it is not a fact. It is clearly the writer's opinion.

[Peter Ansoff]

Hi again, Thomas!

Our military bases across the world are in position with the permission of the hosting countries. Am I right or am I right?!

Yes, of course you're right. We're in those places with the permission of the host nations, and when the hosts want us to leave, we leave. Our former naval base at Subic Bay, Philippines, is one well-known example.

I would not get too worked up about these posts. Unfortunately, some of these folks don't seem to have a clear understanding of how our country (and the world) really works.

Regards,

Peter Ansoff

[PRGringo]

In the words of Rumpole of the Bailey, "I may not agree with your opinions, but, I will defend to the death, your right to express them!"

Something to that effect anyways. That is what has been the distinction between freedom loving nations and those who oppress it. America, for all of it's faults, is still the country where many people of the world are literally dying to get in here.

I think Winston Churchill summed it up best:

"Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."