It ain't me--I ain't no fortunate son.

[cyrano]

People wonder why I'm not a 'good American' who loves his government.
Well. Maybe they don't. But it's far too early in the morning for a rant, and I have to get to work.
Edit: I was originally directed to this article by my friend Matt.

Comments

[xleste.livejournal.com]

That just ticks me off. =p
How depressing.

U.S.A.! U.S.A!
Land of the free and home of the brave.
=p

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

America is much like Christianity.
If it actually lived the ideals it professes to believe in (and to make war to propagate) then it would truly be a shining jewel on the ocean.
But we don't. We hypocritically claim the moral high ground in the interests of self-aggrandizement and self-promotion, and then damn others for failing to be properly selfless.
I'm not sure if I'd be happier with a country that came out and said Look, I'm the biggest and so we have to do it my way because I said so but I'd feel a lot less betrayed.

[miss-friday.livejournal.com]

I've found in my travels here and there, that most people are hypocrites both individually and collectively. Present company included, and that counts me too. (Sorry for being offensive --- no nevermind, to say I'm sorry would be to demonstrate my hypocriticalness) It is so pervasive, I'm tempted to call it a constant. Think of the saying, "Do as I say, don't do as I do."

I think the whole thing boils down to superiority and power. Most things boil down to that in the end.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I'll be the first to admit that I don't live up to my own standards. It's one of the reasons I'm filled with self-loathing. But I feel like at least I try.
Maybe I'm just deluding myself.

[miss-friday.livejournal.com]

Not making what I'm sure are incredibly high standards should not induce self-loathing. I, and lots of others, are rowing that boat with you. And that's why the state of being hypocritical is a universal constant. (I haven't quite figured out a snazy way of adding it to death to form a slogan.) You are trying, and in the end that is the point. Personally, I think Perfection should be left to your local diety of choice.

Everyone tries and sometimes succeeds, including the United States. This country has made progress in some areas (e.g. 14th Amendment, Civil Rights Movement) but will never reach the ideal that it sets for itself.

Foisting that ideal off on other nations, and our general argogant attitude towards said foisting --- that's another kettle of worms