Do we want to be like Mexico?
POSTED BY: SignyM
UPDATED: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 19:35
VIEWED: 5399
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Lots of really poor people. A few very very wealthy. No services. A culture of thievery, and corruption up the wazoo.
It seems we do, because we're doing everything we can to head in that direction.
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What are you even talking about ?
" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "
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Hello,
I suppose this is a way of saying that you think the U.S. is in decline.
Of course, you could have made the same statement in 1880. It may even have been more true at the time.
--Anthony
Assured by friends that the signal-to-noise ratio has improved on this forum, I have disabled web filtering.
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Recent experiences might be affecting your judgment of that nation, so I'll stay out of it.
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Or any number of other countries, especially in Asia. It always surprises me when people say "yeah, well in ___, they..." by way of comparing us as better, when to me, I judge America (or try to) mostly by comparing it to itself, or what we'd LIKE it to be.
I agree with your premise, tho', and it concerns me. Again, I see it more as a reflection of an EMPIRE dying, rather than the country, but no, I don't like the way it's been heading at ALL.
The response by Raptor is illustrative of what I see/hear too much here and other places: That America is The Best, nobody can hold a candle to us, how dare you say we're going wrong?" I believe in trying to keep my eyes open to the state of my country and always hoping we'll work to make it BETTER, not defend it to the death despite what we see around us.
So no, I don't want to be like Mexico (tho' what you described isn't true of the entire country). The thing to me is, Mexico has been poor for ages, maybe since the Aztecs died off, and is coming along--albeit slowly. We WERE rich and are going in the opposite direction...sigh...
Maybe that's just the way of empires, you know, "the bigger they are", and it'll level out eventually. I'm allowed to hope...
Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off 
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Al Franken had one of the best analogies I've ever seen on how the right and left each "love" America.
The right loves America like a three year old loves their mommy. Everything that mommy does is great, and anybody who doesn't like mommy is wrong!
The left love America like an adult loves their spouse. With a respect for the qualitites, but also an understanding of the faults, and a desire to help the one they love improve, by trying to improve on the faults.
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Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
Lots of really poor people. A few very very wealthy. No services. A culture of thievery, and corruption up the wazoo.
They also have afternoon naps, really good food, a great sense of color, nice music, cool accents, fast mice, big round hats, hot latina women, and nice beaches.
So can we pass on the failed state and still pick up the good culture.
H
"Hero. I have come to respect you." "I am forced to agree with Hero here."- Chrisisall, 2009.
"I would rather not ignore your contributions." Niki2, 2010.
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Quote:
Originally posted by BlueHandedMenace:
Al Franken had one of the best analogies I've ever seen on how the right and left each "love" America.
The right loves America like a three year old loves their mommy. Everything that mommy does is great, and anybody who doesn't like mommy is wrong!
The left love America like an adult loves their spouse. With a respect for the qualitites, but also an understanding of the faults, and a desire to help the one they love improve, by trying to improve on the faults.
First, that's beyond a ridiculous analogy. If anyone loves or wants to love their country like a parent figure, it's the Left.
Second... Niki is classically quick to the defense of Sigy, w/ out any clue why. I asked for clarification, and ( as of yet ) have seen none. Niki, your definition of what is 'best' for this country continues to be misguided and naive.
Third... you omitted Tequila. While not so much my choice of beverage these days, who doesn't enjoy a solid Margarita every now and then ?
" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "
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Interesting article on the subject.....
My Country, Right or Wrong
By Weeden Nichols
February 8, 2009
The phrase “My country, right or wrong!” is known to all of us. To some of us, it represents the epitome of patriotism. To others, it may represent the worst of knee-jerk, right-wing, so-called, “patriotism.” I had always, correctly-enough, attributed the phrase to Stephen Decatur, naval hero, captain at age twenty-five, and one of the fathers of the US Navy. The phrase was spoken by Decatur as part of a warrior’s toast:
“Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong.”
The phrase is also central to a quote from Carl Shurz, Union Army General, later US Senator, and, still later, US Secretary of the Interior:
“My country; and my country is the great American Republic. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”
It seems obvious to me that General Shurz was consciously referring to the famous quote from Stephen Decatur, and that he intentionally used it to focus upon what he considered to be a concise definition of responsible patriotism.
These two quotes have been used to introduce any number of writings on the general topic of patriotism, but only one or the other, depending on the writer’s purpose. I am using both. I should note also that both Decatur and Shurz seem to be using the term “country” as identical to the government of the country. I will continue that meaning in this piece, but I should say also that some of my favorite “love of country and homeland” works were by persons who had no great affection for the governments of their homelands.
Decatur’s toast might be inflated in its implications, intended for effect, but it is also possible that Decatur meant exactly what he said. I believe Shurz meant what he said.
There are two kinds of people – those who divide things into categories, and those who do not. I do. I would divide those who care what their country is and what it does (and this is not everybody) into four categories:
1. Those who deny any possibility that their country might commit misdeeds or missteps, and who ignore any evidence to the contrary.
2. Those who are aware, but who consider themselves honor-bound to be loyal and obedient until and unless they become the decision-maker, or unless the decision-maker consults them, in which case they would exercise their best judgment.
3. Those who love their country but are aware of misdeeds and missteps, who wish to hold their country to its best values, and who therefore feel compelled to speak truth to power.
4. Those who renounce, deny, or reject their country upon evidence of misdeeds and missteps.
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Quote:
Originally posted by BlueHandedMenace:
Al Franken had one of the best analogies I've ever seen on how the right and left each "love" America.
The right loves America like a three year old loves their mommy. Everything that mommy does is great, and anybody who doesn't like mommy is wrong!
The left love America like an adult loves their spouse. With a respect for the qualitites, but also an understanding of the faults, and a desire to help the one they love improve, by trying to improve on the faults.
That is a great analogy.
The truth of it is even helpfully re-enforced by the entirely expected "Nuh-uh, you are" response of the usual source.
"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."
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