What do you love about your country?

[Mr. Fix]

I have seen lately (due to the election here in the US) alot of negative statements about the US. So I would like to start a more positive thread here. I hope we can leave the 'politics' out of it. And I am looking for ANY country and what ANY of you love about it (Your Country)...

So, I'll start...

National Parks!

One of the things I really love about America is the National Park System. Teddy Roosevelt started this idea when America seemed to have endless resources to use. From this moment on 'Conservation' became a cultural history of our nation.


How about you?

 

[III]

All my stuff's here, which makes it quite convenient for me.

 

[johnnysannie]

1. the right to vote
2. freedom of religion
3. free speech
4. right to keep and bear arms
5. the sheer physcial size and diversity of this nation
6. the many cultures and backgrounds that make up the patchwork quilt of this country

 

[reigningcatsndogs]

The beauty and diversity... we have mountains, plains, forests, coastal areas, the continental shield... each one is so unique and special, with its own wildlife and plants. And the diversity of the people, from so many cultures and bakgrounds, with so much to share. In all of North America, we're blessed.

 

[Haggis]

Foreign beer.

 

[reigningcatsndogs]

animal control officers.

 

[CACTUSWENDY]

I count my blessings because I was born here. To think that what has taken place in this counrty just in my life time is more then enough to be, IMHO, super.

The achievements, the natrual beauty, the freedom, there is just no end to the list......

Even with the bad things that have taken place, as where else would you still have the chance to repair, put back in order, or re-build like we have here? This includes old in-grained ideas as well as new things.

I can not think of any other country that I could have had what I have here.

 

[maestrowork]

My right to bitch-slap you.

 

[robeiae]

Vacationing elsewhere.

ETA: And Ray's right to bitch-slap you.

 

[Siddow]

So far it's all Americans in here, right?

That's what I love. Patriotism.

 

[maxmordon]

It's climate
It's culture
It's variety
It's history


So many things to say that can't be denifed by words....


Something that I have wondered. Why some people seem to think that is wrong to love your country when that country is USA but is fine with any other one?

 

[Melisande]

Here goes; (and in no particular order)

Sweden (the country where I was born and raised); The wonderful nature, the cleanliness, the people, the food, the diversity, the freedom of speach, the right to vote, the monarchy, the liberal attitude, and even the Royal Envy (which I find to be almost a Trademark).

Germany (the country where my maternal roots are); The wonderful nature, the order, the people, the diversity, the freedom of speach, the right to vote, the food, the liberal attitude, the freedom and even the polite stiffness (that still exists in some parts).

The US of A (the country I've moved to and where I hope to stay the rest of my life); The wonderful nature, the people, the diversity, the freedom of speach, the right to vote, the uninhibited patriotism, the pride, the freedom, the integrity and even the food (almost).

 

[Captain Scarf]

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Four Countries in an area the size of Iowa):

Our History

Our Social Welfare Policy

Our Flag

Scones

Tea

Country Churches with full-circle bell ringing.

Cricket

Stephen Fry

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and The British Army

Food which does not taste of anything.

More Scones.

Village Fetes

Colour spelled with a 'u' (etc)

 

[JoeEkaitis]

Its challenging two-octave national anthem that sounds absolutely fabulous when bathed in stadium echo.

 

[paprikapink]

All these crazy people,
people from all over the world want to be here,
people from all over the world are here,
it's like there's a little bit of the whole world right here,
Our colleges and universities,
Mastadon fossils,
Jazz, burlesque, rock and roll, Hollywood,
The Constitution and Bill of Rights.

 

[maxmordon]

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela:

Formerly, Republic of Venezuela:

Formerly United States of Venezuela:





Of the size of Texas and Oklahoma!

We have the best chocolate of the world and the most international beauty pegnant winners, also one of the best rums, if not the best!

Women, chocolate, rum, beautiful beaches, what else do you want?

 

[paprikapink]

Click "refresh," Spooky.

 

[Zelenka]

(I'm Scottish, but this is about the United Kingdom in general, really)

Weirdly, I love the weather, even when it's awful.

The history. The fact that I can walk down most any street in the cities I've lived in and wander into that history.

London. To me, the greatest city in the world, best place I have ever lived, only place I have felt properly accepted and free to do whatever I choose in life without judgement or interference.

Our chocolate! Galaxy caramels in particular, and Lily O' Brian's sticky toffee chocolate, and Marks & Spencer's white chocolate coated dried strawberries.

Our weird sense of humour.

Stephen Fry (seconded).

 

[CDarklock]

And I am looking for ANY country and what ANY of you love about it (Your Country)...

I love the United States of America. It's the everything country. I've been in all fifty states. Where do you want to live? Mountains? Got 'em. Deserts? Got 'em. Woods? Plains? Rain forests? Got 'em, got 'em, got 'em. Do you want your neighbors to be mostly christian? Muslim? Jewish? Atheist? There's a place you can live. Safe rural neighborhoods? Got 'em. Edgy urban sprawls? Got 'em. Anything in between? Got 'em. And since it's all the same country, you can live absolutely anywhere you choose. Just pack up a truck and start driving.

But why should I stop at my own country? I've been out of my own country. There are other countries I love. I love Russia, or more correctly, I love the Russian people. There are so many people with such wonderful cultures - I love the Danes, the Dutch, the Portuguese, the Chinese.

You know what I love most about China? There's food EVERYWHERE. You walk into someone's house, and there's always something cooking. There's rice by the door and vegetables hanging in the bathroom and freshly-caught fish in a tub behind the house. These people love their food, and it shows when you sit down at the table. Yeah, people complain that you're hungry again an hour later, but there's food everywhere - so what does that matter? If you're hungry, look! There's some food! I love that.

England was amazing. I don't so much love the British people as a whole, but I love working-class British culture... the people you see at large, on the street, as opposed to the stereotypical Brit who walks around all stuffy and proper. (I never really met any of those.) I love the way they socialise, and socialise properly, in large groups where everyone's into everyone else's business. Pub culture would be nice to have in America.

And Italy; I love the attitude of the Italians toward love and sex and relationships. Yes, I love you, I'll love you forever, I'll spend the rest of my life with you... eh, maybe not. Look, you! I love you, I'll love you forever! And throughout all of that, somehow nobody's mad about it, there's no drama or turmoil. You can have the intensity and passion and deep emotion on the love side, and somehow leave out the intensity and passion and deep emotion on the hatred end of the scale. That's awesome.

I could go on. Brazil. Argentina. Germany. Poland. Kenya. Hell, Ireland; I adore the Irish, where would I even begin with that one?

I love culture. The world is full of wondrous and exciting and fascinating culture. And what makes it hard to see the American culture is that our culture is really hundreds of cultures, all mixed together... and really, there should be a term for that, something about combining many things in one place. Maybe some sort of cooking metaphor.

 

[Melisande]

London. To me, the greatest city in the world, best place I have ever lived, only place I have felt properly accepted and free to do whatever I choose in life without judgement or interference.

Oh, I miss London...

 

[Lyxdeslic]

1. the right to vote
2. freedom of religion
3. free speech
4. right to keep and bear arms
5. the sheer physcial size and diversity of this nation
6. the many cultures and backgrounds that make up the patchwork quilt of this country

List six things that are complete illusions, nothing but fallacies ingrained in you since birth.

Call me a commie bastard, but I hold the world "love" on a high pedestal. So nothing: there's not a gd thing about this country that I love. Nothing.

I do love ice-cream, though.

Lyx

 

[Melisande]

I do, however, hate maple syrup.

You are not alone...

 

[Ken]

freedom

 

[SpookyWriter]

List six things that are complete illusions, nothing but fallacies ingrained in you since birth.

Call me a commie bastard, but I hold the world "love" on a high pedestal. So nothing: there's not a gd thing about this country that I love. Nothing.

I do love ice-cream, though.

Lyx

Leave Mexico.

 

[paprikapink]

@Lysdelsic: The kerosene seems to be working.