Not being American I always found the whole thing very creepy. Like, North Korean military parade-creepy.
For the record, we don't have anything like that where I'm from, but the closest things we do have are also very creepy. Patriotism in general is extremely not cool, honestly.
I screencapped this many moons ago on Reddit, I feel that it's apropos
The USA started cracking at the foundations when McCarthyism began, demonizing an ideology that was ultimately about sharing resources. You can draw a straight line between the Red Scare and the anti-socialism proudly shouted by modern Republicans and the MAGA movement today.
For anyone who identifies as conservative, this rabid vilification of socialism has rotted away at even the idea that the government should exist to service the people, let alone advocating for it. So instead they advocate for tearing it all apart and hold firm to the 'rugged individialism', "the Free Market © will provide" nonsense that has never worked as far back in history as we can peer.
Its so toxic, and it serves only the most wealthy. It's gone so far and for so long now that I don't see the lessons being learnt and course correcting with words alone.
It's rooted in all that "American Exceptionalism" propaganda crap, for sure.
As an American I never really liked the holiday, (I agree patriotism sucks) but I wouldn't say it's that it really feels creepy other than the few people who really go over the top with it. Most people just use it as an excuse to barbeque and watch / light off fireworks (which I'm just personally not into)
Now for some real North Korea shit, look up videos of the “pledge of allegiance“ in schools. I was always the only one not doing it, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I realized how fucked up it is. Creepy as hell.
Now for some real North Korea shit, look up videos of the “pledge of allegiance“ in schools. I was always the only one not doing it, but it wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized how fucked up it is. Creepy as hell.
America and North Korea aren't alone in some kind of pledge for the country, are we? I have a memory of Chinese students doing the same type of thing, but I'm not entirely sure.
From a quick search it looks like India, Nigeria, Singapore, and the Philippines do as well.
Other countries may have pledges of some sort for special occasions or for new citizens. But having a flag in every classroom that children chant to each morning is not normal.
Patriotism can be cool, there are (I hope) many things about your nation, it's achievements and communities that you might be proud of.
Nationalism however, not so much. They're closely related (and bad people will try to sneak Nationalism under the radar as Patriotism) but are very different things.
Patriotism is the little sibling of nationalism, and the boundaries are fluid. I will never understand why people are proud of other people's accomplishments and make them their own. Or is it because people were shat on somewhere else in the world than everyone else? Makes absolutely no sense.
Flags have become a warning over the last decade or so about the person waving it. It no longer has the hope of a better America, solidarity, or welcome; it’s a symbol of a myopic, selfish, aggro, uneducated person full of performative nationalism and real hatreds.
Our independence was supposed to free the people of kings and tyrants. It’s been 249 years since 1776, we have undone what the Constitution authors fought for.
Our independence was supposed to free the people of kings and tyrants. It’s been 249 years since 1776, we have undone what the Constitution authors fought for.
That's what happens if you stick with a quarter-millennium old prototype of a semi-democratic system.
The constitution was revolutionary and ground-breaking, a quarter millennium ago. But still running that old piece of toilet paper as the basis of a democratic system in 2025 is like driving a Ford Model T today and claiming that it still is the latest and greatest automobile ever created.
In terms an American can understand: "Imagine a car..."
why celebrate independence day?
it was supposed to be about gaining independence from tyranny.
We're back with kings and tyrants.
What, exactly, should I be proud of?
A nation that is moving backwards on human rights, increasing wealth inequality, and got really “mask off” about supporting genocide. A nation that is inherently dysfunctional and wreathed in corruption.
State-level patriotism is always bullshit to begin with.
That's how you're tricked into loyalty based on the most arbitrary reasons.
Be the messenger of humanity and get curious about the Universe. People are brothers, and there's no pride in being born in one plot of land over the other.
As an immigrant to the US, I've always found the blind patriotism commonplace here to be very strange. It feels even more alienating now than ever before.
Common in an authoritarian, warmongering police state.
For them it's invariably other countries that get this label, they can't think outside the box bcs of their propaganda.
It's been decades since I've cared about the 4th as an actual holiday. Now it's just a day that I don't have to work.
I’ve never been more ashamed to be an American.
I'm a-shamed to be an A-merican,
Where at least now I can't see.
And I won't forget the libs who cried,
Who gave that right to me.
Celebrating America hasn't been something to be proud of since before 2001. We had a couple of high points during Obama, but nothing that tipped the scales.
I'm personally disgusted by this place, and anytime I see someone with an American flag anywhere on their person or property, I immediately assume they're a conservative and I think lesser of them. I know that this isn't a reality, but that is what the American flag means to me, and I assume quite a few others.
I haven't felt patriotic for July 4 since I was a teenager. And I grow more aliented every year.
What the fuck would I have to be proud of? The US has been on a downward trend for a long time and that's accelerating
Feeling patriotic towards a country of traitors.
US best values have been lost long time ago.
I've never felt patriotic. It's not like I chose to be here and, frankly, the more I learned about the rest of the world, the more I dislike about my own home.
Also fireworks are boring af unless you're manipulating them to be more dangerous and blowing things up. Like hammering down a whistler and tossing it into a porta potty where an ICE agent is taking a shit.
Call for independence from everything GOP and Trump on July 4th?
Our country is under MAGA Nazis rule, and that is nothing to celebrate. Independence Day should be a Day of Resistance, until the MAGA Nazis lose their control.
I haven't been necessarily patriotic for a long time because why pledge allegiance to a single nation? The only reason I really care about July 4 is the fireworks. It's more tradition than anything that I see them.
Anyways, both of his terms make me feel vindicated in not being patriotic in a country.
I find it reassuring that some people are not proud of grabbing random people off the street to send them to their death with a smile.
I'm a USAF vet. My ancestors literally fought in the revolutionary war, and signed The Declaration of Independence. I'm going through the motions this year, but I don't feel it at all. I'm pissed that we're multiple stages into a nazi regime. I'm profoundly flabbergasted at how anyone could be for this. How anyone that is for it, can't see that they're going to be the "out" party. Some already are seeing it.
I'm incredibly disappointed that the news has gotten so out of touch that they just rolled over and lapped up the rhetoric. Local news is all sunshine and rainbows while ICE kidnaps people, and a corrupt POtuS breaks the constitution left and right. While he deploys military against its own citizens. While rights are stripped, aided by a corrupt SCOTUS. While the rich get richer off of our backs. While the checks and balances are obliterated.
Aww. Please celebrate - don't give the orange turd the satisfaction of destroying yet more American culture. Also, I won't be happy posting my favourite annual meme:
I think that’s normal considering everything going on.
By the way, I live in the CA bay area. Interestingly I went grocery shopping today and no kidding -I felt like I was in a small town in the midwest or something. I looked around and it was mostly older white people shopping, like you couldn’t help but notice. I told my bf, wtf are we in Idaho or something lol this doesn’t feel like the bay area?
I think there’s a combination of people being tired of increasing inflation and burnt out by the barrage of shit going on in the news. I don’t imagine minorities, particularly immigrant families are feeling very patriotic right now. Or people are straight up worried about ICE kidnappings. Which by the way, I heard from a neighbor that ICE has been walking into the hospital she works at and waiting outside to snatch people. Terrible…
Oh goodness no. America has fallen, what the fuck does July 4th mean.
4th of July? You mean the Ungrateful Colonists Insurgence Day?
I still have hope, until I am forced to emigrate I won't be giving up on us. This country at one point saved my ancestors from doom, I believe it can again. It's actually the "America sucks" crowd we need the most. In the words of AOC: resist, make them make us.
I imagine almost everyone who's not American, like 96.5% of the world population.
No. Though I'm not American which may impact that
that's really unamerican of you
Fuck yeah
Unless a large protest is happening in my city, I'm not planning to be outside on July 4.
Plan it
I’ll be staying home this year. There is nothing to celebrate. At this point I’d rather watch it all burn down.
I'm surprised there aren't massive protests scheduled for July 4.
I believe there are
I'm boycotting America this year.
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