7 years since 9-11

[BallHawk]

I have to ask, how could anybody who isn't an America-HATER not be an America CHAUVINIST? The simple fact is: We, our country, our way of life, our values and heritage REALLY ARE BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE! Could/would anybody other than our resident leftist extremists possibly deny that?

I am as patriotic as the next guy, but I recognize that other countries do things as well, if not better, than we do them.

[Zool]

I was in public speaking when I heard it happened. 2nd hour. 10th grade.

I was in MKE when it happened. I was there for a Brewers/Cardinals series. I woke up in the hotel, showered and turned the TV on to watch some news just in time to see the second plane hit. It didnt even seem real.

[mraynrand]

AynRand is disingenuous.

I went after your absurd analogy, comparing 9/11 and Chernobyl. Nothing disingenuous about it.

[mraynrand]

I have to ask, how could anybody who isn't an America-HATER not be an America CHAUVINIST? The simple fact is: We, our country, our way of life, our values and heritage REALLY ARE BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE! Could/would anybody other than our resident leftist extremists possibly deny that?

I am as patriotic as the next guy, but I recognize that other countries do things as well, if not better, than we do them.

Such as?

[BallHawk]

I have to ask, how could anybody who isn't an America-HATER not be an America CHAUVINIST? The simple fact is: We, our country, our way of life, our values and heritage REALLY ARE BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE! Could/would anybody other than our resident leftist extremists possibly deny that?

I am as patriotic as the next guy, but I recognize that other countries do things as well, if not better, than we do them.

Such as?

Healthcare, crime prevention, standard of living, equal distribution of wealth, infrastructure, etc.

The list goes on and on.

[HowardRoark]

equal distribution of wealth

or something..........

[BallHawk]

Roark is gonna have an ice axe in his skull in the near future....

[mraynrand]

I have to ask, how could anybody who isn't an America-HATER not be an America CHAUVINIST? The simple fact is: We, our country, our way of life, our values and heritage REALLY ARE BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE! Could/would anybody other than our resident leftist extremists possibly deny that?

I am as patriotic as the next guy, but I recognize that other countries do things as well, if not better, than we do them.

Such as?

Healthcare, crime prevention, standard of living, equal distribution of wealth, infrastructure, etc.

The list goes on and on.

I noticed that liberating countries, individual liberties, policing international trade routes, propping up the entire globe with commerce, providing defense for most of the free world, highest GDP, were strangely missing. Ballhawk, we have better healthcare and infrastructure than any country on the globe, except perhaps a few tiny countries here and there, or countries we both protect and/or have liberated.

You're right about equal distribution of wealth. There are a lot of countries out there where virtually everyone is dirt poor. Just ask George Obama.

[Partial]

I have to ask, how could anybody who isn't an America-HATER not be an America CHAUVINIST? The simple fact is: We, our country, our way of life, our values and heritage REALLY ARE BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE! Could/would anybody other than our resident leftist extremists possibly deny that?

I am as patriotic as the next guy, but I recognize that other countries do things as well, if not better, than we do them.

Such as?

Healthcare, crime prevention, standard of living, equal distribution of wealth, infrastructure, etc.

The list goes on and on.

Healthcare? Go to Europe and get treatment for cancer when you're 70...

Crime prevention. Perhaps. I honestly don't know.

Standard of living is good because its almost like socialism.

Equal division of wealth is BS if there is not equal division of work hours, difficulty, etc. If i'm going to school for 8 years, I don't expect a high school graduate to earn the same income.

Don't know what you mean by infrastructure.

[BallHawk]

I noticed that liberating countries, individual liberties, policing international trade routes, propping up the entire globe with commerce, providing defense for most of the free world, highest GDP, were strangely missing. Ballhawk, we have better healthcare and infrastructure than any country on the globe, except perhaps a few tiny countries here and there, or countries we both protect and/or have liberated.

Liberating countries? When did this become the measure of a successful country. A successful country provides its citizens protection and opportunity to accomplish whatever their goals may be. The US does that. The US is a great country. The US does a lot of things better than the rest of the world. However, we don't do everything 100% right all the time. You can't argue that. There are some areas where we fall short.

[HowardRoark]

If i'm going to school for 8 years, I don't expect a high school graduate to earn the same income.

Why not? They could end up being your boss.

Every Monday morning, Capitalism announces it needs a few millionaires. Rarely does it get enough people to step forward (I don't). The system is dependent on people getting rich. Those who step forward and take the risks, MIGHT be rewarded. With that reward come many employed people who:

feed their children

educated their children

take vacations

feel a sense of security (while the rich risk taker lies in bed at night and worries).

Fund their retirements

etc.

etc.

etc.

[Partial]

Fine, if I'm a doctor, I don't expect a janitor without the need for college to earn the same income.

[texaspackerbacker]

I have to ask, how could anybody who isn't an America-HATER not be an America CHAUVINIST? The simple fact is: We, our country, our way of life, our values and heritage REALLY ARE BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE! Could/would anybody other than our resident leftist extremists possibly deny that?

I am as patriotic as the next guy, but I recognize that other countries do things as well, if not better, than we do them.

Such as?

Healthcare, crime prevention, standard of living, equal distribution of wealth, infrastructure, etc.

The list goes on and on.

I think what he meant when he said "such as?" was "name one". You can't can you?

Who in the whole damn world is better than America and Americans when the criteria are freedom, prosperity, compassion, courage, responsibility, any rational value you can name?

Where would the world be without us--that's U.S.--standing in the way of undisputed evil doing its damnedest to tyrannize all mankind and destroy all that is good and decent in the world. WE--the United States of America defeated Nazism, defeated Communism, and are well on the way to defeating radical Islam. I ask again, where would the ungrateful and undeserving wretches of the world be if not for America--more specifically, if not for American interventionist foreign policy?

So, Freakout, or any other leftist or any namby pamby whatever who's afraid to shout it from the roof tops, WHO do you see as on a par with America and Americans in any way that counts--even the lame excuses for criteria that YOU cited?

Apologies to Freakout. It's Ballhawk whose wrongheadedness I was countering. Somehow, I often get those two mixed up.

[HowardRoark]

Roark is gonna have an ice axe in his skull in the near future....

I hope they hit the dead spot.

[mraynrand]

I have to ask, how could anybody who isn't an America-HATER not be an America CHAUVINIST? The simple fact is: We, our country, our way of life, our values and heritage REALLY ARE BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE! Could/would anybody other than our resident leftist extremists possibly deny that?

I am as patriotic as the next guy, but I recognize that other countries do things as well, if not better, than we do them.

Such as?

Healthcare, crime prevention, standard of living, equal distribution of wealth, infrastructure, etc.

The list goes on and on.

Out of curiosity, could you tell me the 2 or 3 (or more) most influential sources (people, newspapers, magazines, TV programs, etc.) in your life that brought you to the above point of view?