with point 13. Are you saying anyone who cannot speak English is not allowed to view a game where the national anthem is played, because they can't sing it in English. I'd preferred one to at least sing it in their native tongue than not sing at all. There are many first generation Hispanic, Chinese and Japanese women in my area, who live very sheltered, traditional lives, and who have no need to learn English, but have sons and daughters that participate in sports, on all levels. Yes, I would prefer that they learn English, but I feel no compunction to "kick their asses" if they don't.

Oh, and this is from a Squid Tweet

and trust me, not every member of the armed services is a hero, and not every one deserves my (or your) respect.

I believe in freedom, if someone were to chastise me for not being flag waving, jingoistic, pseudo patriot, I would be the one doing the ass kicking.

Flag waving does not equal patriotism, the same as church going does not equal moral behavior.

I served to protect a "free" country, not one where where symbolic acts of patriotism mean more than real ones.

Just remember, I am a veteran, so by your own line of reasoning, you need to "pay the highest amount of respect to me"

I did my time, I served my country, I pay taxes, make a six digit payroll every month, and feel no need to be lectured by anyone as to how I show my pride for being an American. The flag is a fucking piece of cloth, it's the freedoms we enjoy that are worth fighting for, and that includes the freedom to make our own choices, and express them as we see fit.

The op is bullshit !!

Wow----lecturing us about the obvious----like we're a buncha regressive children------honor our vets----kinda like saying murder is wrong or honor our fathers & mothers.

Lady, my Dad is an 88 year old navy WW2 combat vet--------of course I honor him---do I have to be told by you or your "messenger" to do this ?

Also, I think the pledge of allegiance is bullshit-------  I don't talk or keep a hat on, but I choose not to recite it----my 1st ammendment right------would you deny that, change the U.S. into a dictatorship & FORCE me to say it?! Wotta load of jingoistic horsehit !

"Patriotism is the last vestige of a scoundrel"--------Samuel Johnson

I think the photo below is QUITE appropriate-----


-- Modified on 10/14/2010 9:36:46 AM

But since I'm going on hiatus I figured why the fuck not.

1) I have, and will always have refuse to stand or recite the Pledge and the National Anthem. While I appreciate the melody of the Russian-written National Anthem, the message of both contains a jingoistic message that I don't agree with.

The words, "I pledge allegiance" is contrary to the very idea of liberty and freedom.

It's also really ridiculous to expect an atheist as myself to say "under God".

I always thought that a more appropriate National Anthem would be "America the Beautiful".

2) Burning a flag is my right as an American. Anyone who tries to take that right from me, will find that this liberal also happens to believe in the 2nd Amendment.

3) Veterans should be respected. What's more, they should be given support for their service. I am thankful every day that liberals like myself saw fit to pass the GI Bill after WW2, over the protests of jingoistic conservatives.

Skipping ahead to

9) If anyone met my mother, you'd think her wearing combat boots were pretty apt. At 75 she can still kick ass.

10) A buddy of mine went into the Marines, and played drums in my old band. We never called him "Jarhead", but we did call him Private Pile. He rather liked this title.

11) Our nukes keeps our ass from getting kicked. Sorry, that's just reality.

12) That's complete horseshit, and even the Founding Fathers would tell you so. Did our soldiers give minorities in this country Civil Rights? Or give women the right to vote and choose their own destinies? No, PROTESTERS did that. From Martin Luther King to Hellen Keller, your own rights were given to you by them. The next time you go to the voting booth Sexy Carolina, thank feminist communists like Keller for giving you that right.

Furthermore, you should thank Thomas Jefferson for penning the rights of the freedom of press, speech, and peaceful assembly. You should also thank him for penning the words: "Congress shall make NO LAW respecting an establishment of religion." That includes the religion of blind jingoistic nationalism.

I am a veteran with an honorable DD-214, so Ms. Carolina, even if you don't like my opinion, you should respect it by your own definition.

The military in which I served included a variety of people -- some of whom were worthy of respect, and others, thankfully few, who were scumbag pieces of crap.

I swore my oath to the Constitution of the United States. I agreed to follow LAWFUL orders -- which I interpret to mean orders consistent with both the letter and spirit of the Constitution. My loyalty is to the Constitution and its Spirit; not to some pledge cooked up by Congress, and not even to some government. And right now, to be perfectly frank, I have decided that the thing I can do that is most consistent with the intent of this nation's founders is work to destroy the union; which may bring me into conflict with its military.

I do not agree with the pledge of Allegiance and believe it completely contradicts the principles underlying this nation.

And while I am a huge fan of ass-kicking, I do not agree with kicking the ass of people simply because they disagree with me or may even disrespect me.

necessarily unpatriotic to burn the flag when you are engaging in political speech.  If you "kick the ass" of someone burning the flag in protest you ironically are violating one of the very principles the flag stands for - the right to dissent peacefully no matter how unpopular your position.

Pay the highest amount of respect?

I'm a Viet Nam era Vet,just wondering why the OP, showed me a lack of respect?
As the saying goes,"put your money where your mouth is"!

And yes I am a vet. I know plenty of vets who share my feelings.