This is such a great country!

[Hash]

Well, as everyone knows, America is completely and utterly unique in the world in the way that their elections occur without people rioting in the streets and murdering others.

My opinion exactly. I really, really hate it when my fellow Americans act as if we're something special for being a democracy.

[12th Doctor]

Once again -- I repeat what I said in the ORIGINAL post --

"And I am sure many of our non-American participants can be proud of their countries, too.  Peaceful, democratic elections are nothing to take for granted."

I'm American and damn proud to be.  I completely understand why Canadians, French citizens, Brits, Japanese, Aussies and many, many other people are proud of their countries.
I never said or implied anything else.

There are some people who feel, for some reason, that to have pride in your own country or ethnic group automatically means that you are disparaging all others.  These people would, of course, be wrong.

Good for you.  Fly your flag high.

[Јas]

Actually, if you look at it, there is something very special, if not entirely unique about what we do in America, and that is that we are practically the only country in the world which broke away from another country (proclaiming independence as opposed to being granted it... like Canada) and formed a working, functioning government from scratch. 

*coughs*

[12th Doctor]

Actually, if you look at it, there is something very special, if not entirely unique about what we do in America, and that is that we are practically the only country in the world which broke away from another country (proclaiming independence as opposed to being granted it... like Canada) and formed a working, functioning government from scratch. 

*coughs*

Eh... you guy kinda already had a parliament though, didn't you?

[Јas]

Actually, if you look at it, there is something very special, if not entirely unique about what we do in America, and that is that we are practically the only country in the world which broke away from another country (proclaiming independence as opposed to being granted it... like Canada) and formed a working, functioning government from scratch. 

*coughs*

Eh... you guy kinda already had a parliament though, didn't you?

Elected members to Westminster along with the rest of the UK.
There wasn't a pre-Independence, legally unquestionable, specifically Irish parliament since 1800.

[12th Doctor]

Actually, if you look at it, there is something very special, if not entirely unique about what we do in America, and that is that we are practically the only country in the world which broke away from another country (proclaiming independence as opposed to being granted it... like Canada) and formed a working, functioning government from scratch. 

*coughs*

Eh... you guy kinda already had a parliament though, didn't you?

Elected members to Westminster along with the rest of the UK.
There wasn't a pre-Independence, legally unquestionable, specifically Irish parliament since 1800.

Okay... well, I said "practically".

[Јas]

Actually, if you look at it, there is something very special, if not entirely unique about what we do in America, and that is that we are practically the only country in the world which broke away from another country (proclaiming independence as opposed to being granted it... like Canada) and formed a working, functioning government from scratch. 

*coughs*

Eh... you guy kinda already had a parliament though, didn't you?

Elected members to Westminster along with the rest of the UK.
There wasn't a pre-Independence, legally unquestionable, specifically Irish parliament since 1800.

Okay... well, I said "practically".

Yeah, that's cool - I was just representin'!

[Verily]

Once again -- I repeat what I said in the ORIGINAL post --

"And I am sure many of our non-American participants can be proud of their countries, too.  Peaceful, democratic elections are nothing to take for granted."

I'm American and damn proud to be.  I completely understand why Canadians, French citizens, Brits, Japanese, Aussies and many, many other people are proud of their countries.
I never said or implied anything else.

But that doesn't make us special for being the United States. We, as in all democracies, are special for being democracies. Why do you feel a need to limit that declaration of "specialness" to your own country? In fact, why even speak of your own country specifically at all when it clearly shares these traits in common with other countries?

[JSojourner]

Once again -- I repeat what I said in the ORIGINAL post --

"And I am sure many of our non-American participants can be proud of their countries, too.  Peaceful, democratic elections are nothing to take for granted."

I'm American and damn proud to be.  I completely understand why Canadians, French citizens, Brits, Japanese, Aussies and many, many other people are proud of their countries.
I never said or implied anything else.

There are some people who feel, for some reason, that to have pride in your own country or ethnic group automatically means that you are disparaging all others.  These people would, of course, be wrong.

Good for you.  Fly your flag high.

Thanks, Soulty.  I completely understand international irritation with "the ugly American" -- you know -- the guy who thinks if he speaks English louder, the poor Italian bellhop will understand him.  And you know from my previous posts that I don't like the "America is always right crowd".  I know my country has done evil things in the past.  Probably will again.  I also know other countries have much to be proud of.  (My affection for Great Britain and Canada borders on Anglophilia!)

But I also get irritated when I'm told to put a sock in it because I think my country is great.  Shoot, I hope every Hungarian, Dane, Aussie and Thai thinks their country is great, too! 

[dead0man]

Come on guys, the left has told us it's not ok to take pride in America so cut it out.  There is nothing special or different about America.

[Gabu]

There are some people who feel, for some reason, that to have pride in your own country or ethnic group automatically means that you are disparaging all others.  These people would, of course, be wrong.

Good for you.  Fly your flag high.

There are many reasons to be proud to be an American, but I don't think "being able to run an election without riots" is one of them.  Really, if you couldn't do that, that'd kinda be a cause for concern.

[jacob_101]

Tip of the cap to someone I really disagree with on almost everything -- Bill Bennett.

Tonight, on CNN, he said the Iowa Caucus was a beautiful thing to watch.  Because in other parts of the world, they are settling their election disputes with machetes and by burning down churches.

I am thankful to be an American.  And I am sure many of our non-American participants can be proud of their countries, too.  Peaceful, democratic elections are nothing to take for granted.

Yep -- even if my candidate loses!

JSojourner,
Thanks for having pride in your country!  And yes it's ok to be proud of the little things.  It's hilarious to me that you are getting attacked for such a simple statement.  Now, if you said "Because in ALL other parts of the world" then I can see why you would get attacked.  But expressing a truth (saying other parts of the world are not having peaceful elections) is a true and fair statement.  And being proud to be from the country you are from, is not a radical idea as some reactions to this post indicate.

To those offended by this post, go ahead and make your own post about something positive going on in your country that makes you proud and I promise not to post with any vitriol or negativity.   :  )Seems to me you may not understand or have pride in your own country/democracy.