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Old 09-07-2014, 04:38 PM
 
Location: Near L.A.
4,108 posts, read 10,757,451 times
Reputation: 3444

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Quote:
Originally Posted by dysgenic View Post
I don't like to use the word 'hate', but I do dislike America intensely. (btw I am an American, not a foreigner)

There are many reasons for this, but my number one problem with America the pretense by which America operates.

Examples:

1 America claims to be a bastion of freedom, yet we nothing close to a free country.
2 America claims to be a nation of justice, but the entire system is based upon corruption, fraud, and graft.
3 America claims to be a Christian nation, yet Christians are shunned and oppressed.
4 America claims to be a nation of opportunity and social mobility, yet the opposite is generally true.
1 America still has greater economic and investment freedoms than most of the countries of the EU, save for possibly Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. America still have the lowest overall cost of living among industrialized countries. Yes, rural parts of Portugal and Spain may be dirt cheap, and cities like San Francisco and New York may be ridiculously expensive, but I'm talking about generalities. America has more firearms freedoms than anyplace in the western world, even more so than Switzerland. Americans, on the other hand, unfortunately have to contend with BS from NSA, but then the Brits are dealing with the same problem, too.

Lastly, even with America's new health insurance mandate, we still (for now) have a great deal of flexibility, options, and ranges of some of the most advanced healthcare techniques in the world--and poor people can pay it back ever so slowly on payment plans! You might get "free" healthcare in Canada, The Netherlands, and the U.K., but are their general predicaments and outcomes for healthcare solutions the quality that you expect in the U.S.? The primary, if not only, reasons that U.S. life expectancies are lower are because we have such terribly unhealthy diets and, in most places, not enough places to safely walk around outside (culs-de-sac lack sidewalks, not every neighborhood has a park, etc.)

I'd still argue that America is more free (for now!!) than most of the rest of the industrialized world.

2 Go to countless countries in Africa, south Asia, and, hell, even just below us in Mexico and the Caribbean if you want to see corruption. The corruption found in U.S. states like Louisiana, Illinois and Florida, while admittedly noticeable, pales in comparison to what exists outside our borders.

3 Well then I guess Muslims, Jews, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhists, Shintoists, Taoists, Atheists, and Agnostics are all shunned and oppressed, too.

4 Look at people who were once poor or part of the working class: Oprah Winfrey, Adam Carolla, B.B. King, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Sam Walton, Arnold Schwarzenegger... Do those names ring a bell?!

 
Old 09-07-2014, 04:43 PM
 
34 posts, read 118,686 times
Reputation: 27
i don't hate them.

can't i simply be indifferent about them?? why do they always expect people either to want to immigrate there or to hate them...but no 3rd option.
 
Old 09-07-2014, 05:26 PM
 
Location: M I N N E S O T A
14,799 posts, read 21,397,688 times
Reputation: 9263
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Joshua View Post
I think it's that we are isolated too. We get to f--k with everyone but they don't get to f--k with us back.
True, we are culturally isolated as well (not 100 percent).
Rest of the world goes crazy over Soccer, its like the fifth popular sport here and Football is only popular in the United States. and for some strange reason this makes people who aren't even American upset, they get mad at us because we don't watch the same sports as them on the other hand the majority of Americans could care less what the world thinks about our sports.

Americans also tend to stay in the country their whole lives and never set foot abroad, which again makes a lot of non Americans upset and they automatically assume that we are brainwashed and think America is the best and we have everything here so there is no need to travel the world... in reality it just takes us longer to first explore our own country considering we live in a very large and diverse place. i'm sure many people in Virginia would love to go to China or go to Japan but its easier to first go explore the Rockies, take a beach vacation in Hawaii, Road trip up to NYC, go gamble in Vegas, go visit Mt Rushmore and visit some National Parks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by alexthefalex View Post
War in Iraq, afghanistan, vietnam...
all other wars (endless list)
Support for Israël.
Stupid domestic stuff like gun violence, death penalty, **** health insurance,
**** macdonalds culture try to dominate the world
Another strange thing, non-Americans who get bothered that WE don't have universal health care when the majority of Americans prefer to not have any more government involvement in our healthcare system.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Natnasci View Post
This makes you free? Sounds like you're a frightened caged animal. The other week, someone entered Justin Trudeau's home while he was away and his wife and children were sleeping. In case you don't know Justin is the leader of the Liberal party and many think he will be the next PM.
The intruder left a note surrounded by steak knives saying something to the effect that you shouldn't leave your doors unlocked.
Ahh always have the most classy responses.
 
Old 09-07-2014, 05:40 PM
 
2,327 posts, read 2,900,542 times
Reputation: 2344
Quote:
Originally Posted by EclecticEars View Post
1 America still has greater economic and investment freedoms than most of the countries of the EU, save for possibly Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. America still have the lowest overall cost of living among industrialized countries. Yes, rural parts of Portugal and Spain may be dirt cheap, and cities like San Francisco and New York may be ridiculously expensive, but I'm talking about generalities. America has more firearms freedoms than anyplace in the western world, even more so than Switzerland. Americans, on the other hand, unfortunately have to contend with BS from NSA, but then the Brits are dealing with the same problem, too.

Lastly, even with America's new health insurance mandate, we still (for now) have a great deal of flexibility, options, and ranges of some of the most advanced healthcare techniques in the world--and poor people can pay it back ever so slowly on payment plans! You might get "free" healthcare in Canada, The Netherlands, and the U.K., but are their general predicaments and outcomes for healthcare solutions the quality that you expect in the U.S.? The primary, if not only, reasons that U.S. life expectancies are lower are because we have such terribly unhealthy diets and, in most places, not enough places to safely walk around outside (culs-de-sac lack sidewalks, not every neighborhood has a park, etc.)
Best propaganda I've read in a long while. All completely untrue unfortunately, you rank below the EU in all of these things.
 
Old 09-07-2014, 06:14 PM
 
Location: Vancouver
18,494 posts, read 15,373,990 times
Reputation: 11930
Quote:
Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3 View Post



Ahh always have the most classy responses.
I thought it was an apt metaphor…still do.
 
Old 09-07-2014, 06:25 PM
 
Location: East Coast of the United States
27,295 posts, read 28,366,245 times
Reputation: 24822
Quote:
Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3 View Post
i'm sure many people in Virginia would love to go to China or go to Japan but its easier to first go explore the Rockies, take a beach vacation in Hawaii, Road trip up to NYC, go gamble in Vegas, go visit Mt Rushmore and visit some National Parks.
Actually people in Virginia (particularly northern Virginians) generally make high household incomes. It's pretty common for them to travel to places like China and Japan. There are a lot of Asian Americans in northern Virginia as well.

But your point is well-taken.
 
Old 09-07-2014, 06:30 PM
 
Location: Toronto
15,106 posts, read 15,733,932 times
Reputation: 5191
Quote:
Originally Posted by EclecticEars View Post

Lastly, even with America's new health insurance mandate, we still (for now) have a great deal of flexibility, options, and ranges of some of the most advanced healthcare techniques in the world--and poor people can pay it back ever so slowly on payment plans! You might get "free" healthcare in Canada, The Netherlands, and the U.K., but are their general predicaments and outcomes for healthcare solutions the quality that you expect in the U.S.? The primary, if not only, reasons that U.S. life expectancies are lower are because we have such terribly unhealthy diets and, in most places, not enough places to safely walk around outside (culs-de-sac lack sidewalks, not every neighborhood has a park, etc.)

Since you made the claim, could you describe some 'advanced' practicable and proven medical techniques that are available to the average American citizen that is not available to the average Canadian, Dutch of British citizen?

Eating habits and healthy lifestyle practices are not exactly prevalent in Canada and the UK btw... lots of unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyles in those countries.. Not sure about the Netherlands. Finally, as a Canadian taxpayer - I am fully aware that my tax dollars certainly do pay for HC in Canada and is the case pretty much everywhere else.
 
Old 09-07-2014, 06:31 PM
 
Location: Vancouver
18,494 posts, read 15,373,990 times
Reputation: 11930
1
Quote:
Originally Posted by eclecticears View Post
1. Gun laws make me more free from tyranny and from the momentary control of some creep who is trying to damage my property and/or physically harm me as a person.

The government restricting what firearms i have is something i understand, even as an american. The typical person doesn't need an ak-47. Yes, i'm using the common good argument, too... But restricting my ability to use a gun for defense is an infringement on my constitutionally-granted freedom to be a member of a well-regulated militia. I'm fine with a background check and mandatory, occasional firearms training (since not all arms are guns), but i live full-time in california, and i think the firearms registration there is already way too extreme as it is. In most states, you undergo a small background check then buy the gun.

So are you a member of a well regulated militia? Are guns in the us "well regulated"?

2. How the hell am i supposed to protect myself if i were to be met with such an aforementioned scenario? I can act in 10-15 seconds. The police will take 3-10 minutes to arrive. And guess what? The criminal can act in 10-15 seconds also.

So you have your gun ready and loaded and by your side while you sleep? Take it with you when you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Have it by your side while you do your gardening?
Chances are you don't, especially if you have kids.

3. Go to orange county, carlsbad, bellevue, oldham county, hoover, lake minnetonka, or the countless, countless other middle- and upper-middle-class suburbs throughout america. Go to most small towns in kentucky, oklahoma, or west virginia. You'll find crime rates that are "canadian low," as i call it. Only in our inner cities and decrepit old industrial areas do people find such high crime rates.

Then why need a gun in your home to protect you if you don't live in those areas?

4. The police didn't press charges against the man who broke into justin trudeau's home? Am i reading this correctly?! Screw the fact that the criminal apologized, he's still a criminal. Doesn't matter that he's a drunk kid from the neighborhood and he may even be an otherwise good person. He broke the law. Hell, i'm a great, very nice person, but i've received speeding tickets before (although i've never broken into someone's home!) why? Because i deserved them and i was speeding excessively. It doesn't make me a bad person, even though i love the speed, it means that i just had to pay the consequence. So should this kid.

The police didn't press charges and trudeau was fine with the apology. He didn't damage any property since the door wasn't locked, he just walk in to what he thought was his friends house. I'm sure if trudeau wanted charges laid, it would of happened. However common sense ruled. Why charge a drunk teenager who came forward and admitted to the prank and sincerely apologized to everyone involved. He learned a lesson i'm sure. What would charging him achieve?
Your speeding can put others in danger. Rather more serious than a stupid prank.

I'm living in the netherlands right now. If someone breaks in and tries to harm me, i pretty much have to just run from the scene. Otherwise, admitted or suspected self-defense will result in my placement in jail, likely without bond, for several months as i await trail on charges of, more than likely, forceful assault. Granted, i know canada's not nearly as extreme, and it's actually kind of a "midway" between the freer gun laws of the u.s. And stricter gun laws found throughout the e.u., but i think the liberal leaders in your country would love to take you in that direction, toward even stricter enforcement.

there is no evidence of this.

My appreciation of the second amendment, as well as that of many americans, even those who identify as being left-of-center, is one thing that differentiates us as a country from canada, south korea, japan, the eu, mexico, south africa, etc., etc. And i'm quite proud of that.

Nothing wrong with being proud, but at what point do you start to question the intelligence of a questionable interpretation of an amendment that was written in the days of muskets? Do you honestly believe if your founding fathers were to come back from the dead and see the issues the us has with guns, that they would applaud you? Edit: I should also add what also differentiates your country from the rest of the industrialized world is the amount of deaths by guns.
 
Old 09-07-2014, 06:34 PM
 
Location: Montreal, Quebec
15,082 posts, read 14,259,015 times
Reputation: 9789
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natnasci View Post
This makes you free? Sounds like you're a frightened caged animal. The other week, someone entered Justin Trudeau's home while he was away and his wife and children were sleeping. In case you don't know Justin is the leader of the Liberal party and many think he will be the next PM.
The intruder left a note surrounded by steak knives saying something to the effect that you shouldn't leave your doors unlocked.

Two things I want you to notice about the story. First, a leader of a major political party in Canada does not get security…it hasn't really been needed. This incident brought this up. Our PM of course does get security.
Second no alarm system had been set, so obviously the family felt pretty safe.

My point is that in OTHER countries the idea of NEEDING a gun to protect ourselves is not a sign of freedom, but lack of freedom.

I can own a gun in Canada if I want, however a hand gun for protection at home would probably NOT be allowed. I don't see this an infringement on my freedom. I see it as common sense for the common good.
Remember common good? Something that seems lacking in your me, me,me world.

The story about Justin kind of shocked Canadians. Someone walking into a politicians home and threatening them and his family was news.

Oh, the intruder. A neighbourhood teenager who was very drunk and thought it was a friends house and he thought he was being funny by leaving the note.

When the story broke he turned himself in. Apologized to Justin and his family, and everyone for causing this ruckus. The police did not lay charges.

Now if this happened in your house? How would of it ended? I wonder.
Had this happened in the US, the drunken kid would have been shot.
I don't lock my doors and once had the meter reader stroll in to read the Hydro meter in the kitchen. He thought he heard me say "Come in."
He would have been shot as well.

Last edited by weltschmerz; 09-07-2014 at 07:21 PM..
 
Old 09-07-2014, 06:36 PM
 
352 posts, read 498,081 times
Reputation: 446
Because it has contributed negatively to the world? In terms of pollution, chain restaurants, its culture.
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