Patriotism

I am patriotic.  I have a flag and celebrate US holidays.  I stand at the National Anthem, grew up on military bases and support the troops without supporting the twits that sent the there.  I am proud of my nation and it's people.  I find anti-Americanism ignorant and seek to help them understand that you cannot paint an entire nation with one brush. I often get told I am not the "typical" American when over seas.  To me the US is a far too diverse nation to be categorized in one broad culture.  

That said I feel more comfortable in the EU and indeed as an expat.  Perhaps it is only because I did not fit in the mould where I lived in the USA.  I'd like to think that.  Then again maybe it's just that I will always fit in with other expats no matter where they came from or live more than I ever will with those that have never left their hometown.

I celebrate British holidays.  We ate veggie Haggis on Burns Night as my husband is half Scottish. Our Christmas is always going to include a good pud along with a maple galzed ham and canalones a Spanish specialty.

I don't understand why a person cannot just be proud of where they came from and where they are.  Is a person less loyal or less American if they choose to make their home not in the USA?      

On the other hand.... once you choose to make your home in a foreign land it is up to you to be the educator and the person out there bridging the cultural gaps and flaunting your culture or lording it above others is not going to go over well.  I know that some people on here fly flags on US holidays (they also however make sure to fly the UK one on theirs as well).

One final thought.  While it is easy to say that one should not complain about where they live, it is often quite hard to just pick up and move.  Some people don't have the option to do so.  It's easy to say (and boy have I said it about really negative people), but so much harder to do.  

DH is bothered by why we even broke off in the first place.. he feels we  were  being  fussy spoiled children..

My DH has remarked that the UK ought to make July 4th a national holiday...as a celebration for getting rid of us religious fanatics.

I have a big American flag that I sometimes put out for the Fourth.   But then I also put out a flag for the Jubilee.  We do celebrate American holidays here, not only because it's something I enjoy but more importantly it's my children's heritage.  I feel it's really important to share that with them and to include them in the celebrations.  I'd never feel ashamed to be American-it's who I am, and even if I live here for the next forty years and die here I'm still going to be American.  As adjusted as you are, as long as you live here, as much haggis as you eat you still ain't gonna be British.   

Hi Mindy, no I don't say the pledge with friends! What I meant was on 4th July if you do something/pledge in the community for example.

Oh.  No, I would never do that.  I enjoy the odd fourth of July barbecue and like I said I occasionally put up the flag, and I did wear my American flag apron to work yesterday, but my pledge of allegiance days are definitely over. 

As adjusted as you are, as long as you live here, as much haggis as you eat you still ain't gonna be British.   

My passport says I'm British! 

I haven't said "the pledge" since grade school.  Refused all through high school -

Me too, Peedal! I thought I was the only rebel in high school

My passport says I'm British! 

Mine too!!! 

Hopster - it was just me and one other girl who refused.  She was an atheist who objected to the "under God" bit.

I'm trying to remember back (it was a long time ago!) but i dont think ANYONE did the pledge in my high school.... seems it got phased out after 6th grade?

My passport says I'm British! 

Mine too!!!

Oooo, I'm jealous!

Oooo, I'm jealous!

Your day is coming... 

I have a flag at home, sort of. It's an art piece made when my textile design class (our one-year program at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology began ten days before 911, within sight) was given the challenge of making a piece in response to it at the end of our year. I took a flag, patched it with camoflage cloth, and "stitched" the edges of the patches with Mark Twain's "War Prayer", which is a comment on what you are really praying for when you pray for your side to win. My basic idea was that war is no way to heal a hurting country. My teacher chose it among the pieces that would be in a show at the local bookstore. The head of our department censored it out. I'm a child of the 60's who watched a bald guy pull numbers out of a hat to determine which of the guys I knew went to Viet Nam and which stayed home, and I've never been a flag waver. I consider dissent the best of patriotic actions. Voting with my feet in coming to the UK was a demonstration of how much I fear for what has always made the US worth patriotism.

What a question....it brings out such conflicted emotions.

I guess it's kind of like family.  It's okay for me to criticise but if someone else does, it ruffles my feathers. 

I think, though, that living in Mississippi and being in arguably the worst part of the US doesn't do much for my embarassment (not to mention cringing at the cars with 200 american flag stickers and offensive bumperstickers like "you have your x (malcom) and i have mine (confederate flag)")

so call it self loathing but i both hate my country and love it.  we could do so much.  we have so much power and are capable of so much love an giving, it just breaks my heart when MY government does such atrocious things. 

and, like others, i just don't fit here.  i fit better in the UK. 

BIL says Sept. 6th.. the day the Pilgrims left (in the first day) is a holiday in his mind..   

we stopped saying the pledge after the 8th grade..  never really learned  the National  Anthem  until I started  going to  more sporting events..  but do remember singing  patriotic  songs  through grade school.. 

my parents immigrated to the US  so  voting and patriotism is taken a lot more seriously.. Now that I live here.. they are quite hurt  by my leaving after they sacrificed so much to get there.. 

My DH has remarked that the UK ought to make July 4th a national holiday...as a celebration for getting rid of us religious fanatics.

Has your DH been speaking to mine??