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In Reply to: the meaning of the word patriot posted by a bit of education on March 31, 2003 at 08:30:26:
The founding fathers were no different in their basic make up than the politicians today. Most were wealthy and renowned and women had little say in the early days. In fact it was legal for a long time to beat a woman.
Still, in America, to have a woman as a major politician is not common. Women who are assertive are still labelled as "bitches".
If a woman celeb is full figured, then tons of fat jokes come out and circulate about her.
A fat balding man can be a sex symbol. (The Commish, Kojak). You won't hear fat, balding jokes about him.
We are a growing society, and the world's population is growing. The biggest dangers seem to come from countries that unite behind a rabid religious ideology. The question is how to fight that and when. This is where the questions come in.
I really loved that movie, American History X, because fanaticism is built on fear. People hate what they fear.
People also idealize what they want to.
I live in a city where a man was executed who was black. The person that was the eye witness in the case was a black woman. This man had a history of severe violent crime incl. multiple attempts at murder in the most violent of ways. While I am not a supporter of the death penalty, Geraldo Rivera was down here along with some Hollywood celebs protesting about this man's execution. Acting like his execution was because of his race. He was NEVER sorry for any of the attempted or successful murder that he committed. In fact, he took on an Islamic name and acted like he was persecuted for righteousness sake. After all, white people or immigrants of nationalities other than black are fair game. It was race based. Just like freeing O.J. was. By the same token a woman who is known to be schizophrenic, goes to prison ( for criminally insane) for life for drowning her kids. This crime occurred because she was not helped. The system failed her, Her rabidly fundamentalist cult following husband failed her and her illness took control. She thought she was sending them to be with God, to save them from the devil.
While OJ got off, she was nearly executed.
Justice and injustice have always been and always will be a part of society.
The acid test as to whether this war is right or wrong will be in the outcome. Dictatorships eventually die out by their own crimes against their citizens. It could happen ANYWHERE.
If I see freedom slipping away, new security being used to target innocent people that aren't desirable, I would not be patriotic to the meaning of this country to not say something. By the same token, I will be real pissed if we spend billions and billions to rebuild countries and buy support while letting our own citizens lose everything, no net, due to health, a economical crisis or other.
If Iraqi Saddam regime is overthrown and the aftermath is positive in the face of great loss, perhaps the timing or the method are grevious; but what happens to the US in the eyes of the world will tell the tale. NOT NOW. But after.
I wouldn't trust Geraldo Rivera anymore than I would trust Star Magazine. He is all about sensationalism and ratings.
No one is safe from dirt of the press. Too bad they are not about real reporting anymore in most cases.
