I was talking to one of my friends and he mentioned staying home on July 4, citing how there are a lot of really ugly things going on in the US.

After thinking about this myself, I’m starting to feel the same way. Instead of being proud of the country, I’m feeling like I’m just another wallet that companies and the government are trying to suck all the money out of.

The cost of living is going up, the housing market is a nightmare, I don’t feel very confident in our government at all, the job market is a nightmare…

I think I’ll be staying home this year too… anyone else?

  • NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ@lemmy.world
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    23 minutes ago

    As an immigrant to the US, I’ve always found the blind patriotism commonplace here to be very strange. It feels even more alienating now than ever before.

  • squaresinger@lemmy.world
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    23 seconds ago

    After thinking about this myself, I’m starting to feel the same way. Instead of being proud of the country, I’m feeling like I’m just another wallet that companies and the government are trying to suck all the money out of.

    Always have been, always will be.

    The cost of living is going up, the housing market is a nightmare

    Don’t worry, once they deported or killed all the Jews illegals the prices will surely come down.

  • Allero@lemmy.today
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    8 minutes ago

    State-level patriotism is always bullshit to begin with.

    That’s how you’re tricked into loyalty based on the most arbitrary reasons.

    Be the messenger of humanity and get curious about the Universe. People are brothers, and there’s no pride in being born in one plot of land over the other.

    • ivanafterall ☑️@lemmy.world
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      16 minutes ago

      I’m a-shamed to be an A-merican, Where at least now I can’t see. And I won’t forget the libs who cried, who gave that right to me.

  • linrilang@lemmy.world
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    55 minutes ago

    Yeah… feels like the meaning behind the holiday has been completely lost. It’s hard to celebrate when so many people are struggling with basic things like housing and healthcare.

  • cley_faye@lemmy.world
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    1 hour ago

    I find it reassuring that some people are not proud of grabbing random people off the street to send them to their death with a smile.

  • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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    3 hours ago

    Flags have become a warning over the last decade or so about the person waving it. It no longer has the hope of a better America, solidarity, or welcome; it’s a symbol of a myopic, selfish, aggro, uneducated person full of performative nationalism and real hatreds.

    Our independence was supposed to free the people of kings and tyrants. It’s been 249 years since 1776, we have undone what the Constitution authors fought for.

  • PastafARRian@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 hours ago

    I still have hope, until I am forced to emigrate I won’t be giving up on us. This country at one point saved my ancestors from doom, I believe it can again. It’s actually the “America sucks” crowd we need the most. In the words of AOC: resist, make them make us.

  • Jessica@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    3 hours ago

    I’ll be staying home this year. There is nothing to celebrate. At this point I’d rather watch it all burn down.

    • Saleh@feddit.org
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      3 hours ago

      Not necessarily. Problem is when patriotism is not defined positively through your countries achievments and striving for self improvement, but through negativity to other people.

      The US patriotism evidently revolves around the latter, so does most patriotism i have witnessed in European countries. I cant speak for so many other countries as i havent visited them enough.

      • CXORA@aussie.zone
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        54 minutes ago

        So do any countries exhibit what you call positive patriotism, or is this purely a theoretical objection?

        • Saleh@feddit.org
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          44 minutes ago

          Countries as a whole? That is difficult to say. Typically you won’t here much from such countries, as they don’t enforce themselves on others.

  • EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com
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    5 hours ago

    What, exactly, should I be proud of?

    A nation that is moving backwards on human rights, increasing wealth inequality, and got really “mask off” about supporting genocide. A nation that is inherently dysfunctional and wreathed in corruption.

  • LousyCornMuffins@lemmy.world
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    3 hours ago

    I’m kinda the opposite, but I have the same reasons. I love where I live, I just wish they’d do better and I do what I can to help. I don’t need to wave a flag, people can see where I stand by what I do. If that’s not patriotism I don’t know what is.

  • AceFuzzLord@lemmy.zip
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    5 hours ago

    I haven’t been necessarily patriotic for a long time because why pledge allegiance to a single nation? The only reason I really care about July 4 is the fireworks. It’s more tradition than anything that I see them.

    Anyways, both of his terms make me feel vindicated in not being patriotic in a country.