Would you die for your country?

[Kadarin]

If it came down to the very survival of the principles on which this country was founded, yes. If it's because Dubya wants to invade Iraq, no.

 

[AbAbber2k]

Originally posted by: OOBradm
In response to the Marine recruiter thread, im curious to see how many people have the attitude that their country is greater than their own life.

I for one would not die for my country. I believe my life is more important than my country, to me.

I wanted to, but I have a history of asthma and they wouldn't take me. Nothing like seeing a bunch of skinny bitches that can't do one pull-up get in while I'm pushin close to 300 on the PFT. If they asked me now I probably wouldn't, at least not until after I graduate. Only one semester left! :thumbsup::beer:

 

[lyssword]

Originally posted by: AbAbber2k

Originally posted by: OOBradm
In response to the Marine recruiter thread, im curious to see how many people have the attitude that their country is greater than their own life.

I for one would not die for my country. I believe my life is more important than my country, to me.

I wanted to, but I have a history of asthma and they wouldn't take me. Nothing like seeing a bunch of skinny bitches that can't do one pull-up get in while I'm pushin close to 300 on the PFT. If they asked me now I probably wouldn't, at least not until after I graduate. Only one semester left! :thumbsup::beer:

whats a PFT?

 

[jpeyton]

It's a very thin line we're talking about. Are we talking about "the greatest generation" WWII, or "loot and plunder" Operation Iraqi Freedom?

I would definitely fight for our country if we're talking about a real threat to our freedom.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
If it came down to the very survival of the principles on which this country was founded, yes. If it's because Dubya wants to invade Iraq, no.

QFT

 

[AbAbber2k]

Originally posted by: lyssword

Originally posted by: AbAbber2k

Originally posted by: OOBradm
In response to the Marine recruiter thread, im curious to see how many people have the attitude that their country is greater than their own life.

I for one would not die for my country. I believe my life is more important than my country, to me.

I wanted to, but I have a history of asthma and they wouldn't take me. Nothing like seeing a bunch of skinny bitches that can't do one pull-up get in while I'm pushin close to 300 on the PFT. If they asked me now I probably wouldn't, at least not until after I graduate. Only one semester left! :thumbsup::beer:

whats a PFT?

Sarcasm? Well if not...

The fitness screening test or whatever that the recruiters do, maybe I got the acronym wrong. It's a timed 3 mile run, pull-up and sit up test. Each part is worth 100 points for a total of 300. Pull-ups are 5 each, 20 for 100. Situps are 1 each for 100 total. I forget what time you need on the 3mile run for 100 points though.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: OOBradm
Think about it this way ----

say you were born in a different country, and that country was on the opposing side of a war than the country you live in now....
If you say you would die for your country, its a little bit baseless because all that matters is where you were born.

Now, if you say you would die for your country because you believe in what your country stands for, then imo thats something different --
thats fighting for your beliefs, and I would die for what I believe in. But, If I do not agree with the what my country is fighting for, then why die
for it, just because you were born there?

Do you value all the opportunities, freedoms, and privileges your country grants you?

If so, and you wouldn't die for your country, you're simply a free-loader. I'm not saying you should go and enlist as a result of this, but if there was a draft, I don't see how you could justify dodging.

Those 2 things don't go hand in hand as easily as you'd make them out to.

Nope, it;s cut & dried as i see it.

the poll result is pathetic.

i'd imagine it's mainly spotty little nerds who care about nothing except their computer & wang.

That is unfortunate. It's unhealthy to generalize so much. I can see why so many do it so often though, it is the easy route.

 

[IGBT]

..yes. and did so in a previous life.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777
Nope, it;s cut & dried as i see it.

the poll result is pathetic.

i'd imagine it's mainly spotty little nerds who care about nothing except their computer & wang.

He obviously sees it differently.

i can't see how you can justify saying you would not be willing to die defending your homeland and way of life. It's that simple.

Depending on what country you live in and who's invading, maybe he's willing to let a few laws change in order to still be alive.

Just for an example, how different do you think the life of the average Indian was before and during British rule? Sure it wasn't exactly the same, but did it get bad enough that they thought they'd be better off having died? Apparently not.

It's not as if your country being invaded automatically means you family will be turned into sex slaves or something.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777
Nope, it;s cut & dried as i see it.

the poll result is pathetic.

i'd imagine it's mainly spotty little nerds who care about nothing except their computer & wang.

He obviously sees it differently.

i can't see how you can justify saying you would not be willing to die defending your homeland and way of life. It's that simple.

Depending on what country you live in and who's invading, maybe he's willing to let a few laws change in order to still be alive.

Just for an example, how different do you think the life of the average Indian was before and during British rule? Sure it wasn't exactly the same, but did it get bad enough that they thought they'd be better off having died? Apparently not.

It's not as if your country being invaded automatically means you family will be turned into sex slaves or something.

It's that kind of spirit that Ameriac was founded on isn't it? :roll: I thought you guys had a sense of patriotism & valued your way of life?

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: dug777
It's that kind of spirit that Ameriac was founded on isn't it? :roll: I thought you guys had a sense of patriotism & valued your way of life?

Surprise, but in a country of 300 million people, there exists more than one viewpoint. Some people don't like it here and move to Canada or England or wherever else. Some people don't like it here but stay, but would rather leave than die for this place. Some people love it here and would die for anything thier president tells them to. Some people love it here but would only die for causes they think are just, regardless of what the government thinks.

If you're going to start saying "all Americans are like this", I could just as easily start saying "Australia is a country full of criminals", but you know that one's not true, either.

Even if you don't agree with it, I don't see how it's so hard to accept that possibly someone else might think that "being alive is better than being dead" regardless of the circumstances.

 

[DainBramaged]

Not personally. I'd help a few other people do it though.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777
Nope, it;s cut & dried as i see it.

the poll result is pathetic.

i'd imagine it's mainly spotty little nerds who care about nothing except their computer & wang.

He obviously sees it differently.

i can't see how you can justify saying you would not be willing to die defending your homeland and way of life. It's that simple.

Depending on what country you live in and who's invading, maybe he's willing to let a few laws change in order to still be alive.

Just for an example, how different do you think the life of the average Indian was before and during British rule? Sure it wasn't exactly the same, but did it get bad enough that they thought they'd be better off having died? Apparently not.

It's not as if your country being invaded automatically means you family will be turned into sex slaves or something.

It's that kind of spirit that Ameriac was founded on isn't it? :roll: I thought you guys had a sense of patriotism & valued your way of life?

Who are you to tell us what our country was founded on? Patriotism != my willingness to die b/c 1 man told me to. I am damn proud to be an American and I would die for this country in a heatbeat if it specifically, or anyone who resides in it is in danager. My last sentence does not equate to war either.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777
Nope, it;s cut & dried as i see it.

the poll result is pathetic.

i'd imagine it's mainly spotty little nerds who care about nothing except their computer & wang.

He obviously sees it differently.

i can't see how you can justify saying you would not be willing to die defending your homeland and way of life. It's that simple.

Depending on what country you live in and who's invading, maybe he's willing to let a few laws change in order to still be alive.

Just for an example, how different do you think the life of the average Indian was before and during British rule? Sure it wasn't exactly the same, but did it get bad enough that they thought they'd be better off having died? Apparently not.

It's not as if your country being invaded automatically means you family will be turned into sex slaves or something.

It's that kind of spirit that Ameriac was founded on isn't it? :roll: I thought you guys had a sense of patriotism & valued your way of life?

Who are you to tell us what our country was founded on? Patriotism != my willingness to die b/c 1 man told me to. I am damn proud to be an American and I would die for this country in a heatbeat if it specifically, or anyone who resides in it is in danager. My last sentence does not equate to war either.

i wasn't talking in to you and i agree 100% with you

 

[ironcrotch]

I don't think I'm brave enough to join the military and actively fight, who knows. But if the time came and it came down to it, I would fight til the very end.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777
Nope, it;s cut & dried as i see it.

the poll result is pathetic.

i'd imagine it's mainly spotty little nerds who care about nothing except their computer & wang.

He obviously sees it differently.

i can't see how you can justify saying you would not be willing to die defending your homeland and way of life. It's that simple.

Depending on what country you live in and who's invading, maybe he's willing to let a few laws change in order to still be alive.

Just for an example, how different do you think the life of the average Indian was before and during British rule? Sure it wasn't exactly the same, but did it get bad enough that they thought they'd be better off having died? Apparently not.

It's not as if your country being invaded automatically means you family will be turned into sex slaves or something.

It's that kind of spirit that Ameriac was founded on isn't it? :roll: I thought you guys had a sense of patriotism & valued your way of life?

Who are you to tell us what our country was founded on? Patriotism != my willingness to die b/c 1 man told me to. I am damn proud to be an American and I would die for this country in a heatbeat if it specifically, or anyone who resides in it is in danager. My last sentence does not equate to war either.

i wasn't talking in to you and i agree 100% with you

I am confused

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: dug777
It's that kind of spirit that Ameriac was founded on isn't it? :roll: I thought you guys had a sense of patriotism & valued your way of life?

Surprise, but in a country of 300 million people, there exists more than one viewpoint. Some people don't like it here and move to Canada or England or wherever else. Some people don't like it here but stay, but would rather leave than die for this place. Some people love it here and would die for anything thier president tells them to. Some people love it here but would only die for causes they think are just, regardless of what the government thinks.

If you're going to start saying "all Americans are like this", I could just as easily start saying "Australia is a country full of criminals", but you know that one's not true, either.

Even if you don't agree with it, I don't see how it's so hard to accept that possibly someone else might think that "being alive is better than being dead" regardless of the circumstances.

i can understand it but it strikes me as cowardice.

 

[Epoman]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
It's a very thin line we're talking about. Are we talking about "the greatest generation" WWII, or "loot and plunder" Operation Iraqi Freedom?

I would definitely fight for our country if we're talking about a real threat to our freedom.

I agree 100%. I would fight and lay down my life for the USA if it was to protect the USA but I would not to give Iraqis freedom. I would be proud to die for my country in a real war.

/flamesuit on

 

[IAteYourMother]

let's put it this way, i would've enlisted to fight during ww2

 

[Whitecloak]

yes.

 

[Howard]

My country as it is right now, or my country being my ideal?

Not sure about the former. Yes for the latter.

 

[Toonces]

Originally posted by: her209
My life is not the property of the state.

:thumbsup:

I wholehartedly agree. I have as much right to die for my state as I do not dying for it.

 

[Kryhs]

Hell no. Nothing is more important than my life. /selfish

 

[Amused]

As a veteran, I would say it is not so much "dying for your country", as it is defending to the death the ideals of individual liberty it represtents.

Would I die for my country? No. Would I risk my life in defense of my liberty and rights? Yes.

As it stands, the OP's quetion is simplistic and badly worded.

 

[SpunkyJones]

Originally posted by: ntdz
I would fight for my country if they really needed me, I wouldn't just give my life up though, I'd go down fighting...