July 4th makes me sick

[MODU]

No he would, just like most other people. They myth that those places are so much better would get destroyed really quickly after they moved.

The second part of your sentence makes sense to me.  But you actually think that anyone who moved to Canada would "hate" it once they got used to it?  I assume you've been to Canada.  What secrets are they hiding behind their facade of being nearly identical to us?

The top half of their heads aren't attached.  How evil is that?

[MasterJedi]

No he would, just like most other people. They myth that those places are so much better would get destroyed really quickly after they moved.

The second part of your sentence makes sense to me.  But you actually think that anyone who moved to Canada would "hate" it once they got used to it?  I assume you've been to Canada.  What secrets are they hiding behind their facade of being nearly identical to us?

By "hate" I mean they would have the same complaints that they have about the U.S. or different ones that would equal what they "hate" about the U.S. meaning they wouldn't get any great benefit that they think they would get.

[Alcon]

By "hate" I mean they would have the same complaints that they have about the U.S. or different ones that would equal what they "hate" about the U.S. meaning they wouldn't get any great benefit that they think they would get.

I guess I agree with that, sort of.  I think that anyone who hates American culture would be hard-pressed to not resent parts of Canadian culture.  But there are certainly areas where a sane person could see Canada as vastly better, hate the U.S. on, and be happy with Canada.  Those would have to be issue-specific, though.  In general, our cultures are pretty much identical.

[Јas]

FTR, I disagree with banning the game (as I've explained before), but I respect that the decision was a considered one and made out of the best of intentions. To label the country 'evil' though is patently ridiculous.

What that's f**king ridiculous. You might as well say the same thing about Iran banning material!

Banning media is NEVER acceptable. Period, end of story, and thus it should never be respected or accepted. It is always evil and a wrong thing to do.

Were the imprisonments of people like Josh Wolf, Judith Miller and Sami Al-Haj unrelated to media freedom?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Judith Miller? That right wing hack who was trying to defend Karl Rove and Lewis Libby? haha.

[Alcon]

Judith Miller? That right wing hack who was trying to defend Karl Rove and Lewis Libby? haha.

So, you're arguing it's wrong to censor/ban media, and then someone raises an example where the U.S. does, and then you defend it by complaining about the contents of their media production.

Ummm, right.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

By "censor", I'm referring to baning such as on Manhunt 2, which Jas quasi-defended.

[Alcon]

By "censor", I'm referring to baning such as on Manhunt 2, which Jas quasi-defended.

And the huge difference that makes one justifiable and the other heinous is?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The point is they're to different things and that's not what I was talking about in "media" freedom. I was talking only about banning media, period, nothing more. And just saying that I don't give a sh!t what happens to Judith Miller who is a worthless whore. I actually laughed when she got locked up.

[Alcon]

The point is they're to different things

omg really

and that's not what I was talking about in "media" freedom. I was talking only about banning media, period, nothing more. And just saying that I don't give a sh!t what happens to Judith Miller who is a worthless whore. I actually laughed when she got locked up.

But you have to explain what ethically establishes the difference.  You can't just say "they're different, so I can have totally different standards."  They have to be different in a way meaningful to your standards.  Otherwise you're just, well, a fascist.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

They're different because that wasn't the topic for discussion!! Geez!

[Hatman 🍁]

No he would, just like most other people. They myth that those places are so much better would get destroyed really quickly after they moved.

The second part of your sentence makes sense to me.  But you actually think that anyone who moved to Canada would "hate" it once they got used to it?  I assume you've been to Canada.  What secrets are they hiding behind their facade of being nearly identical to us?

Many Americans I have known who have come up here have noticed how safer Canada is, for example. I'm not going to list all the things that make Canada a better country though, as I need not want to offend y'all. I have been to the U.S. a few times, and I would rather live here. Perhaps there's some sort of emotional attachment (and isn't that what patriotism is?) or perhaps the cities in the U.S. I've been to are not a good representation of the country (Buffalo, Rochester, rural Virginia, etc.). Oh, I've also been to Vermont, but isn't that just Canada Jr. anyways?

[Alcon]

They're different because that wasn't the topic for discussion!! Geez!

So, it being the topic of discussion on an Internet message board universally changes its ethicalness?

[DownWithTheLeft]

Wait, did BRTD just argue it was alright to lock up Judith Miller because she is a conservative?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

No one is forcing you to stay here. I'd pay for your one-way ticket if you want to move to some other country. Wake up and travel around and see how the rest of the world is before you try to piss all over America on the 4th of July.

[Јas]

The point is they're to different things and that's not what I was talking about in "media" freedom. I was talking only about banning media, period, nothing more. And just saying that I don't give a sh!t what happens to Judith Miller who is a worthless whore. I actually laughed when she got locked up.

Banning media is NEVER acceptable. Period, end of story, and thus it should never be respected or accepted. It is always evil and a wrong thing to do.

[Хahar 🤔]

No one is forcing you to stay here. I'd pay for your one-way ticket if you want to move to some other country. Wake up and travel around and see how the rest of the world is before you try to piss all over America on the 4th of July.

Actually, much of the world is nicer than America. I'm a tad too provincial to consider leaving Northern California, though.

[Jake]

No one is forcing you to stay here. I'd pay for your one-way ticket if you want to move to some other country. Wake up and travel around and see how the rest of the world is before you try to piss all over America on the 4th of July.

I have. Mindless worship of nation symbols is not endemic to the United States, nor is the danger posed by it. See Thailand and the god worship of the Royals and the coups they endorse. No one in this thread is pissing on the blessings America provides to even the least of its citizens. We're just voicing our displeasure with the attitude that America has to be the best, case closed. Like it's not even up for discussion that things elsewhere could actually be superior.

[??????????]

Sorry Jake, the USA remains the beacon of freedom for the world. I didn't even think their was a serious argument to that?

[Хahar 🤔]

Sorry Jake, the USA remains the beacon of freedom for the world. I didn't even think their was a serious argument to that?

By just about any objective measure, there are countries freer than America.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Living in a foreign country and having almost no contact with other Americans for 8 months did not increase my negative views of America, but increased the positive ones.

There are just too many good things about this country to trash the 1 day out of 365 that we choose to celebrate them.

But I agree:  We shouldn't go around thinking we're better than anyone else and thinking we're number 1.. because that is time wasted that could be used to prove it.

[Jake]

Sorry Jake, the USA remains the beacon of freedom for the world. I didn't even think their was a serious argument to that?

You must not interact with people outside the country then.

[Sbane]

I gotta say I love America but the arrogance of some of its people is just stunning. The US is the only beacon of freedom in the world??? Perhaps in 1794 but not today. But yeah I have no problems with July 4th. Hell I think there should be more fireworks.

[Eraserhead]

I disagree with the degree Tweed goes to, but the general sentiment I agree with. I don't see any significance in the fact I was born American over anywhere else. I'm thankful I was born in the first world, specifically one of the most wealthy countries in the world, because I've been able to have great health care, education, clean public areas, plentiful food, and all the oppurtunity I can ask for. But I don't have all those things because America is so much 'better' than all those other countries. We've just gotten lucky for a myriad of socio-geopolitical reasons to come out nearly on top.

I strongly dislike the blind patriotism that it's de riguer to show off. Open your minds and think about why you're waving a flag or proclaiming that your nation is The Greatest. Maybe actually see if it really is.

Wow, I actually mostly agree with Jake on something. A fairly major issue to boot.

[Albus Dumbledore]

I'd say the US these days is more comparable to Russia, Brazil or China. Note the lack of freedoms in practice, the massive inequality plus lots of corruption/violence.