GarzaUK said:
China and America are the most patriotic nations in the world, well patriotic bordering on disallusionment. I've seen in this forum scary patriotism and nationalism, that reminds me of my History lessons on Nazi Germany.
Some people in this forum think you should agree with the Government during war no matter what. Some people (both sides) will act in denial of their party's wrong actions because they dislike the other side so much.
In China, this is definately true. However, there the government controls the means of newsgathering and dissemination. Thus, the people there are more tools of the government. The recent anti-Japanese protests are a case in point. The government there whipped the people up in a frenzy, allowed three WEEKENDS of protests. Why can't they REALLY show how angry like Ecuadorans and protest until they get what they want? Because the government there won't let them. The lesson of Tian'anmen was learned VERY well by the Chinese people. DON'T cross the government, protest the U.S., protest Japan, perhaps now they will protest the EU for their recent decision to investigate Chinese textile imports, but DON'T protest the all powerful government.
In the United States, there is a strong threat of patriotism. However, it certainly isn't a case of "my country, right or wrong." Perhaps you have forgotten all of those rather large anti-war protests? I will give those protesting the benefit of the doubt regarding their love for the United States, but they sure as heck didn't go along with the government on the Iraq war.
Eg. I don't understand why Republicans disliked the war in Kosovo, but support the war in Iraq.
I am a Republican, and I wasn't against the notion of a "war" in Kosovo. However, it wasn't really a war, it was a series of air bombings. I supported it, but I think we could have done more. Consequently, many Albanians were butchered by Serbians that perhaps could have been protected otherwise.
I was definately against Somalia, but that is another discussion for another time.
Saying a pledge of alliegiance (swearing loyalty) in a school - that is ultra patriotism. I'm sure China might do it too.
The Chinese are ultra-patriotic, some are in my class in university, they dislike the Japanese alot. ?
How is saying the pledge of allegiance "ultra patriotic". Patriotic to be sure, but the way you word it, you make it sound like a negative. I don't see it as such, nor do I think the adverb "ultra" is appropriate in this case.
The Chinese are not ultra-patriotic of their own volition. They are anti-Japanese because the government has programmed them to be anti-Japanese. Taiwanese have even more reason to despise the Japanese for what they did in their imperial era as it was a Japanese colony for fifty years. While most Taiwanese know what happened, they also see it as something that happened in the past. Don't forget what happened, but move on. Then again, Taiwanese have their own patriotism issues.
China's and American history is steeped in violence external and internal. Both are imperialistic countries, (America has an empire in all but name). I know that will **** you off, but you should step back and look at the big picture here. American has been an imperialistic and warfaring country since it was born - your roots are British don't forget, you learned from your ancestors.
Well, the United States had to fight a war for its independence. However, most territorial acquisitions following that were peaceful: gained through purchase, or in the case of Oregon, an agreement on the delineation of the boundary. The southwest was gained in a war that Mexico started, though to be fair, it was a fight President Polk didn't shy away from.
There is some truth in the notion that there was violence in the sense of the Wild West, but Hollywood has long overblown the role of the gun and violence in the so-called Wild West.