Question/discussion for all: What do you owe your country?

[U2Kitten]

This is for everyone, regardless of your nationality. What do you feel you, or anyone else, 'owes' your country? Do you owe them your money, part of your paycheck in taxes? Do you owe them your life, as some believe? If you, or your parents, already paid through taxes, do you still feel you owe them your life? If you do think so, would this be only in direct defense of your country during an invasion, or in any war the gov't chooses to send you into, whether or not you agree with it? Do you feel the poor should pay more with their lives because they haven't paid as much in money as others, and is this fair? Do you owe the people of your country in charity donations or work? Or do you feel all you owe them is being a good citizen, and staying out of trouble?

Okay that's a lot of if's, tell me what you think. I hope this will be a good and thoughtful (and peaceful) discussion.

 

[Irvine511]

i owe my country appreciation for the ideals upon which it was founded that have enabled me historically unthinkable opportunity, and i owe relentless, public criticism whenever i feel my country has fallen from, or is abusing, or is perverting, these very same ideas as i feel is currently happening.

appreciation and criticism. that sums it up for me.

 

[verte76]

I think I owe my country what I'd basically call "good citizenship". This means voting in elections, expressing my feelings about what's being done, and just generally not being Jack Milquetoast about what's going on. Apathy is very bad for our country.

 

[U2democrat]

I owe my country my labor, whatever that may be. I want to work for it to make it even better. And yes if they sent me I would fight for it, but I doubt seriously they would send a 5'1" 85lb girl

 

[BostonAnne]

This is for everyone, regardless of your nationality. What do you feel you, or anyone else, 'owes' your country? Do you owe them your money, part of your paycheck in taxes?

We owe ourselves and should love our neighbor enough to contibute to the cost of giving all of us a better life. In order to achieve that as a community - to have better schools, better methods to protect us (fire safetly equipment for example), better roads - we must have a tax structure and pay taxes.

Do you owe them your life, as some believe? If you, or your parents, already paid through taxes, do you still feel you owe them your life? If you do think so, would this be only in direct defense of your country during an invasion, or in any war the gov't chooses to send you into, whether or not you agree with it?

I don't believe I owe my country my life, but I do owe society as a whole a portion of my time to help make things better for all. That could even mean working as hard as I can to stay out of government assistance programs.

Do you feel the poor should pay more with their lives because they haven't paid as much in money as others, and is this fair?

No

Do you owe the people of your country in charity donations or work? Or do you feel all you owe them is being a good citizen, and staying out of trouble?

If you love thy neighbor, then efforts that better all must be achieved. Nothing great can be achieved if everyone watches out for only themselves.

 

[U2Kitten]

I saw an episode of Montel the other day about a family who had spent time in an impoverished country (I missed which one) and they said they were amazed at the difference in the attitude between there and the US. They said, if someone had no food, the neighbors would not go to bed until they were fed. If they had something broken, the neighbors worked together to help them fix it. In the US, people don't usually care and think it's somebody else's problem, not their responsibility. But from what my grandparents used to say, I think it was something like that in the olden days, and what has destroyed it (besides a fast paced and selfish society) is that when the gov't started paying for so much nobody else felt they had to do anything anymore so it stopped. Before there were all these gov't programs families and neighbors helped each other a lot more. Of course you can't depend on that anymore because of the way people are, and that's sad.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I owe my country more than I'm demanded to do, whether it means giving to the poor, adopting a kid, joining the military, whatever it is. Also, I should abide by the law out of respect for the brave men and women who founded and kept this country together.

 

[thacraic]

At present about $3,200.00 in federal taxes... the wankers.

 

[pax]

I don't really mind paying taxes as long as the money is well spent. Some of these things, though, I do get pissed off that my money might be financing them.

If I were drafted (ha!), I can honestly say I don't know if I'd go. If it was World War II, I'd go. If it was Iraq, well, I don't know.

 

[ZeroDude]

I owe my country continued musical greatness and invention of a new alcoholic beverage.

 

[financeguy]

I don't feel that I owe my country (Ireland) anything. I pay my taxes, that's all. Sorry if that sounds small minded. The concept of statehood I think is over-rated. Freedom should not have a price.

Can I be permitted to point out that both the current and previous US presidents (GWB and Clinton) dodged the draft for Vietnam, as did the current VP? (yes, that's right, little Cheney boy dodged the draft too).

Just pointing this out as I think it shows how much respect the political classes in the US or any other country have for their people.

 

[Axver]

I don't feel that I owe my country (Ireland) anything. I pay my taxes, that's all. Sorry if that sounds small minded. The concept of statehood I think is over-rated. Freedom should not have a price.

Agreed. I feel I owe nothing to my country. Indeed, I don't feel any country is 'mine'. I come from New Zealand, which I support in the sport, and I live in Australia. Countries are places where you live and grow, not things to which good deeds or services should be owed.

 

[beli]

I don't really feel the need to owe my "country" anything either. The "planet" is a different matter however.

I try to be an environmentally responsible person. Ive done some volunteer work for human rights, aid, and the environment. Ive done my share of street protesting as well (though not lately).

 

[beau2ifulday]

Again, I don't feel I own England anything, really, but I honour it with respect for the fact that it has allowed me to grow up in a largely democratic nation, which is not ruled by a sexist or racist government. I value the freedom I have here greatly, and appreciate that I am allowed freedom of speech (although i'm sure politicians kick themselves sometimes for allowing opinionated individuals like myself the right to go stand outside Westminster and protest).