From time to time I have encounters with fellow American citizens who faithfully display their Fourth of July & Memorial Day flags. It is ostensibly a show of patriotism but I wonder. As I have grown older and wiser, in my mind anyway, I believe the attitude of "America- Love It or Leave It" is a slogan that no longer applies or, perhaps, should never been used in the first place. What does a citizen mean when they say we are obligated to love one's country else hit the border and not return? The United States of America has many reasons for it's citizens to feel patriotic. But it also has many reasons for it's citizens to rightly drop their collective heads in shame. Our treatment of the American Indians, American Japanese, African Americans, members of the LGBT community, non-Abrahamic faith groups, atheists, etc has left a lingering question mark on the societal engine that drives this country. Would many of the disservices to entire classes of people not been eradicated sooner without this "love it or leave it" attitude? Do we not have a responsibility to seek change and never become jaded with the status quo? Living in the deep south of America gives me opportunity to see firsthand the ongoing mindset of many locals, still flying their Rebel flags in the front yard, that "the South will rise again." What the hell does that mean? If given the opportunity would we revert back to the days of slavery and white bigotry?

I feel compelled to challenge these "Love It or Leave It" citizens to define and justify their position or stance. Our country's citizens should not be pigeonholed into accepting things as they are and damned be those who dare speak up. Thankfully our culture is changing, albeit too slowly, and hopefully we can cast off these attitudes that seem to have their foundations in illogical religious dogma.

Should not the new slogan of our country rather be "America - Love It Through Change"?

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I found this "Love it or leave it" statement bizarre.  How do you go about leaving America if you are an American citizen? It isn't just emigration from America - it has to include immigration to somewhere else.  How do the proponents of this statement envisage enabling anyone to "leave"?

I'm sure they'd love to don their white robes and hoods, and show you a multitude of ways.

I am not sure I understand your question. It is not a matter of enablement but rather an intolerance for those who dare question the mistreatment of certain classes of people. These people have a habit of overlooking  the societal warts (xenophobia, racism, bigotryof our country and demand that we all pledge blind allegiance to the red, white, and blue. No need to talk about change with them either as they are happy with the status quo. If you don't agree then they are happy to show the door to our country's border. 

Change is necessary for any society to remain healthy and vibrant in the constant quest for equality among ALL it's citizens. That goes without saying.

Strega, leaving America is as easy as walking across, for instance, the Canadian border.

I did it without a passport during the decades before America's foreign policy made so many enemies.

One note about Canada, don't take any raunchy porn with you. They might confiscate it or not let you enter.

Tom, the Canadians will send you back to the US if you don't have a visa/job/money of adequacy.  The days of the 'soft border' are over.  For some reason, these "Love us or leave us" people don't seem to be aware of immigration procedures in the rest of the world.

Thanx, Strega.

I was to Canada & Mexico/Caribbean before the distrustful times.

Those Love us or leave us folk are right wing jingoists who see themselves as patriots.

They don't care about immigration procedures in the rest of the world; they want protection from ideas other than their own.


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