238 years!

[brynn]

Happy Independence Day for Americans!

You know, living here my whole life, it seems like the USA must have been around forever.  But really only 238 years.....  238 years of freedom!  Compared to Europe and Asia, who have history going back....well, to the beginnings of recorded history, I guess.....238 years doesn't seem so long.

Anyway, let's see what kind of graphics I have.  Hhmmm....I don't seem to have any fireworks graphics.  We better have a new contest!  Meanwhile, here something:

[Lazur]

238 years of freedom?

The United States has both the world's largest prison population, and the world's highest per capita incarceration rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_incarceration_rate



Apart the rumors about fema camps, there are many signs showing the States is not the same place it used to be in my humble opinion even though obviously I have no real information what's going on.

[brynn]

Of course, a gift as glorious as freedom must come with responsibility.  If you commit a crime, you lose your freedom.

The United States has both the world's largest prison population, and the world's highest per capita incarceration rate

I'm not sure that's such a bad thing.  It makes this a very safe place to live.  People don't get into prison for no reason.  There are a few tragic situations when the wrong person is imprisoned, for a crime they didn't commit.  But it's really quite rare....at least it is here.

  fema camps -- OH PLEASE!!  That's the first I've heard of that -- good lord     But......

Apart the rumors about fema camps, there are many signs showing the States is not the same place it used to be in my humble opinion even though obviously I have no real information what's going on

.....no place is the same place it used to be.

[Lazur]

.....no place is the same place it used to be.

So true, but it's hardly called freedom.

[brynn]

[Well, I've never heard of those people in the video.  Maybe I'll watch it some other day.  (Ok I searched -- Libertarians comprise only a small percentage of political persuasions (affiliations) here -- you can't take the libertarian platform as representative of all Americans' opinions.)]

We celebrate the day because it marks our country's independence from England, and maybe from a few other assorted interested parties (at the time), and the beginning of this land as a nation -- just like I'm sure you must have a day to celebrate when Hungary became Hungary.  (And if you don't, maybe you should?)

Just like we take life 1 day at a time, the bad all mixed in with the good; that's how we take our politics.  But our Independence Day is not about politics.  It's about celebrating freedom, and I suppose patriotism, the flag, and a few other words would probably fit nicely.  And after we're done celebrating, we go back to work on July 5th, and try to fix whatever is not working, from the political perspective.

[Lazur]

 

I should definitely be more positive about things.

We do have a national celebration connected to the birth** of our country (?).
We do have fireworks in the 20th of August, celebrating the feast day of our first king, Saint Stephen*.
Leading political clowns always put much effort into it.
Though it's not working completely right, "bread and circuses" would need a consistent living for the masses.
Politics here have an urge to appear and speak in public on celebrations as much as possible.
Politics come from the water tap here.

And use the flag and other symbols to hide behind, and to have an image how patriotic or nationalists they are, which they are not.
It's giving a bad feel to anything that tries to look a bit of national.

We do have a "freedom statue" at the top of the capital, which was originally made in memory of the regent's son's death during the second world war.
The current lettering on it states: "In the memory of those who gave their life for Hungary's independence, freedom, and prosperity".
Currently our independence, freedom and sadly prosperity too is highly questionable.

Could go on an off alot on the fact the born of our country was the result we couldn't go on freely as a nomad nation.
Currently we are part of the EU.
We were under soviet-russian dominance, were part of habsburg's, and part of turkish empire before, in a row.

2/3 of the area making one cultural and economic unit was chopped off after world wars.
Our political leaders are taking large credits in the name of the country only for filling their own pockets.

No wonder we are at the top in suicide rates, not just the per capita people with Nobel prize.


*Although Saint Stephan's merits could be hardly questioned, our leaders put much effort to present us a rockopera from the life of him, and a fight for the throne with no historical background of anykind.
This show is played year after year, depicting him as a killer of his brother and the puppet of vatican.

** Thank's for the reminder!

[brynn]

Yeah, I did not mean to start a political discussion. 

I do enjoy learning about other parts of the world, even though I have never visited, and probably never will.  I think it's important to learn how other people live and love, even if I will never meet them in person.  Because as the world population grows, we become more and more and more, all part of the human race, and it's more and more important to be able to get along with each other.  I don't know much about politics in the rest of the world.....well, I probably don't know all that much about politics here, lol.  But it's part of how the world operates, and I think it's good to at least have an idea about it.

Learning more about other people, countries and societies and cultures is part of the reason for having this board, where we can get to know each other better, and talk about other things besides Inkscape.

But this topic was more of a holiday greeting (like Merry Christmas).  And anyone is welcome to post holiday greetings, from any country or religion (because many holidays are connected with religion, like Christmas).  Or any non-Inkscape topic.   

(   "born of our country" - birth of our country)