What are you proud of as an American?

[NasEscobar]

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I look at the consolidated power of the US and consider how it might have been wielded by, oh, say, the USSR and I know without doubt we're orders of magnitude better custodians of such strength. Not perfect, but good and evil can be clearly viewed by all but the brainwashed moral relativists and the dysfunctional.

Endowed by our Creator, Baby!

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Better then one form of evil != good

[slickss]

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"Freedom of Speech" does not mean you can say anythning you want and not be criticized for saying it. All the constitution says is that the government cannot make a law restricting your right to speak your mind.

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An important point.

The term "free speech" gets thrown around alot. The problem is that "free speech" implies that speech is completely free, which it isn't. If it was truly free, there would be no consequences - but there are. By using your right to speak, you allow others to react to it, and they can do so by taking advantage of their right to speak.

You have the right to open your mouth. You do not have the right to tell someone "[censored] you" and not get punched.

I guess I'm just restating what you said [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[AlexM]

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I find it a bit amusing how many people mention American sports, such as "football"

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Well I mentioned football first and I was joking. Apparantly me making a joke about the importance of football was enough to derail this thread though. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[AlexM]

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Jesus F'ing christ, why do threads always get hijacked just because someone calls it football? Seriously when will all you god damn Euros stop getting your [censored] in a twist because Americans call it football? It's like you can't mention your name for communist kickball without throwing in some quip about "those yanks who use their hands but call it football!" So many thread hijacks over such meaningless crap...

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You made this post just to say "communist kickball" in context, didn't you? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[DblBarrelJ]

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Jesus F'ing christ, why do threads always get hijacked just because someone calls it football? Seriously when will all you god damn Euros stop getting your [censored] in a twist because Americans call it football? It's like you can't mention your name for communist kickball without throwing in some quip about "those yanks who use their hands but call it football!" So many thread hijacks over such meaningless crap...

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You made this post just to say "communist kickball" in context, didn't you? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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FWIW, I'll allow "Fairyball" as an acceptable title for communist kickball as well.

[boracay]

I like sports too, but most important are freedom related things for me:

Human Rights
Health care / social system to some degree
Feeling of being safe / no need for guns
Multi-party politics and level of democracy
Media to some degree
Very limited influence of religions

[Moseley]

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- 1980 US Hockey win over the SU

- We were the first real democracy. Sure there are freer societies nowadays but we got the ball rolling and were the shining beacon of freedom relative to the rest of the world for a long time.

- US military engineers and logistics. Our military has a stellar record in getting supplies where they are needed and building the things needed to support military operations. We supplied an entire major city under blockade for over a year. Eat that Stalin!

- Compared to the rest of the world we are insanely tolerant of immigrants and we have the most diverse country in the world.

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I agree with all 4 of these and cannot think of anything else I am proud of, except: Jimmy Carter. He may not have been a great Prez, but he did VETO his azz off in an effort to cut spending.

Only Prez in my lifetime DOB 1954, that I would be proud to have as a father. Eisenhower would be another one to be proud of, if he hadn't been in office when we overthrew the democractically elected Prez of Iran and installed the Shaw.

[BigPoppa]

Safest country ever for religious minorities.

[boracay]

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Safest country ever for religious minorities.

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You probably mean safest country ever for Christians.

"I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under God." (George Bush Sr. / interview with reporter Rob Sherman / Chicago on August 27, 1987)

[eviljeff]

AND I WON'T FORGET THE MEN WHO DIED AND GAVE THAT RIGHT TO ME