Poll: What's so good about America?

[skywalkerlion]

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?

Yeah real freedom, the freedom to not marry if your homosexual, the freedom to be oppressed if your Black or Hispanic, the freedom to be monitored by the government and arrested without reason thanks to the Patriot act I don't think that's the freedom I want. At least in the UK I can do whatever I want and not be oppressed due to my race, nationality or sex.

Let's hold up here. What do you mean exactly to 'be oppressed'? I dunno what you want to believe, but you'll find asshole racists all over the world, not just in stereotypical America. And no matter what gender or race you are, you can get into the government. Might not be as easy (because of racists, found everywhere, and like I said, not just in America), but you still can. Look at the 08 (I can't remember if it was January 09 or late 08, so whatever) elections, a black man WON, and a woman ran and got very close to winning to the final vote.

EDIT: I should also add the one of the only things you are not free to do is to be homosexual and marry someone. Which I agree is retarded.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

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?

At least in the UK I can do whatever I want and not be oppressed due to my race, nationality or sex.

Didn't you guys just have the leader of a party appear on national television who basically is racist and opposed to immigrants?

Perhaps you should read your own news sometime.

The National British Party are like the Westboro Baptist Church here:

they have no real power, and no influence, except within their own ranks

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

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?

Yeah real freedom, the freedom to not marry if your homosexual, the freedom to be oppressed if your Black or Hispanic, the freedom to be monitored by the government and arrested without reason thanks to the Patriot act I don't think that's the freedom I want. At least in the UK I can do whatever I want and not be oppressed due to my race, nationality or sex.

Let's hold up here. What do you mean exactly to 'be oppressed'? I dunno what you want to believe, but you'll find asshole racists all over the world, not just in stereotypical America. And no matter what gender or race you are, you can get into the government. Might not be as easy (because of racists, found everywhere, and like I said, not just in America), but you still can. Look at the 08 (I can't remember if it was January 09 or late 08, so whatever) elections, a black man WON, and a woman ran and got very close to winning to the final vote.

and as to gay marriage...

 

[Absimilliard]

I'm Norwegian, and can therefore be rather smug here, as my country's been voted "best to live in" by the U.N. umpteen times in a row. Here, like in Sweden, we pay high taxes, but have free health care, a minimum pension, and minimum wages that are a lot higher than in the U.S. I suppose high taxes sound a lot worse if you don't make enough to eat even with 0 % tax.

Oh, and we have gay marriages.

And has anyone here read the PATRIOT act? It's a good read until you remember it's an actual law, after which you'll cry a bit for mankind...

Even though I take issue with several things about America (economical policy, wars, guns, homophobia, fanatical devotion etc.), I know Americans have many things to be proud of as well, and the only two Americans I've actually met were very nice.

Still, though: compared to other western countries: very bad. This cemented by the fact that the U.S. has the biggest differences between the poor and the rich in the world.

 

[Lord George]

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?

At least in the UK I can do whatever I want and not be oppressed due to my race, nationality or sex.

Didn't you guys just have the leader of a party appear on national television who basically is racist and opposed to immigrants?

Perhaps you should read your own news sometime.

Yeah we had him on and gave him his right to free speech (we don't have a biased news system here you see, we give everyone the right to say what they want), he was then laughed at for being an out of touch racist nutter and got ripped to pieces by the other partys representatives, it was quite funny to watch.

So yeah maybe you should look into things before just shouting out what you've heard, its like all the Americans shouting about 1984 and Britian becoming a totalitarian state,

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?

Yeah real freedom, the freedom to not marry if your homosexual, the freedom to be oppressed if your Black or Hispanic, the freedom to be monitored by the government and arrested without reason thanks to the Patriot act I don't think that's the freedom I want. At least in the UK I can do whatever I want and not be oppressed due to my race, nationality or sex.

Let's hold up here. What do you mean exactly to 'be oppressed'? I dunno what you want to believe, but you'll find asshole racists all over the world, not just in stereotypical America. And no matter what gender or race you are, you can get into the government. Might not be as easy (because of racists, found everywhere, and like I said, not just in America), but you still can. Look at the 08 (I can't remember if it was January 09 or late 08, so whatever) elections, a black man WON, and a woman ran and got very close to winning to the final vote.

I know its not just America but they do seem to have the largest amount of ignorant racist nutters (though also lots of sane people), whereas in most other Western countries its not as much of a problem. The same with American applauding itself and patting itself on the back for *gasp* electing a black man, when the rest of the world had got past the whole race and gender thing years ago (hell we elected a women in the 70's). Also its depressing that you can't get elected in America without being an Atheist when in other countries religion doesn't even enter into things. Still I believe America can change and become a truly brilliant country, just needs time, you gave us Buffy the Vampire slayer after all so you must be doing something right.

 

[CloakedOne]

I'm going to take the high road and say that there are many things to like about America. There are many things to dislike, too, but I'm glad that I live in the US because I like being able to say what I want without having to die for it necessarily. We live in a country that is striving for improvement regarding what is socially acceptable. Not everyone is moving toward it and it is moving slowly, but there is progress. Imagine a country in which women were still second-class, a place in which a person who does not conform to the norms are either exiled or killed, a place without such great variety and free thought. Are there countries just as good as the US? Better? That's all a matter of perspective. Our land isn't perfect by a long shot, but I like it here despite the dumb hicks, the religion-shoving Christians, the hypocritical racists who call others racist, and the backwards 50's people who still believe that a woman belongs in the kitchen. We're no Utopia, but it's still a pretty good place to live.

 

[Dark assassin for hire]

list of good things about america:
1 Baseball
2 microsoft
3 um... Baseball agian
4 Bas- oh wait i said that already
5 Hawii
6 Baseball (the yankees won this year. THATS RIGHT RED SOX FANS! THE PHILLIES LOST! )
7 um...
8 Hollywood
9 Chicago
10 um... Canada is our hat and mexico is our goatee...?

In case you didnt figure it out yet, I AM NOT VERY PATRIOTIC!

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

America is awesome. Here's why

B52 MITO (Minimum Interval Take Off)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7niLYSVFo

So, to recap:

7,320,000 pounds of airborne pain.

1,050,000 pounds of conventional bombs or 360 nuclear weapons.

No other nation can do this.

We can do it about a dozen times, by which time the first squadron has rearmed, refueled, reloaded.

the American military industrial complex is part of what is horribly wrong with this country

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

I'm British, so this opinion might offend some.

I think America is a country very different from many others. I think that although it may have close ties to Britain, everything about the way they think and act has fundamental differences to British opinions. I often do not agree with these ways of thinking.

However, I don't dislike America because of it. I think that they are actualy doing pretty well, and while they could stand to change some things, too much might actually damage America.

Thus, my opinion is average. It's not great, but it could be a hell of a lot worse.

 

[skywalkerlion]

I'm an American citizen, and people try to tell me I should be patriotic and all that crap. In school they play the pledge of allegiance over the loud speaker as everyone else stands chanting it in a cult-like manner as I stand in confusion at their actions.

What is so good about this country? We were founded by men who, although having good ideals for the rights of man, still advocated slavery. In fact, we were the LAST western country to get rid of slavery.

Before that, the continent was "discovered" (a good 400 years after it was found by the vikings and thousands of years after settlement of it by the Indians) by a murdering, enslaving, twat (Christopher Columbus) who had no qualms about killing for greed.

Other than our initial founding as a nation, which, although including slavery, was progressive for the time- we've consistently fallen behind of other western nations in level of freedom granted to their citizens, and the level of economic cooperation facilitated between our citizens.

So, I ask you, the people of the Escapist:

What's so good about America, if there is anything?

Like I say to most people who talk about how shitty America is, justified by how we had slavery (120 years ago..): Get out of the 1900s (to the 50s, and I apologize for saying that super retarded phrase: get outta the___) when it actually somewhat mattered (not saying we should erase anything about slavery, I mean that it's something alot of people point out, and it's normally for ignorant reasons -.-) It's also kinda ironic, because people ***** about how Americans should 'move on' from 9/11, but everyones sooo eager to point out we were the last country to abolish slavery. Which was 120 years ago. If not more.

[/end rant]

I like what we stand for, and how badass the Marines are.

Even though I think Spetsnaz are badass as well.

Ok, I'll get out of the past:

Most European nations now allow homosexual marriage. We, for the most part, do not

I was really only ranting about how you pointed out the slavery thing. I agree with you on your points of how kinda silly it is you pledge to the flag EVERY DAMN DAY, and that homosexuals can't marry, which is retarded. Sorry if I came off as America's *****, even though I'm still kinda biased.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

I'm an American citizen, and people try to tell me I should be patriotic and all that crap. In school they play the pledge of allegiance over the loud speaker as everyone else stands chanting it in a cult-like manner as I stand in confusion at their actions.

What is so good about this country? We were founded by men who, although having good ideals for the rights of man, still advocated slavery. In fact, we were the LAST western country to get rid of slavery.

Before that, the continent was "discovered" (a good 400 years after it was found by the vikings and thousands of years after settlement of it by the Indians) by a murdering, enslaving, twat (Christopher Columbus) who had no qualms about killing for greed.

Other than our initial founding as a nation, which, although including slavery, was progressive for the time- we've consistently fallen behind of other western nations in level of freedom granted to their citizens, and the level of economic cooperation facilitated between our citizens.

So, I ask you, the people of the Escapist:

What's so good about America, if there is anything?

Like I say to most people who talk about how shitty America is, justified by how we had slavery (120 years ago..): Get out of the 1900s (to the 50s, and I apologize for saying that super retarded phrase: get outta the___) when it actually somewhat mattered (not saying we should erase anything about slavery, I mean that it's something alot of people point out, and it's normally for ignorant reasons -.-) It's also kinda ironic, because people ***** about how Americans should 'move on' from 9/11, but everyones sooo eager to point out we were the last country to abolish slavery. Which was 120 years ago. If not more.

[/end rant]

I like what we stand for, and how badass the Marines are.

Even though I think Spetsnaz are badass as well.

Ok, I'll get out of the past:

Most European nations now allow homosexual marriage. We, for the most part, do not

I was really only ranting about how you pointed out the slavery thing. I agree with you on your points of how kinda silly it is you pledge to the flag EVERY DAMN DAY, and that homosexuals can't marry, which is retarded. Sorry if I came off as America's *****, even though I'm still kinda biased.

That was just because most of my friends always bring up to me that America used to be so good and has just gone of course in the last decade.

Unfortunately, this is not the case

 

[GreyWolf257]

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.

I like how you skipped half of my fucking sentence. Truly top notch sir

Note that I put a "..." where I cut your sentence, as I thought it useless to comment upon it. I chose to only speak of the part I had quoted. But now you have my statement, and there is no need for you to be as upset as you are, it comes off as slightly immature.

Oh, and are you a socialist? Just put the answer in an EDIT on your opening post. I don't mean to offend you, I just answered your thread. You can't expect everyone to feel the way you do.

 

[UltraParanoia]

the American military industrial complex is part of what is horribly wrong with this country

I'm glad you think so, but I don't. I think people constantly looking for reasons to bash their home country are what's horribly wrong with this contry. You live in america, you don't like it, fuckin leave.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

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.

I like how you skipped half of my fucking sentence. Truly top notch sir

Note that I put a "..." where I cut your sentence, as I thought it useless to comment upon it. I chose to only speak of the part I had quoted. But now you have my statement, and there is no need for you to be as upset as you are, it comes off as slightly immature.

Oh, and are you a socialist? Just put the answer in an EDIT on your opening post. I don't mean to offend you, I just answered your thread. You can't expect everyone to feel the way you do.

its just that you cut out the part where I talked about civil liberties which i find equally important to me as my socialist economics.

yeah

 

[cuddly_tomato]

America is awesome. Here's why

B52 MITO (Minimum Interval Take Off)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7niLYSVFo

So, to recap:

7,320,000 pounds of airborne pain.

1,050,000 pounds of conventional bombs or 360 nuclear weapons.

No other nation can do this.

We can do it about a dozen times, by which time the first squadron has rearmed, refueled, reloaded.

Odd that. The USA has got loads of weapons, but everyone is in a tizzy about Iran having them. Strange world isn't it?

 

[Jak The Great]

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.

I'm not sure about how conservatives fit into those categories

of course the reason all of these things are present in our country is because we have freedoms. Anyone (no matter how off their views on society are) has the right to say what they want. It's here that we run into the gray area. Where does your right to free speech end? Does it end? or does Society need to develop a method for letting people know they're crossed the boundaries? I could say that all the Jews must be exterminated. I think we can all agree that Genocide is not something that should be endorsed, however do we have the right to silence my argument?

The reason I think this country is great is because people say things like that and it's not the government telling us that that's not ok, it's the people themselves making that 'rule'. And to say that we're more racist, xenophobic and homophobic is just silly. These issues have been with humanity since the dawn of time.

 

[Del-Toro]

Why does everyone seem to group conservatives with racists, homophobes ect. We aren't all like that, and we aren't all bible thumpers. I personally don't see what the issue with gay people is, I mean, they're here (they're queer)* and always have been, might as well learn to deal with them. But then again I'm a Canadian conservative, and we're pretty middle of the road compared to American conservatives.

OT: I went there this summer, and found it to be agreeable, and aside from that one war (which WE won, sorry America, you didn't take us over, you failed, we won and are still here thumbing our self satisfied noses at you over it) relations have been pretty good, so I said "good" on the poll

*sorry I just had to, I know it's lame but I couldn't resist.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

the American military industrial complex is part of what is horribly wrong with this country

I'm glad you think so, but I don't. I think people constantly looking for reasons to bash their home country are what's horribly wrong with this contry. You live in america, you don't like it, fuckin leave.

A. One who truly cares about his homeland would try to change what they see as wrong with it

B. I don't particularly care about my home country and am probably moving to Europe when I'm, you know, not as 15 years old as I am now

 

[Chester41585]

I love America. I think we're an exceptional country. The government, on the other hand, needs some serious change... Pun intended.

I'm all for pledging to the flag in school. I did it every day in school and loved it because in other countries, it's either assumed you're loyal, forced to be loyal, or lucky if you even have a government. I was a fortunate to have History class for my first course, even more so that it was instructed by a military veteran. When every other kid in that class was sleeping or gossiping, I was balls-deep in Constitutional history, formation of government, and the basic DNA of what made this country beautiful.

So, I recommend that, if you are a citizen of this country and for some reason hate this country, you really spend some time reading what this country is all about. Inform yourself. Listen to your teachers or professors or even your grandfather or father. This country is better than what CNN or Fox make it out to be. Freedom is our business, and business is good. And, if you still don't like it, you have the freedom to leave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1BC387ggrE

 

[Dancingman]

We have our flaws, but I think that we're an exceptional nation, European nations are also exceptional, we of the West have an exceptional heritage.