Why do some Americans hate their own country?

[TLK Valentine]

Not sure I understand the point of your question.

It's quite simple -- if Haiti is a ----hole because of the Hatians, and Costa Rica is great because of the Costa Ricans, is America great because of you?

 

[Hieronymus]

It's quite simple -- if Haiti is a ----hole because of the Hatians, and Costa Rica is great because of the Costa Ricans, is America great because of you?

Haiti is a ---hole because it was drained by the Clintons.

 

[Almost there]

But there is no evidence of hate.

You are describing angst - and that sophomoric "hatred" is not actual hate. It is tantamount to an existential, moral and ethical re-evaluation.

In other words, they are GROWING UP. If it never matures, and grows into crisis, that is still better than the full existential, moral and philosophical shelter necessary to pledge allegiance to an entity that - as we all allegedly know - has so much blood on its hands, and makes no effort to cauterize the wounds they cause.



Some people don't grow up, however; they just get older.

Yes. I think people throw the phrase "hate" around way too easily these days.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Nothing says "Respect for my country" quit like a socialistic pledge of fealty to the state.

If my father or my stepfather were alive today all they would be able to say is

How embarrassing.

M-Bob

 

[Belk]

If my father or my stepfather were alive today all they would be able to say is

How embarrassing.

M-Bob

Why? Were they ignorant of the history of the pledge?

 

[keith99]

That's not the point of this thread. The point of the thread is "why", not "what" beyond what is necessary to define the topic.

And that is what people have been asking for.

There is a huge difference between hating America and hating the government of America.

 

[Albion]

What. exactly, would be the evidence of this "hatred" ???

Hello, "A." I'm willing to believe what they say when they vilify America in those terms.

 

[Hetta]

Some of the patriotic hysteria makes me sick, I admit. And the jingoism. In my time here I have heard some of the most ridiculous things ever. If people really feel that level of "love" then they might be better expending it in improving their country, like helping to clean up the oceans and the beaches, and their local neighborhoods, and working with their neighbors instead of hating them because their faces are brown - and therefore they are not American. "I love America more than you because ..." Absurd. That kind of extremism makes me (and others) roll our eyes and move on. Just not a patriot I guess. And that's okay.

 

[A_Thinker]

Hello, "A." I'm willing to believe what they say when they vilify America in those terms.

In 60 years, I've never heard an American spout hatred for America ... aside from Timothy McVeigh and co., perhaps ....

 

[Albion]

In 60 years, I've never heard an American spout hatred for America

I cannot believe that. But if it is somehow true about yourself, I certainly have.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Some of the patriotic hysteria makes me sick, I admit. And the jingoism. In my time here I have heard some of the most ridiculous things ever. If people really feel that level of "love" then they might be better expending it in improving their country, like helping to clean up the oceans and the beaches, and their local neighborhoods, and working with their neighbors instead of hating them because their faces are brown - and therefore they are not American. "I love America more than you because ..." Absurd. That kind of extremism makes me (and others) roll our eyes and move on. Just not a patriot I guess. And that's okay.

Extreme Jingoism is what it is, which includes America's long history of love of war. And you must be kidding about taking care of the environment. I've met so many right wing Christians who scoff at and mock environmental issues and global warming. It's actually laughable to think that will change.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Why? Were they ignorant of the history of the pledge?

I'm actually glad that the younger generation of Americans are moving away from American nationalism and not succumbing to the demand to honor this country by refusing to stand for the national anthem or recite the pledge. I fully support the refusal to stand for the anthem.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Why? Were they ignorant of the history of the pledge?

They both loved this country (unlike many here) and fought to protect it.
Unlike many here.
M-Bob

 

[Belk]

They both loved this country and fought to protect it.
M-Bob

As did my grandfather, father, and myself. Dosen't mean I don't know about the pledge or think rote recital is a substitute for informed love of country.

 

[Belk]

I'm actually glad that the younger generation of Americans are moving away from American nationalism and not succumbing to the demand to honor this country by refusing to stand for the national anthem or recite the pledge. I fully support the refusal to stand for the anthem.

I stand for the anthem, but I feel it is a personal choice. I understand that the country is stronger because people are free to choose. Nationalism is not about patriotism, it is about tribalism.

 

[cow451]

If my father or my stepfather were alive today all they would be able to say is

How embarrassing.

M-Bob

Now, Bob, don’t be so hard on yourself. They’d love you now matter what.

 

[cow451]

They both loved this country (unlike many here) and fought to protect it.
Unlike many here.
M-Bob

There are many good Americans like our President that did not join the military. And, I find it rather odd you accuse posters of hating America, yet you don’t call them out.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Now, Bob, don’t be so hard on yourself. They’d love you now matter what.

Not really worth my acknowledgement since you turned my post around and made it into fake news yeah that's what you guys do it's okay I'm used to it.

It's only what I expect from the other side.

M-Bob

 

[Steven Torman]

?

As Christians, we are supposed to love our neighbors and that includes loving our country and our countrymen. Yet I see no end to the hatred of America from other Americans all over the internet and in real life. Why is that?

After reviewing the thread till page 6, then reviewing 11. I imagined the other 5 pages were unsubstantial speculation. Hence I respond to the original post.

you say...
"As Christians"

There are some Christian who believe that the government is evil, but they are only using religion to funnel their dissent in a way that adds authority to their position. Some are gullible enough to believe said position because of the religious category has been added in, and a simple sentence analysis out of context seems to confirm the espoused truths... i.e. there are plenty of people who feel that something is true as long as they can connect the simplest grammatical dots. Then if it rhymes, for them, it connects several; and then if it has music to, for some it creates an entire image to base their life on.​

The point is you have to define the term Christian by its practices and behaviors and separate the the ones who actually live a life that agrees with its central tenants - not just speak, but live it.

BUT ONE OF THE LARGE IMPLICATIONS BY YOUR QUOTE ABOVE IS THAT ALL AMERICANS ARE CHRISTIANS, and since American and Christian are synonymous to YOU, you cant understand why all of America does not live by the ethic.

I do not want to blow your hair back to hard, but you are wrong: American does not mean Christian, therefore there is the answer to your question. Just to be sure

The reason why they do not love thy neighbor is because they do not subscribe to the Christian ethic because they are not Christians. The reason why you see a confusion is because you have dissonance in your thinking.

But, I think I can anticipate your next question, or your rephrased question, what you want to ask now is (and another note, the Christian ethic assumes people as the subject and the object, not people to country, Christians have a different ethic, but since we have established that Americans are not Christians we are not talking a problem with Christianity, only America, hence the hypothetical question):

"Why is there hate from Americans to America? Why do Americans hate each other?

And the answer is "You do not do what I want you to do, you do not make the decisions I want you to, and I think I see the bigger picture better then you do"

That is it...period...

Now to expound that, I will be brief so that the post will not be too long, and if anyone takes it up, then I will begin to drill down, but here is a Scripture to help prove the point:

1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.​

Though you have a Christian insight in these words, still it is a truth that can be obtained for the secular thinker, other then the point that, "If you want something you should ask God, not try to orchestrate it through such devise means." I would definitely contend that this is necessary to end it, but the beginning of it starts with man and confirms the distilled truth above.

"Desires" are the problem, and when those desires are not met, people get angry whether it is a noble desire, selfish desire, indifferent desire, or even an economic desire. At the end of the day, why there is so much hate in America is because people are not getting the desires of their heart (as a Christian, I would say this is because they have a corrupt nature which needs to be healed from an Outsider who has more resources, abilities, and understanding by an extreme amount).

 

[Albion]

Nothing says "Respect for my country" quit like a socialistic pledge of fealty to the state.

Now, THAT calls for some explanation.