Re: [OT] Nobility.... or not....

On Mon, 3 Dec 2001 10:56:17 -0600 bbrush@unlnotes.unl.edu writes:
>
>Something interesting I've noticed about myself recently is that my 
>pride
>in my country and my patriotism has increased as I've gotten older.  
>When I
>was a 20-something I was typically self-centered and anything outside 
>of my
>current sphere of interest was irrelevant to me.  I think this is 
>fairly
>typical.  It would be interesting to check back on your generation in 
>about
>10 years after the majority of them are married and have kids and see 
>how
>they feel about their country.
>
>Bill

When you are 'young' you know the world revolves around you.  After it
beats you or yours 'unfairly' several times you realize that overall it
doesn't even know you are there.  And certainly wouldn't care if it did.

That said:
I think it depends on age, how you were raised, and self-image.

This from a man who is (officially at work) Hispanic, with a grandmother
who was Cherokee/Irish but insisted the family was White because there
was future in letting people know you were anything else,  and "Anglo"
in
my Mexican Aunt's eyes.  

But then I was bashed as  a conservative in Los Angeles and a Liberal in
Saint Louis so maybe there is no label that is realistic.  <grin>

Anyway, in my family traditions (and they have near force of law there,
Beth, just to make your other question expand) it *barely* acceptable
that I opposed the Vietnam war but no one blinked when I enlisted in the
USAF when the choice seemed "be drafted or go to  Canada."   My mother
actually said "My country, right or wrong" (on Vietnam) right after
finishing a tirade about the way this country treated her Nisei girl
friends and neighbors during WW2.

One can be 'patriotic' and disagree desperately with the decision of a
particular government.	The issue comes down to the servant leader idea.

Leaders are servants.  At least that is what the grandma above taught me
by deeds more then words.  Being drafted (or enlisting) is accepting
that
servant leader role, whether it's in the armed forces, head of
household,
or politics (at this point the analogy has a few probelms in this day
and
age...)

But we are so far off topic that I am going to stop at this point.

Gracias,
Glenn/Triphibious@juno.com
This is my Science Fiction Alter Ego E-mail address.
Historical - Warbeads@juno.com
Fantasy and 6mm - dwarf_warrior@juno.com

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