Is America perfect? No. However, it is no worse than any other country in this sense. Any country that has the amount of talent, resources and power that the U.S. has accumulated would commit no less the atrocities than the U.S. has in it's history. I think there is an argument to be made that most would be even worse. Human nature is flawed, no one is perfect and those flaws are magnified in a group situation. Power attracts evil, power hungry people who want to oppress others, no matter the geography. Utopia is a pipe dream, so you can yearn for it all you want, and you may find it temporarily, but if so it will only last for a brief time in history due to entropy. So if you are fortunate enough to be on the winning side you might as well enjoy it by firing up the grill, waving a flag, popping some fireworks and enjoying your family. But if you want to follow a miserable little, whining coke head like George Carlin don't expect any sympathy from me, because sulking in faux moral superiority isn't helping anyone. Happy 4th of July and God Bless Texas!
I wonder what you would say to some carjacker, pointing a gun in your face and demanding your keys, if he said to you, "Well hey, these things happen. You can wish for a world without violent crime, but this is just human nature, so I might as well be on the winning side!"
No, authoritarianism is not inevitable, and no, it's not okay just because it's familiar and common.
By the way, I AM morally superior to anyone who condones the initiation of violence against his fellow man (which includes everyone who votes for political masters, "right," "left," or any other flavor).
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"No, authoritarianism is not inevitable, and no, it's not okay just because it's familiar and common."
I never said it was okay, however I would like to know just where is this utopian country that you are holding up as an example of anti-authoritarianism? (and it needs to be comparable to the US in size because otherwise the managerial challenges are not equal) Because after thousands of years of history man has had plenty of time to achieve it. If authoritarianism is not inevitable as you suggest then we should have multiple examples of this utopia by now. It's one thing to "believe" something and entirely another to "prove" it. Hypotheticals are for burning straw men.
As someone else has pointed out, what a lot of us are celebrating are ideals that were set in place a couple of centuries ago and not the twisted deeds that the government has committed since then. As the founders writings indicate, even they who were trying to start a non-authoritarian government were not naive enough to think that it would survive for long.
Additionally, you will need to lose your arrogance and learn some humility before you approach anything resembling moral superiority.
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Where does your "moral superiority" come from that allows you to preach "lose your arrogance and learn some humility..."? Do you see you are the one being arrogant when you make "your" moral judgement of Larken.
"a lot of us are celebrating ...ideals..."? Really? Which ones? Not the ones Larken is upholding.
When you salute/wave the flag you are supporting the reality we live in today, which is a growing authoritarianism, a threat to all our lives. You demand an example of a "utopian country"? Why? Larken can't criticize without it? Why? And no hypotheticals either?
But you are allowed to declare that authoritarianism is inevitable? Where is your proof? Or is that a hypothetical?
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You're entitled to your opinions but not your won facts. It just seems to me the word moral is deeply rooted in religion and religion is just fine with violence towards it's fellow man.
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"...moral is deeply rooted in religion..."
For most, not me. It never was, and never will be. My morality developed slowly over decades using reason for my ethical system, not superstition, not conformity to society. I decide what is best for me, not others. That's a fact - jack!
If it's your opinion that I don't have that right, I must conform, and you will make me, support a coercive system that dictates to me, then you are NOT entitled to your opinion, i.e., I will never grant you moral authority over me.
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"Any country that has the amount of talent, resources and power that the U.S. has accumulated would commit no less the atrocities than the U.S. has in it's history."
Is that an excuse for past and current transgressions? Corporatism and fascism and elitism are "okay" because why? I believe I missed that in your reply.
You don't give a damn because it isn't your nation being bombed or your loved ones being murdered.
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The reason you missed that "Corporatism and fascism and elitism are "okay" in my reply is because that is not what I was saying at all. It is the ideals that were set forth at the birth of the US that I celebrate, not the actions of organizations that clearly place no value on said ideals, but hide behind them to further there own twisted agenda. I was merely pointing out that when given a choice between enjoying a celebration of ideals with my family, or strutting around like an indignant peacock blathering about moral superiority when it isn't going to change anything, I'll choose the former. Just because my government doesn't hold true to those values doesn't mean I can't try to live them in my daily life. America is a melting pot of people and ideas, so to assume you know why someone is celebrating the flag without first asking them is a bit ignorant and presumptuous.
Also, if you do not want me to tell you what you give a damn about, then do not presume to tell me what I give a damn about. You guys say you are so anti-authoritarian, but your true colors show when someone doesn't agree with you. You are very authoritarian in the world of philosophical ideas. I believe there is a word for that.
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Right, just ignore all the bad things the government is doing. That makes everything OK.
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Ignore??? How am I ignoring them when I just pointed them out in my previous comment? Talking to you is like talking to a wall....unproductive. Now if you'll excuse me I've got some meat to go burn before the fireworks start.
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I'm an Okie but I still like TEXAS so I voted you up. I love trolling anarchist. I can't seem to reason with these folks. In Merica, WE THE PEOPLE still have guns which is more than can be said for these alleged anarchist retreats. It's still pretty native here in the Indian Nations and Indians are not lovers of the government.....unless their on food stamps and then they only love the government on the first of the month.
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Most American gun owners are proud to be "law-abiding taxpayers," meaning they gladly and proudly obey and pay tribute to the ruling class. Which makes their guns worthless, as far as a check against tyranny. (I'm not sure what anarchists you know, but about 96% of the ones I know are armed.)
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I'm glad to know that. No need to be an unarmed victim. There is no doubt most Merican gun owners are obedient slaves. But the masses no longer trust the government and the more "WOKE" they get the less government they want. This is the age of American awakening and that's problematic for the G-man, because the slaves aren't in chains and they failed to take the guns. Freedom is a process. Index it like Bitcoin or a stock because it's certainly not static. Be well.
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