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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Keith Feral who wrote (149464)	10/27/2004 8:21:31 PM
From: Michael Watkins	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

The rankings were done by the US Department of State, not Finland. People often confuse patriotism with boosterism. Some feel looking critically at the government is unpatriotic - I take exactly the opposite stand, citizen involvement can only bring about better government. I am proud of significant accomplishment and shamed by failures. Every country has its good and bad. My point is there is a natural tendency to believe that "only in America" is there real freedom, real democracy, real purpose and real ethics - but clearly this is not true. In these discussions many are taking stands contrary to the government - do not consider these people unpatriotic or lesser citizens - if it were not for critical thinking and questioning, the country would not be where it is today. I try, but fail from time to time, to discuss and argue ideas without denigrating the person. Bashing ideas is fair game, but not people.