I agree with everything you said.

Do you take the same approach to police officers?

Absolutely.

I have friends who are police officers. I don’t think people are saying all cops are bad either (maybe some people but they’re most likely loopy). There are clearly great cops and there are clearly cops on an extreme power trip.

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I completely agree with your last line. This is a problem that has been exacerbated by the dependence on a 2 person income to remain in middle class. 

That said, my experience as a teacher opened my eyes to the ways children are indoctrinated. The biggest factor is that progressive teachers have more freedom to speak their point of view, so they are more emboldened in their willingness to engage students without fear of retaliation. Anecdotally speaking, it seemed like most conservative teachers I met were Christians, too, so a lot of their views are shaped from religion, which can't be taught publically. So you have progressive left teachers with freedom to speak their worldview and Christian conservatives who can't share theirs. There is a third set of teachers who are liberal, but that's a shrinking group.

As a tangent, I wish I had known how freaky teachers were when I was growing up.

My first year teaching, we played “never have I ever” and the phrase “never have I ever had a three-some”.

I look over at my principal and she puts her finger down! I was like “ooook. Here we go!” The end of the year party that year was AMAZING.

We then discussed ways we could further indoctrinate children the next school year.   As teachers, we party first and then conjure up plans to conquer the world with our massive salaries.

It's done totally differently down here in Mexico. As teachers we never party until we have successfully brainwashed the kids into believing they need to illegally cross the border, milk the system as much as possible, and have a bunch of anchor babies who can turn into socialist operatives to help us take down the imperialist gringo pendejos north of the border.

After that, we crack open the tequila for sure.

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So, more Republicans than Democrats say they are "extremely proud" to be an American.  But that begs the question- how many of those Republicans would say they are STUPENDOUSLY proud to be an American?  Huh?  What about that?  How about incredibly, stupendously, extremely proud?  

Seriously, though, what the heck does that even mean- "extremely proud"???  If someone asked me if I was extremely proud to be an American, I would ask them what they meant by that.   What does an "extremely proud" American do- how do they behave- that is different from what a "pretty proud" or "kind of proud" American does?

I would genuinely like for someone to attempt some sort of answer to my question: what is the difference between someone who is "extremely proud" to be an American and someone who is "moderately proud" to be an American?  What is the difference in thought or behavior?  Why is it significant to you guys that more Republicans than Democrats are "extremely proud" to be an American?  What does it mean?

 Proud: a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.

Thankful: conscious of benefit received.

If I go by the definition of 'proud' I'd say I'm not proud to be an American per se. I am proud to have served in the Army for my country though, and any other positive contribution I've made to my community through volunteer work and donating to charities.

I am thankful to be an American. I have benefited from being born and raised here. People literally die for the chance to live here.

My personality probably has something to do with the pride thing too. And age. I'm finding that as I get older the things I used to get fired up about I am now more low key. 

As for everyone else, I don't care about their level of pride as an American, I care about how thankful they are. Again, a personality thing. 

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I would genuinely like for someone to attempt some sort of answer to my question: what is the difference between someone who is "extremely proud" to be an American and someone who is "moderately proud" to be an American?  What is the difference in thought or behavior?  Why is it significant to you guys that more Republicans than Democrats are "extremely proud" to be an American?  What does it mean?

 Proud: a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.

Thankful: conscious of benefit received.

If I go by the definition of 'proud' I'd say I'm not proud to be an American per se. I am proud to have served in the Army for my country though, and any other positive contribution I've made to my community through volunteer work and donating to charities.

I am thankful to be an American. I have benefited from being born and raised here. People literally die for the chance to live here.

My personality probably has something to do with the pride thing too. And age. I'm finding that as I get older the things I used to get fired up about I am now more low key. 

As for everyone else, I don't care about their level of pride as an American, I care about how thankful they are. Again, a personality thing. 

I couldn't agree more.  I'm very thankful to live where I live, when I live, and have the friends and society I have.  I'm grateful to anyone who put their life on the line to make that possible.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

I ask the question again. If you believe that poll has any meaning, then you believe people can measure their own patriotism.

So how does one measure patriotism?

I 'm starting to suspect that you guys don't have any clue. You just want to brag that you are "more patriotic" than someone else. But you don't even know what that means.

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I ask the question again.  If you believe that poll has any meaning, then you believe people can measure their own patriotism.  

So how does one measure patriotism?  

I 'm starting to suspect that you guys don't have any clue.  You just want to brag that you are "more patriotic" than someone else.  But you don't even know what that means.

The poll has no meaning, except to report how people feel about themselves. Democrats say that they don't "feel" as much of something as Republicans do. Makes sense since they are the Party of Feelings First, but I give no credence to feelings anyway, so derp poll is derpy.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

 Proud: a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.

Thankful: conscious of benefit received.

If I go by the definition of 'proud' I'd say I'm not proud to be an American per se. I am proud to have served in the Army for my country though, and any other positive contribution I've made to my community through volunteer work and donating to charities.

I am thankful to be an American. I have benefited from being born and raised here. People literally die for the chance to live here.

My personality probably has something to do with the pride thing too. And age. I'm finding that as I get older the things I used to get fired up about I am now more low key. 

As for everyone else, I don't care about their level of pride as an American, I care about how thankful they are. Again, a personality thing. 

I couldn't agree more.  I'm very thankful to live where I live, when I live, and have the friends and society I have.  I'm grateful to anyone who put their life on the line to make that possible.

+1

I'm shocked that there are so many people who would defend those trying to destroy the USA.

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"Why should I give information to you when all you want to do is find something wrong with it?"

I ask the question again.  If you believe that poll has any meaning, then you believe people can measure their own patriotism.  

So how does one measure patriotism?  

I 'm starting to suspect that you guys don't have any clue.  You just want to brag that you are "more patriotic" than someone else.  But you don't even know what that means.

Polls are like statistics. Anyone can get the answers they want by asking pointed questions of specific people. I don't trust either of them. 

As for patriotism, it's a personal thing that can't be broadly measured. I don't feel anymore patriotic for having served my country than anyone who hasn't. I'm not more patriotic for flying a flag on my porch than those who don't.

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