Patriotism?

Demitra1 · ‎03-11-2010

I just read with interest the thread on wearing red, white, and blue on the 4th. Some thought if you didn't, then you're not patriotic.

Patriotic???

A few days ago, my DH called and said he had picked up a military HITCHHIKER. I was soooo worried, and yes, downright irritated that he had taken such a risk.

During two two phone conversations, he assured me that the guy was a "good kid". I had visions of the "kid" holding a knife to DH's throat. Ugh!!!! You can imagine!

His goal for the day was to get to a town 30 miles beyond our home.

He told DH he had been deployed twice, and he had been discharged a few days earlier. Now, I don't know the particulars.....why he didn't take a bus, or why family wasn't involved, but DH felt he was in need. (I will add here, DH thumbed to high school many many times, BUT, that was back in the day).

Ok, when he got him to his day's destination, DH bought him dinner. While eating, DH thought to himself that he couldn't just leave him there, so he drove him THREE MORE HOURS! Thank God everything turned out well.

From where he picked him up, till he returned home, DH drove seven hours!

Yesterday, the 4th, DH didn't dress in red, white, and blue. I really doubt that Vet would care, do you?

Patriotic??

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

It feels to me like something that goes hand in hand with this kind of perverted view of patriotism that began right after the beginning of this century.

It was this new brand of patriotism defined by 'either you're with us or you're a terrorist'. Of course, the 'us' to which it referred with was the 'we're the only good country and we need to blow everybody else to smithereens' kind of sentiment.

Remember the whole flag pin thing? Yikes! If one didn't wear a flag pin they were unpatriotic. If they spoke against the horrors that were going on they were unpatriotic and a part of terrorism.

Sadly, that whole 'lowest common denominator' type thinking is still alive. But I think that a lot of us aren't like that. I was patriotic WAY before patriotic was cool, so I get it. I think a lot of us here also 'get' it.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Personally , I found that entire thread to be idiotic.

Cudos to your DH for what he did.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

My cousin was telling me his 96 yr old neighbor comes out every day with his walker to hang the flag and he salutes it and says the pledge of Allegience. Then at dusk he comes out with his walker to take it down. If it rains he hurries out to get it down.My cousin offered to put a spotlight in for him so he would not have to take it down at night but he said he doesn't mind. That's patriotism.

Preds · ‎12-17-2012

Patriotism to me is like your religion. You don't have to "wear" your colors to know what's in your head and heart. It shows in your daily life and the lives of those around you.

Wearing of the colors is a fun activity to showcase your pride ... just like St. Pat's day, Christmas or orange and black at Halloween.

Fate whispers to her, "You cannot withstand the storm." She whispers back, "I am the storm."

Marp · ‎03-09-2010

Patriotism comes from within not what one has on.

The eyes through which you see others may be the same as how they see you.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

Preds wrote:
Patriotism to me is like your religion. You don't have to "wear" your colors to know what's in your head and heart. It shows in your daily life and the lives of those around you.

Wearing of the colors is a fun activity to showcase your pride ... just like St. Pat's day, Christmas or orange and black at Halloween.

Yeah, totally! I like a fun aspect to something like that, and I didn't see the thread in question here, but if the implication was that anybody who didn't play along was noe patriotic, that's just kind of messed up.

Hey, I will do colors for fun too except the kind of funny thing is that I don't care for green so St Patrick's Day used to be kind of painful for me. I never had any green clothes! ha!

Isobel Archer · ‎04-04-2015

@Demitra1 wrote:
I just read with interest the thread on wearing red, white, and blue on the 4th. Some thought if you didn't, then you're not patriotic.

Patriotic???

A few days ago, my DH called and said he had picked up a military HITCHHIKER. I was soooo worried, and yes, downright irritated that he had taken such a risk.

During two two phone conversations, he assured me that the guy was a "good kid". I had visions of the "kid" holding a knife to DH's throat. Ugh!!!! You can imagine!

His goal for the day was to get to a town 30 miles beyond our home.

He told DH he had been deployed twice, and he had been discharged a few days earlier. Now, I don't know the particulars.....why he didn't take a bus, or why family wasn't involved, but DH felt he was in need. (I will add here, DH thumbed to high school many many times, BUT, that was back in the day).

Ok, when he got him to his day's destination, DH bought him dinner. While eating, DH thought to himself that he couldn't just leave him there, so he drove him THREE MORE HOURS! Thank God everything turned out well.

From where he picked him up, till he returned home, DH drove seven hours!

Yesterday, the 4th, DH didn't dress in red, white, and blue. I really doubt that Vet would care, do you?

Patriotic??

I'm sorry you are so irritated that your DH helped the Vet.

ChynnaBlue · ‎05-22-2012

@151949 wrote:
My cousin was telling me his 96 yr old neighbor comes out every day with his walker to hang the flag and he salutes it and says the pledge of Allegience. Then at dusk he comes out with his walker to take it down. If it rains he hurries out to get it down.My cousin offered to put a spotlight in for him so he would not have to take it down at night but he said he doesn't mind. That's patriotism.

Technically, I think that sounds more like idolatry than patriotism. The flag is not the country, but I definitely admire his dedication to the flag as a symbol of the country.

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Hooty · ‎03-09-2010

@Demitra1, it was a nice and wonderful thing that your DH did, but I don't think it has anything to do with Patriotism, just because the guy was in the military!!!

I enjoy wearing red, white, & blue whenever and I don't think not wearing it doesn't mean you are not patriotic, I am not trying to declare anything!

BTW, I married someone in military, and YES we are very patriotic!