Poll: would you die for your country?

[T8B95]

My reason is complicated.

Would I die for Canada, on Canadian soil to a threat to my land? Yes, without question.

Would I join the military and die as a soldier? No, absolutely not. I don't believe that going over to the Middle East and dying is "Giving my life for my country", because in all likelihood the people I'm fighting have done nothing to threaten my country.

Yes, this means that I'm against the military. Go ahead and flame me.

 

[Aris Khandr]

If your not willing to die for it, then why live there? You obviously don't love it there very much.

I don't love ANYWHERE enough to die over it. People, sure? Places, no.

 

[Vivi22]

There are certainly ideals and people I would be willing to risk my life protecting. My country may even represent some of those ideals. But to die for a societal construct run by a group of people which changes every few years and who may not have my best interest at heart? No, I wouldn't die for that. Never. It's not worth any life on its own.

 

[flamingjimmy]

I'd die to save millions of people if that's what was at stake, regardless of what country they're from.

However most of the time when you hear about someone who 'died for their country' it usually amounts to dying in some shithole in the middle east that posed no threat to the people of their country, and fuck that, I say.

So I guess no, I would not die 'for my country' because I think nationalism is a scourge upon the earth, but I would die to save lives.

 

[mik1]

I don't fight for country I fight for ideals.

 

[Hides His Eyes]

I'd die to save millions of people if that's what was at stake, regardless of what country they're from.

However most of the time when you hear about someone who 'died for their country' it usually amounts to dying in some shithole in the middle east that posed no threat to the people of their country, and fuck that, I say.

So I guess no, I would not die 'for my country' because I think nationalism is a scourge upon the earth, but I would die to save lives.

Gotta say I agree with you here. If "dying for my country" means dying for my government's interest in another country then fuck that shit. However, I do think nationalism is a good thing under certain circumstances. In India in Gandhi's time, nationalism was exactly what was needed to get them out from under Britain's imperialism (which I don't think is the same as nationalism). In 1930s Germany, not so much.

Really interesting thread, this.

 

[Hides His Eyes]

*Sigh* Dude that is not how it works. It is not about dieing for your country. It is about making the other bastard die for his.

Actually, I think it's about making him die for yours.

 

[SquirePB]

I view it as more being a matter of "would I die for the people I love" in which case yes.

 

[SageRuffin]

Considering I'm already in the military, I don't have much choice if the time ever comes.

Here's hoping it doesn't. I'm still trying to build my own arcade stick and PC.

 

[FireCoroner]

I'm not willing to die for Ireland, but I'd be more than happy to cut off a few fingers if it would stop her from constantly fucking whining.

 

[Saulkar]

*Sigh* Dude that is not how it works. It is not about dieing for your country. It is about making the other bastard die for his.

Actually, I think it's about making him die for yours.

Oooo! Good point!

Ok anybody that happens to not be Canadian, would mind lining up over here to die for my country. Thanx. XD

 

[NotSoLoneWanderer]

If I see the president of the United States holding a rifle and fighting along side me then yes.

 

[Laser Priest]

Nope.

My country is nice and all, but frankly, I'd rather live elsewhere than die here.

 

[Diplodocus462]

Would you die for your country? It's pretty straight-forward.

For me yes. If your not willing to die for it, then why live there? You obviously don't love it there very much.

Why is loving your country a prerequisite for being a good person? I love my world, and the people who live in it. In case you hadn't noticed, you have to live somewhere; someone who isn't willing to die for their country probably doesn't have any country they are willing to die for, and that's a good thing. Patriotism is a completely counterproductive and immoral idea in the modern world. We need to be travelling into the future together as a global community or we will die as pathetic little tribes. Countries are at best a necessary evil; and that's if they are even necessary.

 

[Imperator D]

Would you die for your country? It's pretty straight-forward.

For me yes. If your not willing to die for it, then why live there? You obviously don't love it there very much.

What do you mean by "die for your country" anyway? Are you suggesting some hypothetical situation where my country would dissolve like the old Soviet Union if I say no? Would my country be physically destroyed if I said no? Are you talking about getting killed by the enemy whilst serving in the military (if that's the case then I'd like to remind you that Patton once said: "No one ever won a war by dieing for their country. They won by making the other son of a ***** die for his country.")? I don't understand the question.

Exactly lol
In all seriousness soldiers in combat don't die for their country, they die trying to accomplish their mission, make it back, or insure their squad mates make it back. Are there ideas worth dying for? might be a better way to frame the question. That having been said: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

 

[ComprehensiveGoo]

Nope, I wouldn't! Because I've got no real motivation to. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not overly fond of my country but it's not that bad. And since I have no motivation to fight for my country there would be no sense in throwing me into the thick of it all because I just wouldn't give it my all hence meaning I'll just be in the way of those who are actually trying to. I guess it's kind of a moral thing, one of the reasons the Roman Republic only allowed civilians who held land to fight since they had more to protect than someone whose only in it for the money. That obviously changed later on but my point still stands =P I wouldn't die for my country because there's no sense in putting me there in the first place.

 

[wilsontheterrible]

In short yes.

To someone from a refugee family some of the responces are downright disgusting in how entitled some people are. My family came over from Cuba where they stripped us of everything, the U.S gave it back and then some. It allowed me to earn a living and my family to regain their dignity.

If the time came where my country needed me I'd gladly falsify my medical papers and serve, kill, or, if need be, die for it. Until then I'll keep paying my taxes, donating to Veteran programs, making well informed votes, and staying active in my community.

 

[Syphous]

In the right circumstances, sure. Like if those dirty Canadians started to invade our beautiful majestic America, I would gladly throw myself upon their hockey sticks for the good of our country!

 

[Da Orky Man]

Only if it actually had an effect on something. The UK government isn't exactly inspiring right now.

 

[Navvan]

Would you die for your country? It's pretty straight-forward.

For me yes. If your not willing to die for it, then why live there? You obviously don't love it there very much.

Because I have to live somewhere?

I would put my life on the line/die for my friends and family if it came down to it. I would look into moving into a safer area before joining my countries military though. I have no loyalty to my country besides the fact that the people I care for live there.