| Apr 12, 2006 @ 10:50 PM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,955
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Few things anger me more than people who say "America-love it or leave it". Why does this anger me? I posted this in a thread entitled "think about this", that was actually about illegal immigration, but that segment of the post made me so angry that I felt I needed to go off on a tangent. Here's my argument:
If I don't like something, I aim to change it. It's my country, too, and it's my right to attempt to bring about change in my country if I do not like the direction it's going in. And I do not. Let's get real....the next fifty to seventy years are my future. I want my future in my country to be better than it is today. Also, I want to be President of this country, I'm not going to up and leave because "oh I don't like it". What the hell would that say about my character? If I don't like the way the country is, I will protest, I will complain, I will scream, along with a great deal of my generation, until the status quo is changed.
And if you don't like it, do it your way.
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| Apr 12, 2006 @ 10:52 PM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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RareQuestor
Posts: 2,652
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Will we all have to buy lip gloss if you do get elected? 
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| Apr 12, 2006 @ 10:57 PM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,955
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1. ew. just....ew.
2. am i not worth an intelligent, well-thought out response? if you did not think so, then you should not have said anything at all. i've seen you say some very intelligent things. i am worth as much as anyone else on this forum. i ask you to treat me with that respect, no matter what my gender, my age, my username, or my opinion.
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| Apr 12, 2006 @ 11:05 PM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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grumblebear
Posts: 10,559
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L.G.Q.
yes the right to protest laws, is a right of citizens, becoming part of the system, to effect change from within is why many choose political service. Instead of blanket complaints people should vote.... and be involved... unfortunately many people don't believe that it matters...
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| Apr 12, 2006 @ 11:31 PM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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RareQuestor
Posts: 2,652
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1. ew. just....ew.
2. am i not worth an intelligent, well-thought out response? if you did not think so, then you should not have said anything at all. i've seen you say some very intelligent things. i am worth as much as anyone else on this forum. i ask you to treat me with that respect, no matter what my gender, my age, my username, or my opinion.
If so, then you will also know that I have made some very sarcastic and caustic comments. You better believe that you will know it when I bite you.
As it happens, I am only too familiar with this attitude that you have described. It is, after all, the unofficial motto of the state of Illinois: "Love it or leave it." I concur that if you truly love something, you will strive to change and improve it rather than abandoning it. I despaired when Bush was re-elected, but I did not consider moving to another country as so many people suggested shortly after the 2004 election.
Moreover, while I shared your aggravation with this attitude, I did not think that you were serious when you mentioned your desire to be President. The very fact that you are bipolar (as you acknowledged elsewhere in this forum) automatically disqualifies you. You could be an effective advocate for the cause of your choice, but I do not believe that you would be a successful politician. (Neither would I, for that matter. I would not accept the presidency for all of the money in America.) I do respect your intelligence and hope that you will continue to participate in these forums.
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| Apr 12, 2006 @ 11:34 PM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,955
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How does that disqualify me? Politics is my passion, it's practically my life. If I can't do that, there's nothing out there for me.
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 12:02 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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RareQuestor
Posts: 2,652
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How does that disqualify me? Politics is my passion, it's practically my life. If I can't do that, there's nothing out there for me.
Did you follow the last few presidential election campaigns? Remember how the Republicans tried to smear Kerry's Vietnam War record? Or all of the fuss about Bush's own National Guard service during the 2000 election? Or how Bush, Sr. used the Wille Horton case to destroy Michael Dukakis? Does the name "Gennifer Flowers" ring a bell? Elections at every level in this country have grown increasingly nasty and I see no evidence that this trend will be reversed.
As much as I hate to say so, I guarantee that if you ever run for the presidency, your opponents will seize your bipolar diagnosis to portray you as mentally unstable or just plain crazy. The fear of mental illness is still one of the few prejudices that almost every American shares and you would find it very difficult to defeat this charge. It does not matter whether the charge is true or not; it only matters that people think it is.
Politics may be your passion, but I am certain that there are plenty of other careers in which you could be successful. Don't sell yourself short.
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 1:20 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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JesterDrawers
Posts: 11,116
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America - Love it or leave it.....to me, that doesn't imply "love it just the way it is, don't mess with anything, if you don't like it this way then get the heck out"....far from it.
If you love something, but that something could be better, you work to improve it. I don't have any problem with that, although I have a feeling that the direction of the changes you would make would vary greatly from those I would make. But, you say it is your "right" to effect whatever change you may see fit. I'll go you one better. I would suggest that as an American citizen, it's not only your right - but your duty!
Now, to those people that simply like to sit and whine and complain about how much they HATE the way things are going on - but don't offer any viable solutions...they simply want to go on whining and complaining because they can't seem to think any further past that point - to them I'd like to tell them collectively to SHUT UP! Engaging in a nonstop pity party, believing that America somehow "deserved" some of the misfortunes that have occurred in recent years, that sort of thing - I have very little tolerance for that.
Bring me some suggestions on how to do things differently - not a wish list, but some things that have been carefully thought through - and whether I agree with them or not, I'll listen patiently, try to find the merit in them and give them honest consideration. But bringing honest proposals for change IS loving America, it's part of BEING an American. And it's a process that should never end.
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 2:11 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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HarleysB_WV
Posts: 860
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Pretty sure I'm gonna regret this...but here goes.....(sigh),
"I'm not going to up and leave because "oh I don't like it". What the hell would that say about my character? "
I can't help but think what it says about the character of the illegal immigrants who flock to the USA because they don't like the way things are in THEIR home countries. But instead of staying THERE and fighting for their rights, they come HERE and do it and want to change everything about THIS country to suit them. Why did they come here in the first place if it needed so much changing? Isn't that showing pretty poor character on their part?? Mind you. I am not a prejudiced person, but I do call it the way I see it.
Ok.......Letter rip tater chip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 2:13 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,955
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Point taken, but this debate had nothing to do with illegal immigrants.
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 2:19 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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HarleysB_WV
Posts: 860
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I suppose it's all in how you interpret the phrase "America. Love it or leave it". A lot of people I know interpret that as a message to most foreigners. That would include immigrants..illegal or not. Sorry. (gonna step away now cause I don't normally get into these kind of threads.. just wanted to say what I said earlier).
But...on another quick note..LGQ.. If you want to be president one day, don't let anyone tell you that you can't. No one knows what kind of treatments there will be by the time you are old enough to run. And no one can possibly know what the worlds opinion of mental health problems will be at that time either. You're an intelligent and articulate young lady. Stay true to you and don't let anyone hold you down!!
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 2:25 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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chinabull2000
Posts: 7,012
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Off on a tangent here... my mother had serious hormonal deficienies when she was younger, back in the days when HRT was in it's developmental stages. She was subsequently diagnosed as "crazy". My dad campaigned against the medical profession, refusing to accept that his wife was crazy, per se, and insisted that she be put experimental HRT. Two years later she was living a normal life, she was completely stable, and now, almost 40 years later, she is still leading a normal life and no-ones would ever know that she was once diagnosed as crazy. LipGloss, never let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do with your life. Not only do you set your own limits, but as Harley said, medical knowledge is expanding every day. Good luck to you!
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 6:17 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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ServantOfChrist2
Posts: 7,438
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Politics may be your passion, but I am certain that there are plenty of other careers in which you could be successful. Don't sell yourself short.
Questor, I found this note by you to be very kind + diplomatic.
I hope LGQ found comfort in your words. 
God bless you.
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 10:32 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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tezra
Posts: 195
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"Will we all have to buy lip gloss if you do get elected?
1. ew. just....ew.
2. am i not worth an intelligent, well-thought out response? if you did not think so, then you should not have said anything at all."
IF you actually aspire to the presidency, you really will need a better sense of humor and a tougher skin. And reading through your post, some of it did sound sarcastic, and as though you were joking. Remember the lack of tone and inflection here.
"The very fact that you are bipolar (as you acknowledged elsewhere in this forum) automatically disqualifies you."
Despite medical advances, anyone that was in any way mentally unstable, even slightly (a LOT of bipolars kid themselves into thinking they don't need their meds) would never be elected. I certainly wouldn't vote for them. Have enough problems with them just plain being human. My personal experience with bipolars is that they shouldn't even be trusted to babysit goldfish.
"Politics is my passion, it's practically my life. If I can't do that, there's nothing out there for me."
A perfect example of drama and over reaction that we don't need in the White House.
I would also like to echo the post made by HarleysB_WV. Sick of how Americans are supposed to bend over backward for all the immigrants who didn't like their own country, so they came here and decided to change us! When you hear this love it or leave it remark, most of the time it IS directed toward them.
"Point taken, but this debate had nothing to do with illegal immigrants."
Good luck trying to control any thread.
Oh, and no matter who is elected, I will never wear lip gloss LOL That slimy nasty stuff just chaps your lips and usually makes women look cheap. (Don't pitch a fit, I said MOST. Don't even know you so I have no clue what you look like.)
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 10:58 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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cyclerider
Posts: 23
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We are lucky that we live in a country where we can love it or leave it or hate it and try to change it. I feel sorry for those people who live in countries like North Korea, Cuba and some of the Islamic countries. If your not happy there you had better just keep your mouth shut or get killed or put in prison. Here we can still protest things that we don't like. But it does seem even here that our freedoms and rights are being taken from us. We no longer have the freedom of worship that we used too. I can no longer put up a building on my own land unless I get a dozen building permits from the city, county, and state and it has to be built according to what they think is right. But a least for now I can try to change things that I don't like.
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 11:04 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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jim9562
Posts: 620
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americans are arrogant,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ask the rest of the world,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it's why they don't like us,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it's like me saying "hi i'm jamie ,,love me or leave me,,,what an a-hole attitude,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,or this one is always good "america,,the greatest country in the world,",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, kinda like "jamie,,the greatest person in the world" arrogant?
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 11:12 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,955
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I think that to say on the whole Americans are arrogant is wrong. I think there is an arrogant sentiment among some Americans, yes, but I think that there is an arrogant sentiment among people in any country. That doesn't bother me, though, because I do not live in those countries and I do not have to deal with those sentiments. If I complain about Saudi Arabia, a Saudi Arabian can tell me "oh well, it's not your country...ignore it".
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 11:12 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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tezra
Posts: 195
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"americans are arrogant,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ask the rest of the world,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it's why they don't like us"
I have found that remark usually stems from jealousy. If they don't like us so much, why do they want to be us? They hate us so much they are trying to immigrate here in droves. Seems as soon as any country loosens their hold, we get the mega boatloads from that country here. My memory goes back to the "boat people" if you remember them, and have seen it happen over and over, last time it was Russians. Now they come here and physically bully Americans. Nope, neither my daughter or jump out of their way. We have learned to push back. Just very annoying having to.
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 11:23 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it"
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BaseBallm0m
Posts: 39
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americans are arrogant,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ask the rest of the world,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it's why they don't like us,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, If we are so arrogant and awful ppl. WHY THE HELL do we have so many ppl coming here?! If they want somethin different than where they are. Go somewhere besides here with all us arrogant assholes. I would hafta agree that others saying americans are arrogant and everythin else they say does stem from jealousy. Why would they come here of they truely believed that? Its one thing to want what we have but to want it and talk s*** about us? Thats jealousy
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| Apr 13, 2006 @ 11:24 AM |
America- "Love it or Leave it" |
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jim9562
Posts: 620
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i never said arrogant was awful,,,,,,,,,just arrogant
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