I came across an article* by Jay Ambrose in today’s Columbian newspaper titled “Super Bowl exemplifies some vital American virtues”. I happened to be with a Filipino friend and wondered out loud which virtues Ambrose would list that are specifically American.
The article describes the game thusly:
In fact, I think the whole affair – patriotic prelude, the football game itself, crowd fervor, technological wizardry, an advertising onslaught, the halftime extravaganza and more – speaks to a remarkable American energy, even a certain joyfulness…
And the frivolity did have touches of unifying seriousness, the most moving of which was the wondrous singing of “America the Beautiful” by a chorus of 26 children from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn…
Football… (is) a game of psychological ups and downs that make a difference, of skill and character and, believe it or not, of intellect and must consider strategies, counter-strategies and ingenious tactics…
He goes on to mention the power outage, Beyonce’s performance, the fact that the opposing coaches were brothers. But, as I read each “American virtue,” I said to my Filipino friend, “surely they don’t possess that particular virtue in the Philippines, do they?” He shocked me by revealing that all these virtues exist in the Philippines as well. So I wondered if the Filipinos learned patriotism, musical talent, technology and togetherness from the Americans. I became confused trying to fathom how new immigrants, from all corners of the world, magically acquire these virtues upon arrival in America. I marvel at the thought that, had those immigrants ended up in other lands instead, they would have had to make due with whatever second-rate virtues they have in those lands.
I’d always wondered why it is that national governments are so eager to conquer new lands (and hold on to land they’ve already got). Now I know: It’s to spread their virtues. As land falls under their sway, their special virtues are bestowed upon that land. These virtues are then, by some unknown mechanism, transferred to those who live on that land. Amazing!
I almost asked my Filipino friend why his people were so determined to free themselves from American rule. Think of all the virtue they gave up on by pursuing independence. They could have become like Puerto Rico; all its citizens are Americans. As such, they share our virtues.
I feel so fortunate to have been born in the United States of America. Had I been born just a couple hundred miles south, in Mexico, I would have had to cross the Rio Grande to get my virtues.
On second thought, maybe I would have been better off in Mexico. Mexico has the virtue of maintaining its own specific culture while the U.S. has been busy taking a little from here and a little from there, haphazardly mixing them together and hoping for the best. I remember, as a child, concocting my own cereal like that. It was so bad even the dog wouldn’t eat it.
*Currently the article seems to appear only in the printed version.
What people forget for the soap operas of brothers coaching against each other, the blackout, and everything else, is that for the longest time, the play was rather “chippy,” which is a code word for about to bust out in a big knock-down drag-out bench-clearing brawl. I guess that’s supposed to be an American virtue, too.
In one sense, you are right. But in the larger sense, you are wrong. I am sure you have a family, with a wife and children you love. You feel that your love for them is special. But it isn’t. Other people love their family, so what make your love so special? It is special because it is yours. And you celebrate it thus, and rightly so.
This is our country, warts and all. And we love and celebrate it because it is ours.
“This is our country, warts and all. And we love and celebrate it because it is ours.”
But whose country is it? Currently, citizenship is, according the Supreme Court, the birthright of anyone whose mother happened to give birth to them on the soil of the US or one of its territories. And globalists would like it to be open to any person who decides that they want to move here. Citizenship has become so devalued that it’s practically meaningless. The founding stock of this country is actively denigrated, and we are constantly told that the defining feature of the US is that it is a “nation of immigrants”. There is no common identity among American citizens, and thus to speak of “our” country has about as much meaning as referring to the North American continent as “our” (“Americans'”, Canadians’, and Mexicans’) continent.
You are correct. The United States somehow ceased being a nation state in one generation and became a polyglot citizenship club. Liberals are a superior opponent, indeed.
That whole “nation of immigrants” thing really irritates me. I can’t stand it when they pull that one. They really expect that crap to “make you think.”
It does! It makes me think the user is either a bullshit peddler or a shallow imbecile.
Two other similar statements that I hate:
1. My/your forefathers were immigrants.
2. If Americans in eighteen-whatever had thought the way you do, then my/your (insert ancestor) would have been turned away at the door.
Anybody who uses one of the two aforementioned platitudes will quickly be told that I don’t give a shit.
“But whose country is it?”
It is our country. Yours and mine.
“And globalists would like it to be open to any person who decides that they want to move here.”
That is true. And they are wrong. Very, very wrong.
I don’t think the people who founded this country intended nonwhites to be a part of it.
JAY did you see this video?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJQf39kZyXc&feature=player_embedded
LOL! That’s priceless and thanks.
The only way we’ll solve the myriad problems of the modern world is by recognizing who’s actually behind them: http://zioncrimefactory.com/
The Germans imported lots of Turks, and we know they rid themselves of their Jewish population in a rather, ah, spectacular manner.