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Had the OP suggested they are embarrassed to be an American because of things like
Most Americans cannot name their own congressman, or two members of the supreme court, or know who the Vice President is.... well then we might have some common ground.
but suggesting that America is such an awful place because America has not given them their laundry list of freebies is kind of silly.
No Vacation Time Mandate by Employer
No Free Healthcare 1776-2013
The Pledge of Allegiance
Low Minimum Wage
No Pay Maternity Leave
I'm embarrassed folks like you call yourselves "American". My job is NOT to provide for you. Don't like your lot in life, change it?
Think America is the problem? Move. You'll find out quickly that it's YOU that's the problem and that the grass isn't exactly greener in socialist based countries.
The average American is a good and upright person...but they are embarrassed because of the poor reputation America has abroad. Recently I hopped on a street car in Toronto...I met and older woman...who was with her daughter and grand daughter...They were three generations of Texans ....wonderful friendly people.. as we got to the core of the city we all went down into the subway and stood on the platform chatting....a stranger approached the older Texan and asked for directions. I interjected and said..."They don't know- they are American tourists".....
The look I got from the grandmother clearly said - Why did you tell her that....She was embarrassed to be identified as an American. I really did not understand why she would be...They were intelligent attractive people....I do have one regret about that short meeting....The daughter was very warm and friendly...She was also the classic Texas beauty and single...
Maybe she was embarassed because she thought the stranger might think you were part of their group?
I am not embrassed to be an American. I am embrassed by the following however:
- The current administration and their lack of belief in the American people
- The current administration and their energy policies
- The current administration and the promises they have made and broken
- The current administration and the sheer stupidity of Biden, Pelosi, Reid & Obama
- The current administration and the economic disaster the government has placed us in
- The current administration and their manipulation of the media and the propaganda they produce
- The people who are fooled by this corrupt and evil administration (well, I am more embarssed for them)
I don't know what the Pledge has to do with being ashamed to be an American. As pledges go, the one for the USA is a pretty well-written on. Some countries have less than impressive pledges. Ours is short and sweet - though I'm not all that thrilled with the "Under God" part, it's not a deal-breaker to me. The sentiment is in the right place.
I get vacation time, even though I'm only a part-time employee in a retail job. One week's pay, once a year, and here's the fun part - I get paid that week's extra paycheck, whether I take a vacation or not. I'd like to see some cushy office job worker get an extra paycheck, on top of scheduled work pay, without having to actually take the time off. It's like getting double-time for a week.
Healthcare - my husband and I don't pay premiums. We only pay the very reasonable co-pay ($10 for office visits, $50 for ER visits, $100 if we get admitted as an in-patient).
Connecticut's minimum wage is among the highest in the country - $8.65/hour. Our cost of living is also among the highest in the country. If we raise the wage, the cost of living will go up (because those companies paying that minimum wage now have to raise their prices to their customers if they want to maintain the same profit margin. This is very simple, very basic economics). I get more than minimum wage for my part-time retail job, but then, I'm both skilled AND educated, and both are valued even in retail.
Pay Maternity Leave - so someone who needs to take two months off to have their baby, and then another two months off to have her baby and breastfeed it on demand, should get paid to NOT be at work for 4 months? How about - no. They're allowed to take time off if needed, and I believe there are even some state mandates to pay them for a week or two. And of course the immediate days prior to and following the birth itself falls under the "sick time" leave, which is paid and mandated already.
Personally I'd like to see mandated birthday pay. I would also like to see Black Friday abolished to the extent that stores are not -allowed- to open on the Friday following Thanksgiving, until 9AM, and all except food shops required to close for Thanksgiving - with food shops being required to close no later than 6PM on Thanksgiving (being allowed to close earlier if they'd like, or stay closed the entire day if they prefer). I'd also like to see Labor Day be a mandated day off for ALL retail employees. In fact, I'd like to see only the basic necessities of civilization working on Labor Day - fire dept, police dept, emergency health services, hospitals, security companies, volunteer food pantries. All other paid employees nationwide should be required to take a day off, with pay. And anyone who -is- required to work on Labor day, should get paid triple-time with a minimum of 4 hours pay.
You want to talk about what we -should- feel entitled to, let's talk something the majority of people will actually benefit from. Men don't get pregnant. They can't benefit from maternity leave. Most people don't get paid minimum wage - they wouldn't benefit from a higher one and would actually suffer from it because of higher prices to the consumer. Hourly employees typically DO get paid vacation time - however, some don't, but on the other hand, those are the types of jobs where you're only working 3 days a week anyway - you get 4 days "vacation" every week. If you want to get paid for them, get a second job and work for those other 4 days. Job #1 shouldn't be responsible for padding your paycheck for time you don't work, just because you feel like taking time off. That is a privilege, and not a right.
Healthcare is not, never was, and never will be free. You will always pay for it in one way or another. Either by maintaining a lifestyle of poverty - or by paying taxes - or by paying cash.
Nope, only what was given to us by the OP.....and they clearly stated they were tourist....then they changed their story to one lives there....
reading comprehension...
"reading comprehension" an admonishment over semantics ~ seriously?
While usage of the word "they" is not completely inappropriate in referring to a single poster, it lends confusion to a post stating within the same sentence the singular "OP" as the person described by the response ALONG with the plural use of "they" to describe the multiple subjects of the post, also within the same sentence.
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