'Patriotic Americans?'

JCaswell said:
This is the 'Star Spangled Banner' sung at the "Burning Man" event.

I suppose some would argue this a patriotic demonstration---expressing they're love of country in their own way and so forth ...

I say :thumbdn::mad:


http://youtube.com/watch?v=KX47K-hfZXQ
Click to expand...

I'm with you there Joe. Very :thumbdn::mad: in my book also.

One could argue that it is a patriotic demonstration...I would argue that they are A-Holes and are taking a big crap on our national anthem! What do I know about being patriotic though? Maybe I'm wrong. -Matt-
 
What makes me cringe is people around the world look at this stuff and say, "Behold ... America!"
 
The singing wasn't that crumby. but that jerk in the sheep suit was rude and worse than rude.....Don't mess with my family, my friends, my Country, my pup, or anything that represents any of the previously mentioned.....
I don't need to go beyond, Don't........

(When I post, it is only me I represent.....no other entity).
 
rocketmann said:
WTF was that ??:thumbdn::jerkit:
Click to expand...

That's an example of freedom at work; in our case, the First Amendment to the Constitution.

To take away the right to act like that would be the beginning of our end.

Besides, flakes like that are necessary to make the majority of us look a little closer to normal! ;)
 
Nobody is taking away their right to act like that.
We are just reminding them of our right to tell them what we think of them.

Freedom of speech does not include freedom from criticism -- or consequences.
Just ask the Dixie Chicks.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Nobody is taking away their right to act like that.
We are just reminding them of our right to tell them what we think of them.
.....
Click to expand...

Yeap, door swings both ways. :) And, one might say it has to for the system to work......point, counterpoint.
 
I don't think this is a 1st Amendment issue since the government isn't looking to silence them and no one is suggesting they do. But what of tolerance?

These folks are mocking people that feel and behave in a patriotic fashion during the singing of the national anthem.

However, if someone publicly mocks some of the lifestyles alluded to on that very stage, no one speaks of first amendment protection for such speech. That person will be subject to real censure whether at school or at the workplace--especially a government job---because it is 'intolerant.'

Maybe these Burning Man folks need 'sensitivity training' so they can learn how to be more tolerant of other peoples' cultural identity.
 
Live and let live i say. I may think those people are morons and what they're doing is dumb, but it's their perogative to act in such a manner and say what they say. To paraphrase that saying, "I may not agree with what they say, but i'll defend their right to say it"

You also gota remember the national anthem is sung to the tune of a bawdy brittish drinking song ! =P
 
JCaswell said:
I don't think this is a 1st Amendment issue since the government isn't looking to silence them and no one is suggesting they do. But what of tolerance?

These folks are mocking people that feel and behave in a patriotic fashion during the singing of the national anthem.

However, if someone publicly mocks some of the lifestyles alluded to on that very stage, no one speaks of first amendment protection for such speech. That person will be subject to real censure whether at school or at the workplace--especially a government job---because it is 'intolerant.'

Maybe these Burning Man folks need 'sensitivity training' so they can learn how to be more tolerant of other peoples' cultural identity.
Click to expand...

Tolerance has never been a characteristic of the fringes. They live in the realm of the self-righteous, convinced of their own path and the need to proclaim it.

My personal observation is that there are usually polar opposites at these fringes. If one sees something outrageous as in this case, then one must look to the opposite to see what stimulated it. Nowadays, there is plenty of "fringe" on either arm of the jacket of America to provide us with exciting high theater. I saw those fools in the same high camp as "Rocky Horror", celebrating their shared mania; unoffended, because I expect them to be there.

It is my opinion that the tolerant middle is actually expanded by these fringes as they continuously reach for ever more outrageous behavior to keep their "causes" in the spotlight. They teach us how silly zealotry is.

Thus, in a way, they do us a service. And though we learn things other than what they intended, still they are our teachers. They are, in fact, the stimulus for the very tolerance they eschew.

As such, one could argue that we need them. And thus my somewhat tongue-in-cheek comment about the 1st Amendment. Apologies if I offended anyone. :)
 
As seems the case betwixt you and I, Michael, I couldn't agree with you more.


It's ALL 1st Amendment, guys... a friend of mine once said that one of the most beautiful things about this country is that you have the RIGHT to believe and say anything you want, regardless of just how dumb it is!:D
 
Fitzo,

You didn't offend me at all.:) I think you and Esav are two of the best thinkers on BF.:thumbup:

They have a right to be disrespect millions and show their intolerant bigotry, and I have a right to call them on their outrageous hypocrisy.

Yeah I'd defend their right to say what they want. That doesn't mean I relinquish my right to disagree, argue, disapprove, or even condemn whatever it is they choose to say.
 
JCaswell said:
....Yeah I'd defend their right to say what they want. That doesn't mean I relinquish my right to disagree, argue, disapprove, or even condemn whatever it is they choose to say.
Click to expand...

As it should be, Joe. I see that "debate of differences" as what makes us progress as we stumble headlong through this experiment called democracy. To steal from Jerry G, "What a long strange trip it continues to be."

Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad I didn't offend. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top