USA - Good - Bad and or the Ugly

[Cliffy]

Hawkeye from Last of the Mohegans: "The Yankeez...."

 

[Risus]

There is your problem right there, Risus. The term can be derogatory. Do you think it is right and proper to refer to Americans with a term that can sometimes be considered derogatory?

Yes.

 

[JLM]

Yes.

And people accused you of being difficult, S.J.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[In Between Man]

and the people who wrote that ringing document that includes "We hold these truths to be self-evident..."

Way back when I was making an argument about absolute morals, I used that document as an example of how the forefathers were appealing their case to a higher power. The absolute moral law and the absolute moral law giver.

To which your reply was "that argument is taken from a position of authority and is therefore invalid"... whatever that means.

So which is it? An invalid argument or a ringing document that holds truths?

 

[Dexter Sinister]

That's not precisely what I said, and your question is a false dichotomy.

 

[Cliffy]

Way back when I was making an argument about absolute morals, I used that document as an example of how the forefathers were appealing their case to a higher power. The absolute moral law and the absolute moral law giver.

To which your reply was "that argument is taken from a position of authority and is therefore invalid"... whatever that means.

So which is it? An invalid argument or a ringing document that holds truths?

You can have truth without invoking a belief in a god. It has been shown before that the authors were anti religious for the most part, so no, they were not invoking a higher power than man.

 

[AnnaG]

Having a bad day?

I don't know. Are you?

 

[AnnaG]

I think anyone that takes offense at being called "Yankee", "Canuck", "Limey", etc. needs to get a life and grow a skin.

 

[Cliffy]

I think anyone that takes offense at being called "Yankee", "Canuck", "Limey", etc. needs to get a life and grow a skin.

I know this guy that bought a place in town. He lives in Alberta most of the time but spend quite a bit of time here. I once called Albertans "Alberians" and he hasn't talked to me since. Talk about thin skin!:roll::smile:

 

[JLM]

I think anyone that takes offense at being called "Yankee", "Canuck", "Limey", etc. needs to get a life and grow a skin.

That's the way I see it for any ethnic "nickname", but I'm not sure how long you'd survive if you started hollering out "bullhunk", "kike" and "towelhead" in crowded public places. I think for the sake of longevity some discretion must be used.

 

[JLM]

JLM

I would think that the term Yankee at that time in history as the term like others has changed - would mean the original 13 (colonies) soon to be States - and I would refer to the song Yankee Doodle Dandy - could have been originally a British song that was derogatory to American soldiers - taken by the colonists and changed -

You could well be right.

 

[YukonJack]

Unfortunately, for most Canadians and obviously for most of the sanctimonious pseudo-partriot posters, here, America is just "bad and ugly".

 

[Cannuck]

Now you are really confusing me- you are suggesting using a "slang" term to replace what the whole world considers to be a proper term? I know "Yankee" used as slang means any American, but I'm pretty sure the original use meant people from New England.

Gay used to mean happy. Try telling everybody you're gay the next time you're happy.

 

[Cannuck]

It has been shown before that the authors were anti religious for the most part...

That statement is only partly true. It should read it has been falsely shown before that the authors were anti religious for the most part...

 

[Risus]

Gay used to mean happy. Try telling everybody you're gay the next time you're happy.

They destroyed a good word didn't they.

 

[JLM]

They destroyed a good word didn't they.

I'm not sure, far as I know this is still a free country and you can use it whichever way you choose.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

They destroyed a good word didn't they.

They didn’t destroy it, it evolved in meaning. That is how language changes, words evolve into different meaning, different connotation. There are many words that have a totally different meaning compared to say, 100 years ago. The words ‘stink’ and ‘discrimination’ used to have good meaning (if you said to somebody ‘you stink’, or ‘you have acted with discrimination’, that used to be a compliment, these days it is exactly the opposite).

The word ‘gay’ has evolved, nothing more.

 

[AnnaG]

That's the way I see it for any ethnic "nickname", but I'm not sure how long you'd survive if you started hollering out "bullhunk", "kike" and "towelhead" in crowded public places. I think for the sake of longevity some discretion must be used.

Of course one has to use discretion. I don't shout out ANYTHING in public places. "Canuck", "Yankee", "Mick", and "Limey" aren't ethnic nicknames, BTW. They are nicknames for nationality.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

You can have truth without invoking a belief in a god. It has been shown before that the authors were anti religious for the most part, so no, they were not invoking a higher power than man.

Quite so, Cliffy. Some founding fathers were religious, some were Atheists. Some others were simply Theists without being Christian.

So to me it is quite clear that the phrase ‘we regard these truths as self evident’ (nor the truths that are listed) did not originate from any religion. If it had, the Atheists among them would have objected to it.

 

[AnnaG]

Gay used to mean happy. Try telling everybody you're gay the next time you're happy.

I may have compunctions against it if I were a guy. It would depend upon the circumstances I was in. I see nothing wrong with using it as I am, though. lol