Why are "conservatives" patriotic?

I can think of no reason why a "conservative" would be patriotic. They wave the flag and pump out their chests in an orchestrated, staged, one might say pavlovian response, to those they are instructed to hate. The ones I am familiar with contribute zip to the greatness of our country. Patriotism should be the result of what one does, not just what one is instructed to believe.

"Christian"...because it sounds good to say so. Living up to it is "hard work".

TC

...whereas liberals don't? :sarcasm:

they won't have to actually DO anything.

but few bother to understand the nuance of difference between true patriots (those of us who are willing to take an important yet allegedly "unpopular" stance of questioning the behavior which harms our country) and jingoists who blindly follow people who have no desire to make our country truly great for those living in it.

that said, Nationalism has always amused me - it's the celebration of being born somewhere, of something you had no choice in. In other words, it's like being a rabid football fan: GO TEAM!

means being constantly at war and having a constant flow of American troops killed. There is nothing like a war and lots of death to make these people feel "patriotic."

They suck up to big $$ because they hope it will wear off on them?

Power attracts.


Mix in the flag and the cross...and what do you have? Indoctrination heaven.

Feel good...make $$...do some dirt....can't be beat.


The American flag and cross party...the equivalent of the Communist Party in the old Soviet Union....or the Nazis during WWII?

is part of fascism

So if they can claim some symbol represents their reality, they adopt it. Flags, "tradition", patriotism, the "right", virtue and moral values.

They view themselves as heroic keepers of these very narrow definitions of each of these. Our problem is that we just go into shock - it's like someone claiming superiority on account of being "white". We just blink for a stunned breath or two; it is so preposterous.

The "traditions" of Ozzie and Harriet never existed, or existed in an exclusive, caucasian world where lynching was if not illegal, ignored. "Patriots" saw commies under every rock, and thought that isolationism was the best policy on this tiny little planet, and that women and blacks shouldn't vote. Fine upstanding christian citizens went on and on about "moral values" of two people of the same gender living their private lives together, while agreeing that jesus would be personally leading the "stress interrogations" at gitmo of hardened dangerous goatherders; turn their heads the other way at the Iraq body count and mumble that "it's worth it", whatever "it" is.

We need to get over our shock and shyness and tell it to them like it is. Nobody has cornered the market on patriotism; besides "patriotism" requires that you have a country you can be proud of. In this day and age, America may still be the "strongest", but it is no longer the "best", and there is a difference.

We are no longer the best because of actions of those who blather on about their patriotism. And our strength is slowly ebbing because of the total lack of leadership, expertise, professionlism and vision by those who are supported by "patriots."

:eyes:

The problem is that they claim to be more patriotic than liberals and progressives. And their freeper base just eats it up. :puke:

Patriots believe in sacrifice, in doing what is best for one's country without regard for one's private interest.

Conservatives think so little of their country they feel no duty to pay taxes, let alone serve in any other way.

Patriots believe in the common good.

Conservatives mistake their own good for the common good.

See the difference?

Patriotism to a republican is believing a republican is always right, damn the Constitution.

Constitutions which is what we usually take an oath to if we have to take one. It does not demand us to do a thing, we say we will do it. It is by our consent. The consent of the people was what was so new about the whole thing. People gets this all mixed up as they do this C in Chief thing. He also gives an oath that he will follower the laws of the Constitutions when he comes into office. He does not have to do that as he does not have to be president. It all went back to the old times of pledging your life to Kings etc. and the founders did not want that or did the early people. The first oaths had George the third in them, not to go with. So these people may have a great love for a nations but not the rules of law that it stands for. Boy I am sure that is mixed up writing.

They believe that because that their fathers,grand-fathers,(in some cases great-grand fathers and SONS) died for what they believed about this country.

:wtf:

I thought ALL of us were in this together!

Unfortunately, they have the same problem as liberals do - THEY ARE NOT IN POWER. The only difference is that they just don't know it.

this. Willing to give up the basic things set up that made this country so new and give it back to rulers that seem to like power. It is what the founders were trying to get away from. It was very shocking to see people say we can rule our selfs and this is only what the gov. can do and these are written down for us.No one had ever done that. I do not want to give it up to become a Empire of some such thing.Since the day it went to work for us it has been a battle to keep it.