Question for the "Reagan Restored My Pride in the USA" Crowd

[stopbush]

I'm hearing this on TV and reading it in LsTTE. So here's my question:

Aren't you the same people who haul out the "America, love it or leave it," and it's sister bromide, "America, right or wrong," whenever a fellow American criticizes his country? If so, when, exactly, did you lose your pride in America that you needed St Ronnie to materialize to restore the same? And if you lost your pride in America, didn't that make you a "blame America firster," an America hater or a (shudder) anti-American pinko, if even for only a minute?

Comments, anyone?

[htuttle]

1. We are an empire with a serious self-esteem problem

That's why we are barraged by 'feel good' statements about ourselves all the time.

"We're number one" and so on. We constant pat ourselves on the back, since without this continual bolstering of our national image, we might look at what has ACTUALLY been done in the name of the United States, and get all bummed about ourselves again.

"We're Number One"

Right.

:eyes:

[rebel_liberal]

4. Excellent Analysis!

an honest collective look at ourselves can be too unsettling for many.
We must rationalize and blur the truth in order to "feel OK".

Peace....

[Minstrel Boy]

5. The only President who led America to take tentative steps

at self-examination, Jimmy Carter, was pilloried as "weak." It was too much.

Remember the unveiling of the Carter statue in The Simpsons, with the inscription "Malaise Forever"? The ensuing riot: "He's history's greatest monster!" - that's America recoiling at self-knowledge.

Carter was, perhaps, America's last chance. But he wore a sweater, and encouraged conservation, and damn - that don't sound like "morning in America!"

[RobertSeattle]

2. Similar comments on "morale in the military"

Somehow, magically, when the President is from the GOP, the morale is wonderful in the military, and vice versi for a Democrat, even though there is about 10 levels of command between the average troops and the President - whoever he/she is. I was in the Army 85-91 and the President is so far removed from everyday military life it is meaningless from a morale standpoint.

[rock]

3. So you're suggesting they're hypocrites?

You're right!