U.K. Bombings

[Mr. Happy]

I don't care about jokes, but half of the "jokes" people make here aren't at all, they actually believe what they are saying.

And it makes me angry, and sad, and I don't like it.

I didn't choose to be born in this hell-hole

[Sorrow]

Awwww come on, it's just me mostly and you know I'm just doing it to piss you off I just love that.

[Mango]

You're quite right Happy. It was a joke, in poor taste, but jibes like this, while judgemental and jingoistic do have some basis in reality. It's true that patriotism runs like a thick vein through American culture: the USA has done some amazing things, and is/was the country with an enviable amount of personal freedom. Your constitutional republic was probably the best form of government yet devised. America was once seen as a beacon of light for the whole world, there is a reason why the US was so great at exporting its culture.

However, it's true that to many Americans patriotism means "go along with whatever your government chooses to do", "always root for the home team". But all of our nations have people exactly the same. In Britain we have a similar form of patriotism, it is grounded in the achievements of the past: but manifests as desperation and apathy. It's very easy to ignore the distastful aspects of one's country.

It's not the fact that Americans are idiots: which is patently not the case, no country is comprised of idiots. Criticism of America is a cheap shot: so much so that it's kinda passe to ridicule Bush etc.. - I worry more about the people who can see the negative aspects of someone elses country, yet fail to see the flaws in their own.

I don't hate America, I hate the corrupt cartel in control of it, and I feel dispair when I see people waving a flag for a group of criminals that are actually, conciously screwing them over. Unfortunately, this phenomenon occurs world-wide.

Off topic, I know, but I had to say it.

[Dionysos]

@ Mango, well said.

Now lets all join hands and declare a jihad on all bad people and cartels


Oh, and to say something slightly on topic, I find those bombings a little fishy, from what I have heard. A little too amateur, but then again who knows...

[Meotwister]

alot of people get there arguments from fox news, and when you tell them that you heard that exact same wording from Bill Oriely (I mean exact too), they deny that they watch fox news. maybe they don't but someone who watches fox news gave them that argument.

Sure some people get they're arguments from Fox News.. just like some people get they're arguments from CBS or NBC or the Daly Show or John Edwards' blog or the Huffington Post.

I'll be honest and say I watch Fox News and I know they lean right but as I said the others are mostly left.. they're may be a program or two that looks objective like the news is supposed to be.. but for the most part the others are left. I think pretty much the only reason a person ever lies about watching Fox News or being conservative in any way is because it instantly makes them lose credibility when having an argument as they're written off as a crazy who watches O'Reilly and thinks that sometimes he has a pretty good point.

I'll say right now the biggest reason why I watch Fox is because they put people from all sides of the argument on. And you know these people aren't retarded idiot representations of the other side because O'Reilly or Hannity will scream with them and get frustrated. It's not like the other stations that will have people on pretty much believing the same things and just really talking about their side.

@happy I dislike olbermann .. and this is kinda hard to explain cause O'Reilly is similar.. but Olbermann has this disgustingly obvious (to me) sense of ego... like he's better than you (that is if you disagree) it's kinda the same with Bill Mahr. Now O'Reilly is kinda the same way but I guess it goes back to he confronts the other side a lot more than you'll see the other two (unless you happened to see Christopher Hitchins on Bill Mahrs show.. priceless) and since he does that its more of an entertainment value as well.

back on the subject of the bombings... yeah it's kinda surprising to see such retarded plots.. rather uncoordinated and sloppily performed. It coulda been they weren't able to communicate very well to make this plan go without a hitch.. idk.. just interesting. They were doctors no less... I suppose we should be happy that if this is what's waiting for us from future Al Qaeda/any terrorist attacks.

also on the topic of anti-American jokes. yeah they're funny I laugh at em all the time.. but really it's just tiring after a while.. it's like you expect whatever popular show/band/movie/site whatever to make a jab at Bush or his presidency or America in general, the latter being the dumbest. The latest stuff about it being sooo corrupt its dumb as well because it's no different than any other presidency like Carter's or Bush 41 or Clinton etc etc..

though if they're creative enough then yeah.. I like those jokes.

[hyper3]

Well i was watching a program last night saying the London's most popular mosque they were chanting anti American and British slogans.. so i mean who knows how long they can put up with the people in the UK, then to US. PUT THE SAS into action... lol.