Poll: What's so good about America?

[Typecast]

Your government has grown weak, your corporations are ivory tower, autocratic cannibals, and your commerical media, as in the ones most people form their opinions from, has the jounalistic integrity of the politburo. You also have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world.

Oh, and your foreign policy of the last fifty to sixty years, although I'm sure the Spanish and French colonies two hundred years ago(or whatever American history doesn't really interest me enough to even click on wikipedia) along with the Mexicans, might be angry at the whole 'manifest destiny' thing.

Your personal freedoms that you persue without consequence OR appreciation I might add for those who REALLY pay for your freedom(ie, slave labourer's in GAP factories, Middle Eastern and African conflicts to provide you with cheap oil, which you call gas for some reason, the environment which will probably give up the ghost on us soon enough).

Ok, so this is my personal rant, and in my country you don't get the right to say whatever you want, so all I have is a forum about video games in which to express my impotent and ineffectual opinions.

Tennis anyone?

 

[TheFacelessOne]

I don't know. Something is nice about knowing that your nation can kick anyone's butt any day of the week.

Yeah, how's that working out? Thanks for giving me another reason to vote "very bad"...

I don't know. Something is nice about knowing that your nation can kick anyone's butt any day of the week.

This isn't something to be proud about btw

Very good, actually. It means we have an astronomical amount of protection. And it's something I'm very proud of, thank you very much.

 

[lazy_bum]

-snip-

Ok, so this is my personal rant, and in my country you don't get the right to say whatever you want, so all I have is a forum about video games in which to express my impotent and ineffectual opinions.

Tennis anyone?

Where you from then? just out curiousity.

 

[SFR]

Your government has grown weak, your corporations are ivory tower, autocratic cannibals, and your commerical media, as in the ones most people form their opinions from, has the jounalistic integrity of the politburo. You also have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world.

Oh, and your foreign policy of the last fifty to sixty years, although I'm sure the Spanish and French colonies two hundred years ago(or whatever American history doesn't really interest me enough to even click on wikipedia) along with the Mexicans, might be angry at the whole 'manifest destiny' thing.

Your personal freedoms that you persue without consequence OR appreciation I might add for those who REALLY pay for your freedom(ie, slave labourer's in GAP factories, Middle Eastern and African conflicts to provide you with cheap oil, which you call gas for some reason, the environment which will probably give up the ghost on us soon enough).

Ok, so this is my personal rant, and in my country you don't get the right to say whatever you want, so all I have is a forum about video games in which to express my impotent and ineffectual opinions.

Tennis anyone?

While some of the things you said I disagree with, I just can't back down from a game of Tennis. Shall we make it a doubles match?

 

[Undeleted]

I don't know. Something is nice about knowing that your nation can kick anyone's butt any day of the week.

This isn't something to be proud about btw

Why not?
It keeps the boogey men away for the most part. And when it doesn't, some nation gets a can of "Police Action" via the USMC and a handy Nimitz class ship. (Unfortunately, we aren't in WW2 so now we have to genuinely nation build instead of glassing them, thats where the bad part comes in)

Mostly because an exuberant amount of money spent on the military means that there's less money to spend on other things, like education, health, and other public services. Also once you start building a large military (and start putting it to use) it becomes very hard not to keep pouring more and more money into it.

 

[ddon]

america did some bad things but so did alot of other countries so i say avarage. the only place that i would say that i haven't heard any bad things about is canada. but we did keep russia from forcing everyone into communists.

 

[GreyWolf257]

I just always find it strange America proclaims itself land of the free where you can say and do anything but seems so racist, homophobic, conservative and xenophobic compared to other western countries.

How ignorant are you? The fact that we allow people to be racist, homophobic, conservative, and xenophobic just means that we allow people to say what they want. Isn't that the definition of freedom of speech?

a lot of countries allow their citizens to be racist, homophobic, conservative, and xenophobic. they're just not. thus his point stands.

When you say "we've consistently fallen behind of other western nations in ... the level of economic cooperation facilitated between our citizens" I assume you are a socialist, and that would be the opposite of freedom, considering that it takes away the freedom of how you can spend YOUR money. These political ideas aren't shared by everyone, or even most Americans, for that matter.

oh yes capitalism definitely lets the lower working class have freedom. they're absolutely not modern slaves at all. if they'd just get off their lazy asses every persn in america could own five cars an a mansion.

Sorry I don't share the same beliefs as you, I just think that what is mine is mine and not the government's. If I want to give my money to other people, then I will, but I don't want other people to force me to give up something I have worked for. If people are in an economic hole, then they should apply for financial help while they look for a job, not just because they want to get a check for doing nothing.

ok maybe that criticism of capitalism was a bit obtuse. You do share my beliefs, because on a purely me level I fucking love the system since I will be making frankly ridiculous amounts of cash after I get my degree. But I've actually done my research so I know capitalism doesn't work. that's the difference. I like my property as much as the next person, big house nice car it's all good, but I know the actual cost of those things.

It works pretty well for me. I think it is an incredible system (so simple, all it is is "Reap what you sow.").

ok if that's how you think capitalism works I can't have a conversation with you. Why? because it'll get us no where and I don't feel like wasting my time.

Same here. I don't really want to get dragged into another political thread ever again. These things just keep popping up, and they never get locked. It just got to the point of annoyance about a month ago. Feel the same?

no I like my politics (real politics not American "politics") I just don't want to waste time talking to someone I can't reason with.

Hmm. I like my politics, too, and I feel exactly the same as you do, to a degree. Think of this: you aced your last test, but your teacher approaches you and gives you a paper that has 50% of the grade you actually earned. You will likely say "What the hell? This is graded wrong!", whereas your teacher replies "Oh, you got a hundred, but I redistributed the grade you earned with all of the other people who didn't do as well as you." This is why I appreciate capitalism: You get what you earned. People who aren't as successful as you need help, but I don't believe the government should just TAKE your money. Oh, and you technically are still talking to me, and thus wasting your time. Sorry.

except socialism is a democracy thus I would've agreed to redistribute my grade. it's funny that you brink up the example of a test as we just did this in my American government class. we redistributed our grade, got an A and brought up another group to passing. there's a big difference in the two examples. everyone that compares capitalism and socialism (and decides that capitalism wins) always conveniently forgets that socialism is a democracy, they're not forcing the majority to do anything, they agreed (with a democracy the minority always get's screwed but there's really nothing that can be done as i have yet to find a more fair system)

now the only thing that's more powerful than me liking my time is me wanting the final word. >_>

YOU would have agreed to distribute your grade, not me. And most people don't seem to want socialism, at least not in America. We also did this in my class, and I got a 62, so I am guessing that everyone in your class holds up their end. The average grade would shift depending on how hard the test is, and life is a pretty damn hard test.

As for the last word, you may have it. I have spoken my piece. I won't quote you, unless there is an obvious reason for me to continue, of course.

 

[nonl33t m4st3r]

We not a perfect nation, nor will we ever be, being lead by a government of democratically elected officials with a bureaucracy that would melt most people's minds. We still have crime, poverty, injustice. However, it could be much worse, i.e. Soviet Union, Columbia, Iran, North Korea, Somalia (and most of Africa, for that matter.), etc.

I live in a country where I can get up out of my nice cozy bed, in my heated/ac'd room (I live in a dorm, but I've lived in closer quarters), eat whatever food I need/want year round, buy clothes to keep me warm, and say whatever I want without any government retribution, including photoshopping officials I don't like with Joker make-up or Hitler mustaches. (Godwin's law)

So, yeah, the US is good in my book, good enough for me to enlist. Make of it as you will.

EDIT: Grammatical and spelling errors

 

[RYNO]

Ordinarily I wouldn't fix gramatical errors like this. However, as the poster was pontificating his own superiority so I felt it was only fair.

Are you really suggesting that I couldn't get equally ridiculous answers from citizens on English, Australian, or Irish streets? Do you think these were the only people interviewed? Or do you possibly think they spent a few days grabbing people randomly and then edited the finished product so only the dumbest answers would be the ones in the program?

That took them 90 minutes to film each "episode". In that time you could interview, what, like 15-20 people? 3 of them believe that Mt Rushmore is in Australia. Brisbane no less. And the Taj Mahal. And the leaning tower of Piza. And the Eiffel Tower. And the Great Wall of China.

Every single Australian would know that Ayres Rock is in NT. Its the same thing. Every single Pom would know that Big Ben is in London. Same thing. And not one Australian would say that KRudd is a terrorist.

The fact that even one of them couldn't tell Firth what the date of 9/11 is, is disgraceful.

 

[Tdc2182]

You gotta get your facts straight. In the original constitution slavery was banned. They had to allow it so they could get South Carolinas vote.

Chris columbus never enslaved any indians. That was after his time.

OT: Our government is a little corrupt. The average citizen doesn't have a strong enough impact as we claim. We are one of the most wealthy nations and have one of the strongest armies. If you don't think america is to great why do we have the highest immigration percentage not counting illegals.

We have our quirks, but they are less severe than most other countries. I say to you what I say to others. Don't like it, get out.

Well Columbus took several natives back to Spain, which is about as bad as enslaving them i guess. He also did a bunch of other bad things like rape and genocide.
And while it's true that the USA is one of the richest nations on earth the distribution is pretty lopsided, also having a lot of people trained to kill people isn't really something to be proud about.
Oh yeah and Canada has the highest immigration rate in the world. Sorry bud. I guess America receives a lot of immigrants because everyone's using it as a pit stop on the way up north ahaahaha

He never did aything like rape or genocide. I believe there was one ocassion while he was in the lower americs where they got into a fight with a few indians but thats not genocide. He also did not force the indians to come with him. The fact that we have so many people willing to die for our country is something to be proud about.

An yet again, we are the highest immigrant population. Canada is number seven on the list. So sorry bud, do your research.

 

[Lavi]

I just always find it strange America proclaims itself land of the free where you can say and do anything but seems so racist, homophobic, conservative and xenophobic compared to other western countries.

How ignorant are you? The fact that we allow people to be racist, homophobic, conservative, and xenophobic just means that we allow people to say what they want. Isn't that the definition of freedom of speech?

How retarded are you? I can't get married in your fucking country.

 

[Pilot Bush]

We all live in Amerika, Amerika, it's wunderbar...

 

[Valiance]

We aren't named Columbia, we're named America, after Amerigo Vespucci.

And no one has to say the Pledge anymore.

I get good food each day and can walk down the street without having to worry about getting shot. So I'd say I have it pretty good when compared to people in other places.

This is why I voted good.

It's good enough for me, every country is full of corruption and greed, and while I'd like if our president spent 800 billion dollars on fusion research instead of a government bank bailout, I guess I shouldn't really care too much.

 

['Stache]

I just always find it strange America proclaims itself land of the free where you can say and do anything but seems so racist, homophobic, conservative and xenophobic compared to other western countries.

Still I want to go and travel round America so you do have some appeal.

We're allowed to be those things. That's the point.

 

[firedfns13]

Your government has grown weak, your corporations are ivory tower, autocratic cannibals, and your commerical media, as in the ones most people form their opinions from, has the jounalistic integrity of the politburo. You also have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world.

Oh, and your foreign policy of the last fifty to sixty years, although I'm sure the Spanish and French colonies two hundred years ago(or whatever American history doesn't really interest me enough to even click on wikipedia) along with the Mexicans, might be angry at the whole 'manifest destiny' thing.

Your personal freedoms that you persue without consequence OR appreciation I might add for those who REALLY pay for your freedom(ie, slave labourer's in GAP factories, Middle Eastern and African conflicts to provide you with cheap oil, which you call gas for some reason, the environment which will probably give up the ghost on us soon enough).

Ok, so this is my personal rant, and in my country you don't get the right to say whatever you want, so all I have is a forum about video games in which to express my impotent and ineffectual opinions.

Since when have "middle eastern and african conflicts" given us cheap oil?
Just this week gas has risen almost $.50, due to some dumbass idea that while we're using less, somehow the supply has been in question. If there's even a whiff of trouble anywhere in the world, the supply is in question. Penguin got eaten? That affects the supply! +$1.50 a gallon!

But I will say, the media has no integrity, the people of governments and corporations are quite corrupt (as anywhere), and Manifest Destiny is no longer part of America. If it were, Afghanistan would be state number 51 and Iraq number 52.

 

[MikeOfThunder]

we've consistently fallen behind of other western nations in level of freedom granted to their citizens

You're so right! We are so far behind other Western countries! After all, we are stupid enough to think that privacy is a good thing. Why can't we be more like Britain and monitor our citizens every move?

Bing! True, true! I am a citizen of the most watched nation on earth and couldn't be happier

Its very true though and quite scary...

Instead of looking at the 'big picture' of nations and economies, look at what you as an individual have. I find most of the time people complain so much about the things their country is bad for, that they tend not to stop and think of all the good things.


Your Slavery thingy. - Yes it wasn't in high speed to end slavery but remember that slavery is not just a recent profession of the western nations. It is one of the oldest professions that humanity has endured. The USA, for whatever reason, did abolish it. - Can't that be classed as a positive in itself?

 

[Atomiczombi]

Oh yeah and Canada has the highest immigration rate in the world. Sorry bud. I guess America receives a lot of immigrants because everyone's using it as a pit stop on the way up north ahaahaha

An yet again, we are the highest immigrant population. Canada is number seven on the list. So sorry bud, do your research.

The highest immigration rate in the world is actually the United Arab Emirates at almost 23 immigrants/1000 people. Canada is 18th at 5.63/1000 and the US is 25th at 4.31/1000.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2112rank.html

 

[Mcupobob]

Either leave the country or try to help change it, But don't just site around and ***** about how bad we are.

 

[awsome117]

Eh. I love America. Don't see why I shouldn't. We have done and do many great things, and we've done bad things as well. Like every other country out there, we do good and bad things.

I don't feel the need to explain why I love America and why I love living in America, as not only is this just another bash on America(I am still confused as to why people keep going back to America, when many European nations have done FAR worse things) but it's my home.

Do I think we're perfect? No. Do I think we're terrible? No.

Don't like living in America, then you can leave. No one is stopping you.