Got this in an email the other day.

All the the rhetoric on whether or not we should go to war against Iraq has got my insane little brain spinning like a roulette wheel. I enjoy reading opinions from both sides, but I have detected a hint of confusion from some of you.

As I was reading the paper recently, I was reminded of the best advice someone ever gave me. He told me about the KISS method, (Keep It Simple, Stupid). So with this as a theme, I'd like to apply this theory for those who don't quite get it. My hope is that we can simplify things a bit and recognize a few important facts.

Here are 10 things to consider when voicing an opinion on this important issue:

1) Between President Bush and Saddam Hussein ... Hussein is the bad guy.

2) If you have faith in the United Nations to do the right thing keep this in mind, thye have Libya heading the committee on Human Rights, and Iraq heading the Global Disarmament Committee! Do your own math here.

3) If your only anti-war slogan is "No War For Oil," sue your school district for allowing you to slip through the cracks and robbing you of the education you deserve.

4) Saddam and bin Laden will not seek United Nations approval before they try to kill us.

5) Despite common belief, Martin Sheen is not the President. He plays one on t.v.

6) Even if you are anti-war, you are still an "infidel" and bin Laden wants you dead, too!

7) If you believe in a "vast right-wing conspiracy", but not in the danger that Hussein poses, quit hanging out with the Dell computer dude.

8) Going to war without the French is like going bear hunting without a piano. We are not trying to liberate them.

9) Whether your are for military action or against it, our young men and women are overseas fighting for us to defend our right to speak out. We all need to support them without reservation.

10) Never forget, we live in the greatest nation in this world, and may God Bless America.

Huzzah! That is great, and just about sums up the whole situation.

HUUUUUU YAH! The dude rocks!

Darn it Deb, I've been saving that too to post here! :lol: It's OK, I've got more. ;)

Amen Dennis Miller!! :D :D :D

I couldn't agree more! :D

OOrah and Semper Fi, from this Marine brat!

very well said!

I fully agree with his #9 point!

wow, what a smart list! did I understand correctly - this is coming from Denise Miller? He rocks!

I could make a very similar list regarding the situation in Israel, just adjust it a bit... ;)

I think the whole list is true, but I also identify mostly with #9 - when you have people fighting for you, getting killed for you, defending your country and your principles - be sure to support them 100%, no matter what.
When I am sometimes confused about what my country is doing (many times, actually), I just think of my friends and family that fought and died for my country.

Don't bite my head off - but as I mentioned before, I am glad Bush has taken action against Hussein. This monster has always scared me (especially after actually launching misslies at us in 1991). I just wish Bush would let us help. I know our man & women are behind him all the way.

Nice post. He certainly sticks to the short and simple, doesn't he?

Quote:10) Never forget, we live in the greatest nation in this world, and may God Bless America.


I am sorry, but there are also other great countries in this world! I am a Belgian, and I am proud of it! Belgium is a great country:)
Please don't shoot me for saying this...:anon:

Originally posted by Sydney the kid
Quote:10) Never forget, we live in the greatest nation in this world, and may God Bless America.


I am sorry, but there are also other great countries in this world! I am a Belgian, and I am proud of it! Belgium is a great country:)
Please don't shoot me for saying this...:anon:

I agree with Lut.

Lut and Niina, I would be surprised if you didn't feel that way about your country! You SHOULD be proud of where you live. :) Personally, I think there are a lot of "the greatest" countries in the world, it all depends on where you live. ;)

I think most people think that they live in "the greatest country in the world". I certainly think I do and the funny thing is, it is the greatest country to the person who lives there and that is all that is important! There is no real substantive way to measure the greatness of a nation - it is all subjective.

this is a great list. rock on, dennis miller... :D

i gotta agree with lut, also. as americans, we live in ONE of the greatest nations in the world. there are many others...

that's like when you are arguing with your s/o and you say "you always say that!" ;)

Hooray for Belgium! (dident want you to feel left out) Now where is my piano, im going bear hunting.

I think the point to keep in mind is that this piece was written by an American for Americans. There is plenty of anti-war sympathy going on here.

10) Never forget, we live in the greatest nation in this world, and may God Bless America.

thats crap. all nations are great. not just the usa. egocentric once again

:rolleyes:

tiny tim said it best...

god bless us EVERYONE!

I think all nations are great too, and we all have a very strong sense of loyality to our native countries.

This country may not be perfect but WHY do tens of thousands of people risk their lives, to come here, every year?

When another country needs money, food, medicine or defense - WHO do they come to, with their hands out?

What other country buys more imports, thereby helping support other countries' economies?

What other country takes in more refugees and gives them the opportunity to make better lives for themselves? In what other country, do refugees DO so well?

Yeah, we're arrogant and egocentric but what country isn't?

Usually I keep out of these kinds of subjects...I just try to stay neutral. I just wanted to remind everyone of the "rules". They are posted at the top of this forum in case if ya haven't noticed.

Please remember #2 of the list: Our membership consists of people from around the globe. Opinions of people from all cultures should be treated with equal respect.

Thank you everyone!


now I'm going back iinto lurking mode once again....

Canada, the USA, Australia and Great Britian all have very active immigration policies. We should all be proud that people from around the world want to be one of us. We all should be proud that we are some of the largest aid giving nations.

There's nothing wrong with national pride, and I think that no matter where you come from, you have a special place in your heart for your homeland.

On a smaller scale, I don't currently live in the state in which I was born and lived the first 22 years of my life, and I miss it and have nothing but fond and warm memories of that place. I hope to get back there one day. It's no better than any other state or any more special, but it means a little bit more to me because I have so much history and memories tied into it and the people I love the most still reside there.

We are all going to be fiercly proud of where we come from. I think that's a given. It's natural and it's understandable. I would wonder why someone didn't think that their home wasn't the best place in the world, at least to them.

I think we Americans shouldn't overdo the "greatest country in the world" bit. I've spent most of my adult life traveling and living in foreign countries, and half my life married to a "foreigner". My colleagues and students come from all over the globe (not just Europe - I'm talking Asia, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Australia....). Yesterday I did a little exercise with two classes on national stereotypes. There was a long list of adjectives, and six different nations listed (American, British, French, Japanese, German and Italian/Russian). The kids had to put two adjectives from the list under each nation. I wasn't surprised to find that in one class, all of them had "nationalistic" down for Americans, and in the other class two out of three. We would say "patriotic", but that's not necessarily how the rest of the world sees us. The U.S. schools have the job of making Americans out of immigrants' children, so naturally an awful lot of emphasis is put on U.S. social studies. But the U.S. doesn't have a monopoly on democracy, human rights, civil rights, gender equality, etc., etc.

I as an individual can decide to downplay the 'greatest country in the world' bit, but unfortunately that won't do anything to help the perception that other countries have of us, because their perception isn't built on anything that I as a lone individual have done or said.

Obviously this differs from individual to individual. The business I work in doesn't touch on politics or foreign issues of any sort. In a way I work in a field that surpasses any kind of cultural barriers-music.

From a young age we're taught loyalty and pride. These examples come from my own childhood and upbringing - little league baseball when I was 7 or 8, and we were groomed to root for our team and fellow teammates. To believe that our team was the best. I'm from Indiana and basketball is a MAJOR thing. People are fiercly loyal to thier team. We are literally groomed to take 'ownership' over our sporting teams, our schools, anything we have a vested or personal interest in. Of course our country tops that list.

This whole debate started because Dennis Miller expressed his opinion that he believes that americans live in the greatest country in the world. He's in a situation where people read his words, and they reach people in a way that my words never will. I would hope that doesn't lump us all (americans) into the egocentric category. I may or may not agree with him, but I'm not pushing my opinion on anyone in an aggressive and argumentative manner. I'm just trying to live my life, in my little corner of the world, without hurting anyone else. With my words or otherwise. I try to not stereotype other people and can only hope that others do the same.

I, for one, am proud to be an American. I am equally proud of my own family's heritage. I am sure that many others around the globe feel an equal loyalty for their own countries, as it should be. I am just mostly thankful not to be a person who lives in a country I would want to get out of at all costs.

Like Deb, I am very proud to be an American, and equally proud of my British heritage. I am a first generation American, with two siblings born in the UK. However, we do have the nickname, "The Ugly American," because we give others the impression that we are arrogant and treat people as if they were foreigners when we are in their own countries! Let's be proud without being arrogant.

I think we are all guilty of this. My little cousin from England came to visit me, and said, "Jeanie, you don't have an accent when you sing!" That struck me as really funny, but she was too young and innocent to realize that over here she was the one with the accent. I'm sure none of us means to appear arrogant, but that's our reputation.

How true! I especially agree with #9.

Hopefully everyone has pride in their own country. I think that particular post was written by an American (Dennis Miller), for Americans, though many of his points could apply around the globe. B.T.W......I've been watching Dennis Miller for years and noticed he's gotten a LOT smarter lately. ;)

Yeah, like ever since he left Monday Night Football.....