Patriotism

I had a job interview on the 4th. It was a crap job and I turned it down, but I liked the fact that it was just a regular day here, with people going to work and getting along with their lives as usual.

My memories of July 4 consist of kids being injured from fireworks (fireworks were legal in my younger days), animals getting spooked, and having to get up early the next day for school or work after a night of no sleep because of the noise.

edit: To me patriotism means being involved with your country and it's government: educating yourself about issues, voting, saying something when you think the government is doing something wrong. Patriotism means loving your country, and you show your love for someone, or something, by helping it to be the best it can be. The other stuff is just superficial.

Good point, sweetpeach.
Fireworks were illegal where i grew up, but there were always a few arseholes who decided they were going to do it anyway... and there was almost always a fire caused by this.  Usually just fields, not houses, but still... 

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.

One of my American friends said he heard that we celebrated Thanksgiving on the Fourth of July.   

  One of my American friends said he heard that we celebrated Thanksgiving on the Fourth of July.   

What a great idea!

I am not necessarily "proud" to be an American these days, but I still nonetheless consider myself an extremely patriotic American and I love my country (maybe even more-so than most because I'm a veteran and a first-generation American). Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays. My beach book this year was "1776" (I minored in American History). I go all out on July 4 and I own dozens of flags I've collected over the years.  I stand at attention when the Star Spangled Banner is played (a habit from my Army days) and nothing ticks me off more than people who stand around yacking on their cell phones during the national anthem. I recite the pledge at events. I vote in every election, even if its just for our local sheriff or the neighborhood association board.  I fly the flag on every major holiday (but I probably will not in the UK. Although my neighbor, who is American, flies the Union Jack 24-7 just for fun! go figure). I do draw the line at "wearing" flag clothing.   

My wife is the complete opposite, she could care less.

P.S. My wife is from Baltimore and she has never heard of chicken with bacon and banana fritter!  If they had traded chicken for crabs, then you'd be talking Maryland!

Hi

I am not necessarily "proud" to be an American these days, but I still nonetheless consider myself an extremely patriotic American and I love my country (maybe even more-so than most because I'm a veteran and a first-generation American).

Do you think people who move to live in another country (whether as children or adults) are more defensive of their "new home" than native born citizens?

Although my neighbor, who is American, flies the Union Jack 24-7 just for fun! go figure).

Is that your neighbor in the U.S.?  Not seen that before - do you know why she does that? 

Funny. I just started a temp job today, and stuck to my computer is a little Union Jack magnet, which I assume was put there by the person I am replacing.  I was thinking that I thought it was nice (because the whole being-in-Britain thing is new and exciting to me), but if I were in the US and saw an American flag on a computer in an American company, I would be thinking that the person who placed it there is probably an ignorant, nationalistic a**hole. I know that I can't judge someone I've never met based on their computer magnets, but it would be my first impression.

Funny. I just started a temp job today, and stuck to my computer is a little Union Jack magnet, which I assume was put there by the person I am replacing.  I was thinking that I thought it was nice (because the whole being-in-Britain thing is new and exciting to me), but if I were in the US and saw an American flag on a computer in an American company, I would be thinking that the person who placed it there is probably an ignorant, nationalistic a**hole. I know that I can't judge someone I've never met based on their computer magnets, but it would be my first impression.

When I started my job, I started as a temp.  The person I replaced (who had left *suddenly*), for some reason, had a picture (like cut out from a magazine) of the WTC towers stuck to the side of her computer monitor.  Now, this person wasn't American - I have no idea why she had it because I never met her.  And no one who worked with her could explain it to me, either.

And - the American Embassy details were in the contacts in Outlook.

Yet no one has ever mentioned "another American" at this office other than myself. 

I just found it kind of strange.

Funny. I just started a temp job today, and stuck to my computer is a little Union Jack magnet, which I assume was put there by the person I am replacing.  I was thinking that I thought it was nice (because the whole being-in-Britain thing is new and exciting to me), but if I were in the US and saw an American flag on a computer in an American company, I would be thinking that the person who placed it there is probably an ignorant, nationalistic a**hole. I know that I can't judge someone I've never met based on their computer magnets, but it would be my first impression.

Strange they would have a magnet on their computer.   

Strange they would have a magnet on their computer.   

I thought that too!

When I started my job, I started as a temp. The person I replaced (who had left *suddenly*), for some reason, had a picture (like cut out from a magazine) of the WTC towers stuck to the side of her computer monitor. Now, this person wasn't American - I have no idea why she had it because I never met her. And no one who worked with her could explain it to me, either.

And - the American Embassy details were in the contacts in Outlook.

Yet no one has ever mentioned "another American" at this office other than myself.

I just found it kind of strange.

That is strange. Maybe she wished she was American. So many people do, you know.