Let's promise to refuse to use the word HOMELAND. This is our COUNTRY

[LittleApple81]

not a homeland... Homeland sounds fascist. When I hear it, I feel like I have to raise my arm in salute lest somebody accuse me of something.

[Hoping4Change]

1. I too have always found that word creepy.

[JohnyCanuck]

2. I agree. It creeps me out every time I hear it. n/t

n/t

[Voice_of_Europe]

3. Homeworld...

The word "Homeland" sounds like "Homeworld" to me.

It has something very imperialistic and implies that you have gone to the outside (Colonies) and speak about your country as about something you could go back to.

"Homeland" is a word which implies that you actually are somewhere ELSE.

And (surprise) this exactly fits the Bush policy which is totally focused on establishing "Colonies".

[LittleApple81]

5. Great analysis!!!! Thanks. n/t

[Ten Bears]

4. I agree as well

When Ridge used it I thought how similar it sounds to WWII movies and the use of Fatherland.

[Neecy]

11. my thought, too

It's too close to 'fatherland'...then again, 'ein reich, ein volk, ein fuehrer' is also descriptive of the GOP's approach so I can understand their comfort level with the term.

[kayell]

6. No problem, I never used the word HOMELAND

it gave me cold chills the first time I heard it. It felt like an army of jack booted thugs walking over my constitution.

[Maeve]

7. "Homeland" denigrates our immigrant-nation status

What percentage of Americans are third-generation or less?

[Toucano]

8. I'm with you. n/t

[Kokonoe]

9. Homeland referrers to the country from where our ancestors migrated

We must get our country back !

[Immad2]

10. I absolutely agree

homeland immediately brings NAZI Germany :grr: to mind and should NOT be used

[Lars39]

We used to be called citizens, too, not 'murrikans.

If they call us citizens, it denotes responsibility on our part and theirs. By calling us Americans...well, we can all just bask in the glory, I guess.

[Lars39]

12. dupe

I swear I only clicked once!!!

[Cat Atomic]

13. Motherland, fatherland, homeland... I see a pattern.

Yeah, the word "homeland" has always bugged me, too.

[ClassWarrior]

14. Great idea, Apple!

:kick:

[TransitJohn]

15. It IS a creepy word

home·land
Pronunciation Key (hmlnd)
n.

1. One's native land.
2. A state, region, or territory that is closely identified with a particular people or ethnic group.
3. Any of the ten regions designated by South Africa in the 1970s as semiautonomous territorial states for 1994 constitution.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

So, according to (1), The USA is my homeland, but I don't like the way the word has been coopted by the jingoistic war mongers. I'm with your idea.

[DinahMoeHum]

16. "Fatherland"/Nazis. . ."Motherland"/Communists. . . n/t

:evilfrown:

[SoCalDem]

17. The Dept of Homeland Security should be abolished.. here's WHY.

We have always had one.. It is called the department of DEFENSE.. This was just a clever way to create a job for ole "ham-hock Ridge".. I DO think that a special division should be added to the dept of defence.. Cyber/Terrorism.. There is no reason to create another HUGE cumbersome bureaucracy like HSD..

this may BE our "home"land, but that phrase reeks of Nazi germany.. Our country should be referred to as "our nation....our country..or just the US...

I hope that Kerry will not be timid in addressing this issue.

[ClassWarrior]

18. Take back the language!!

:kick:

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

19. Thanks for brining this up....

when I first heard the word "Homeland" I was reminded of all the WW2 movies I watched as a kid. Only our enemies used terms like that.
We live in the United States, not one big freakin'nationalisticconglomerationofsamethinkingcitizens