Nationalistic feelings ...

I disagree. I think it implies a medium degree of culture. Low culture worries about survival, not nationalism.

 

I don't think there are many British Nationalists left. They have realised what they always were - English chauvinists grovelling to power - which is currently American. Some nationalists!

 

"Patriotism" and "nationalism" are merely semantic terms concocted by protagonists to make you feel good about yourself and bad about the rest.

These days they make no sense.

The terms de rigeur are now "globalism" and "international finance".

 

Nonetheless, the most important point here is that America is the only country that allow its people to bear arms, it's unique. When the government turn on us, we can defend ourself and fight back. What other government in the world allow that?

 

What an exceptionally odd thing to say.

I suppose you think you are the only country that is allowed to eat McDonalds too?

 

You still don't understand the difference between Patriotism and Nationalism.

 

Which other country allow its people to bear arms?

 

If you mean own guns, what country doesn't?

 

And that would be what?

 

Say...China, India, Japan, UK, France......I don't think any Asian countries or
European countries or even any countries in South and Central America do, legally.

How about New Zealand and Australia? I don't think Canada has such right either.

 

Then what are the good citizens of these countries doing with so many illegal guns?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_gun_ownership

Fries with that, sir?

And having discovered the depth of your knowledge on that matter, I find I am not much interested how you define patriotism and nationalism.

I am sure you will be relieved.

 

"In the Republic of Cuba sovereignty lies in the people, from whom originates all the power of the state. That power is exercised directly or through the assemblies of People’s Power and other state bodies which derive their authority from these assemblies, in the form and according to the norms established in the Constitution and by law.

When no other recourse is possible, all citizens have the right to struggle through all means, including armed struggle, against anyone who tries to overthrow the political, social and economic order established in this Constitution."

 

This list only stated gun ownership, didn't state that they are owned legally or illegally.

China is even on this list, this is flat out wrong, I am 100% sure it is illegal to own gun in China, except may be the police.

 

Cuba must've learned it from America.

 

I hate to shatter your illusions even further, but the numbers isted are of legally registered guns.

How else do you think the figures come about?

I can pop down to my local gun shop, buy a semi-automatic rifle, then go hold up the liquor store next door.

All perfectly legal, except the part that broke the law.

 

Cuba:

Private possession of pistols and revolvers is permitted under licence.

http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/cuba

Cuba:

ARTICLE 3 - "When no other recourse is possible, all citizens have the right to struggle through all means, including armed struggle, against anyone who tries to overthrow the political, social and economic order established in this Constitution."

http://www.cubanet.org/ref/dis/const_92_e.htm


Cuba allows its people to bear arms.

 

Which is why the Bay of Pigs was such a resounding success.

 

What it actually says:

If anyone attempts to revolt against Castro, the people who support Castro have the right to take up arms, and to struggle by any means necessary, including armed struggle,.. to defend Castro.

 

Most of our actual culture is more ideological than ethnic. It's why constitutionalism is popular here. It's what defines us to a degree.

We do have a culture, but it's not restricted to any particular ethnicity. That's part of what makes us so resilient. Unlike most other countries, we can assimilate any ethnicity without many problems. It only becomes a problem when people try to push alternative law systems (like Sharia).

 

That's still better than being mostly defined as little more than anti-American for the sake of being anti-American. You have your own "jingoism" at times.

 

I assume you are talking about American "exceptionalism", not just the ability to operate as an ethnic sponge.

Unfortunately, "exceptionalism" relied on two things you used to define yourselves (1) wealth and (2) notions of constutionalism and freedom that are both fast fading into history.

 

American exceptionalism was originally a phrase that had more to do with our historical significance than our culture, so to speak.

It eventually got hijacked by nationalists and is now used as a political phrase to imply that America is exceptional compared to the rest of the world.

I think the original meaning of exceptionalism still has relevance, but the more recent version is just dumb.

All I meant with my post is that our focus on ideology makes us different from most countries. We are, as you said, somewhat of an ethnic sponge.

That's not a bad thing. For any free society that hopes to remain functional in the long run, assimilation is a very important process.

The rest of the West assimilates minority cultures as well, but they sometimes have more difficulties with it, since they usually have their own ethnic identity.

America's lack of a true ethnic identity makes us more socially adaptable than most. So, I guess you could call that exceptional.

 

Being anti-American is not a cultural thing.

I imagine even Beethoven used to scratch an itch.

 

Most of the world speaks at least some rudimentary English thanks to the English (UK) Empire.

 

There is no "imply" about it. America, IS exceptional compared to the rest of the world.

Both militarily, as well as politically.