Have Americans lost their respect for America?

Question

I constantly see people sitting as the American Flag is presented at the front of a parade. People talk and laugh and do not remove their hats during the playing of the national anthem. Some even remain sitting but stand with my assistance. Parents don't teach their children proper respect for the flag, or what it represents. I would bet that the majority of Americans, don't even know that when folding the flag, each fold has a special meaning. As Americans, I believe we are losing touch with our country and the special history that made us great.

Answer 1

I agree Joe. I am an American Soldier. And I was really angry last summer when I was at a fair and they played the National Anthem and some teens in front of me kept talking with their abll caps on. I thumped one on the back of his head and told them to show some respect.

Answer 2

I honestly think it depends on who you ask. I don't think that it's really changed as much as some would like to believe in the last few years but it has definetly changed since the 50's and 60's. I think that in general most people take for granted the freedoms that we have in this country. I wanted to join the Army but wasn't allowed to because of a bum ankle. It irrates me when I see people desacrating the flag, but at the same time I respect their right to do it. I've read several of the answers you've received and to be honest most of them piss me off. I'm sorry but it's not just the "liberals, democrates, or Bush" that is causing the lack of respect in this country. A lot of it has to do with a break down of simple family values. The fact is that even though I went to one of the 4 senior military colleges in the U.S. (not including the academies) I didn't know that each fold has a special meaning. I have a great respect for the soliders that have/are serving out country right now but at the same time I wish we could get out of the Middle East and bring them home safely. (especially because I have friends that are over their right now, and I don't want to see any more blood spilled.)

Answer 3

Many in our country have lost sight of what gives them the freedom to complain as they do.

Etiquette is a lost value. Patriotism is not the same patriotism I knew as a child. Basics Civics is not taught in most public schools instead some leftist agenda (ie Billy has two Mommies) or some leftist environment agenda is being shoved down our kids throats instead what make government work? why we vote? what is the electoral process? (on adnaseum.).

Some have lost it, there are those like myself that feel we need to return the "original intent" of the constitution and bill of rights. While I stand in a minority I feel if more people were made aware of what's at stake they would feel as I do.

Voting is something people often do based on how they were raised and what "party" affiliation they and their families have done historically.

The Republicrats and Socialists (the Democrat party power is held by socialists). have lost sit of what made America great.

We need fiscal responsibility, we need commonsense. (For those of you who read check out Thomas Paine's essays on the subject). We need to end some programs that steal from one class of people to give to another class of people, through welfare, medicare, and social security programs that frankly reduce people self reliance a quality sorely lacking in today's world.

Government IS NOT the Answer. Government IS THE PROBLEM the sooner people wake up to this stark fact. the more likely we can return to true values of freedom and liberty that once made this country great.

Citizen's Against Government Waste
http://www.cagw.org

Restore Original Intent:
http://www.cafepress.com/originalintent/

Eliminate the IRS and implement a fair Tax
http://www.fairtax.org

Vote Libertarian
http://www.lp.org

Answer 4

I think its just not taught in schools anymore. When I was younger we would sing the national anthem, and say the pledge every morning. And you had to stand. When I got into High school they stopped playing the anthem but we still did the pledge.

I dont think people have lost respect, I think they just havent been taught. Standardized testing material becomes more important than actual learning in the classroom now.

People also probably just take this country and our freedoms for granted since they havent experienced anything else

Answer 5

if i may be allowed to answer this question - as i am a English citizen and living in ENGLAND

i was upset on a recent visit to the USA about lack of respect people showed toward the American Flag.
i saw flags flying at night without being lit up, a saw 2 flags hung from the sides of somebodies balcony railings, both flags were on the ground at the bottoms of them, i saw a flagwhos stripes were coming apart flying on a flagpole.. lost count of the number of flags i saw that wre wrapped around their poles.

i went to a college football game (my 1st ever ive game of football!) the Star Spangled Banner was being played.. hardly anybody was in the stadium at this point and half of the ppl in front of me were sat down and talking and i over heard one person saying 'why do we even bother playing this stupid tune anymore?'
i was very sad when i heard that.
there was me i was stood up with my hand over my heart stood at attention... and i had a little flag on a stick in my left hand.

why do people bother to fly the AmericanFlag if they are not going to look after it and mke sure that is flying properly. id much rather see a bare empty flagpole than one with a flag on it that is ripping apart. it makes me so sad. i would love to take all the American flags that are ripping apart and sew them all back together and fly them back on those flagpoles proud and high

i found it sad too that as a English citizen on vacation in the USA i know more about the American Flag history and proper care and etiquette for the flag than the Americans i talked to about it did.
its not all just about the flag though... some Americans have lost the light that their country shines. i realy hope the next President may restore it i really do.

as our own primeminister blair said about the USA and hed dead right that we should judge a country for how many people want to get in versus how many want to get out.
if Americans are true to their hearts im sure theyd never really want to live anywhere else except the USA. not many countires boast the same amounts of freedom that the citizens of the USA have - and most likely take for granted every day.


perhaps its time for us to start thinking about the positives of this great and wonderful country instead of the negatives all of time. and maybe we'll start to see that old American pride come back again.
look after the Flag salute her and fly her high!!!

Answer 6

I agree with you to a degree. I think people have lost touch with what it means to be American. As times move more into the "fast lane" of life people don't take the time to teach their children the traditions and customs we grew up with. I feel I am a patriotic person and always stand ( and get goose bumps) when I hear the National Anthem. I have great respect for our country and have taught my children to be proud of their history.

Answer 7

We are not Americans any longer but a mish mash of multi culturalism. We are illegal aliens, Hispanics and Former Slaves. We see our former President appeal to the lowest common denominator with his "level playing field" rhetoric, and his admission that 'sometimes racism is OK' when it benefits his party. We have hade 35 years of institutional racism benefiting groups who have no alligience to America and contribute nothing but incessant whining.
We support Mexicans who fly Old Glory upside down and make a mockery of our National Anthem while the Democrats refuse to stand up for America. Figure it out.

Answer 8

I agree, we have become so separated from the privileges that we have as Americans. We forget what the flag means to us and what it represents in terms of our freedom.
yes we have a right to do whatever we want to the flag, burn it leave it up but that is a sign of dissatisfaction and dissent and it is part of the meaning behind the flag that give us the right to burn the flag, etc.

Answer 9

Some have, mostly those young'uns my age...*mumble*

It doesn't bother me as much when people ignore the meaning of the national anthem or the flag, but what really makes me mad is stupid people talking about how much "America sucks." Hey, if you don't like it, get the hell out and go move to Cuba.

Answer 10

as far as folding the flag i don't even know what every fold means. but people have lost respect for everything. lets start with children losing respect for parents, adults losing respect for the elderly, and people in general losing respect for basic decency.for example those who cough without covering their mouths. so with all the disrespect that we do to one another why would we have respect for our country? we must first respect god then eachother then we can respect our country. without that it is what it is.a disrespectful nation teaching our children to be disrespectful.

Answer 11

This doesn't mean they've lost respect for America. It just means they choose to show their respect in a different way. And just because they don't feel the need to revere the SYMBOLS of our country, doesn't mean they don't love and respect the spirit of our country.

(And every time I go to a sporting event, EVERYONE stands for the national anthem.)