Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The actual poll this "opinion" is based on is not partisan as the author would like to make it. Some of the findings are very good like:
more than 3/4 of Americans find the fair judicial system, rule of law, Constitutional freedoms and liberties, and the ability to achieve the American dream central tenets of America's identity.
What I actually don't like are artificial nations, only held together through propaganda and force. America of today would disintegrate overnight without the heavy-hand of government.
You have to understand, when I first came to this forum, I was a liberal. Some of my earliest posts on this forum were about "happy countries". Which at the time, I mistakenly associated with socialism.
The question of happiness was very important to me at the time because I was very depressed, and had even attempted suicide. I was trying to figure out what would make me happy.
One of the first articles I found about countries and happiness, was this.
Small, homogeneous countries tend to be happier than large/diverse countries. But why?
For the most part, its because there is more agreement, which leads to greater trust, greater cooperation, and lower crime rates, and thus more safety/security.
I hate to sound too coarse, but diversity causes nothing but harm. And I mean all diversity, including income-inequality.
If you read the article above, all you need to do is imagine a neighborhood that was 100% Mormon, or even 100% Muslim. You would probably see children playing together. Most of the people on the block would probably know each other. They would go to Church together. The kids could probably play outside without much worry(especially if it was gated to keep everyone else out). They might even celebrate holidays together. With all the families coming together together to throw some block festival/parties.
Now imagine you took the Mormons and Muslims and tossed them together on the same block, what would happen? It would be just as the article explains. People would stop interacting with each other. They would begin to hide in this homes, shutting themselves off from the world.
What we've seen in America over the last several decades, is a complete loss of trust in the system, and in each other.
How do you get that back? And can you get it back?
The problem with liberals, is that they have destroyed this country, because they don't know what a country is. And honestly, they don't care, because they don't really believe in countries to begin with. They imagine a world without borders, their glorious diverse utopia.
The problem is, it doesn't work, and it makes us miserable.
My only question is, how much longer can this mess be maintained? And if it begins to crumble, what will they be forced to do to "save" it?
So, now we get down to it. Blame the liberals.
I don't really know what it is that you want to "get back." The US has been a nation of immigrants, of diverse backgrounds, from the very beginning.
People are, indeed, often shut off from their neighbors in this country, but I can find a whole lot of factors other than diversity to blame for that. Mobility is part of it: people who move around a lot are less likely to form and maintain friendships with their neighbors. The information age is part of it, too. Why bother to get to know the people around you when you can keep in touch with friends and family across the country with the click of a mouse?
Increased access to information, or more accurately, different opinions about information, has played a part, as well. A few decades ago, we all watched one of two or three newscasts, and we trusted those reporters to give us the facts. Today, it is possible to consume only media that supports what we already believe, or want to believe, at the exclusion of anything that might challenge our world view.
On to happy countries.
First of all, I am sorry that you went through such a dark phase in your life. I, too, have struggled with depression, and I know how painful it is. I hope with all my heart that you are doing better now.
I have a bit of a theory about happy countries, and it does not reflect well on what many people consider the American ideal. I think we place far too much emphasis on material success, often at the expense of our families, friendships, and even physical and mental health. I've studied happy countries, too, and one of the things you don't generally see as a feature is the phenomenon of the workaholic, people who strive for a job that offers a month's vacation, and then never take it. They work to live, instead of living to work.
I guess it's pretty clear to me, at this point, that the problem you have with America is that it is too diverse. What I am less clear about is what you would do about it. Do we just split up into dozens of tiny countries, united from within by religion, ethnicity, or economics? If so, how? And if not, if we are to remain a single nation, do we simply throw certain people out? If so, which ones, and how do we decide who really has an "American" identity? That was the point of my first post, the one you found so foolish: I've lived in many different place here, from Chicago to Alaska to a Midwestern town of about 100 souls. To me, they were all America.
I am not saying the US is perfect, far from it. But for the time being, we are stuck with each other. Isn't there some way to make the best of that?
I said it was based on Christian "principles". The Ten Commandments come to mind. I would think that all or most religions or atheists would adhere to that idea of living a life that doesn't harm others.
As an Atheist, I thank god we were founded by Christians and not some other religion or Communists for that matter. If we were I wouldnt be free to not believe in a god or not. If we were founded by Muslims we would be like Saudi Arabia or Iran. If we were founded by Hindus we be like India, and on and on.
The loose marbles roll down to Florida. Let them have at it.
Fortunately there are noise ordinances in some places and enforcement. There is simply a lot of rudeness and lack of consideration for others as society becomes more narcissistic.
Loose marbles. Haha thats cute. Another anemic attempt at insulting. Gotta do better than that
I must have lived in what you and the leaf behind the chit post suggesting I be executed, considered the rudest county in upstate NY, for everyone up until cityiots from NYC bought up farms for subdividing for weekend/summer homes, enjoyed many of the same things I did.
I left NY for its over taxation.
NO STATE INCOME TAXES HERE!
Property taxes are a third of what I used to pay in NY.
SAFE ACT, Outlawing of my ARs AKs SKS
Ammo Restrictions
Noise ordinance? Perhaps inside some cityiot snowbird town. Im not the only kid on the block with a loud Harley, or loud truck. Dude down the road from me has a straight piped challenger and flat foots it when he goes by the house. That car sounds amazing. If I'm outside I smile, give him the thumbs up.
Currently I'm looking to acquire 50 acres in Okeechobee. But I'll be considerate to snowflakes like you and the leaf, like Trump, I'll build a wall around the property. It will be a great wall. Yuge. That way I can shoot my guns 24 hours a day outside, rip around on my toys, and folks like you can call the cops all you want. Just like the property in NY, had a big metal gate. Want to step foot on my property? Come back with a warrant. Otherwise F off.
People shoot off mortars and fireworks for parties all of the time. Have at it. I'm not going to complain about someone having a good time.
4th of July, New Year's Eve, Memorial Day, Labor day... Fireworks everywhere.
All you're really saying is, "If you're like us, and you share our culture, our interests, and our values, then you are welcome."
In essence, that is exactly what I am saying.
That isn't really true. The colonies weren't settled by the same people. And if you look at the individual colonies, they didn't exactly have religious freedom. The Puritans of New England were zealots. And even after the Revolutionary War, many states still had a de-facto state religion.
Basically, each religion had its own colony, or controlled a region within a colony. And the federal and state governments had almost no power.
At that time, the vast-majority of the people lived more-or-less like the Amish. The largest city in America only had a population of like 30,000 people. And cities back then, just like now, were the only place where diverse people ever came into contact with each other.
And if you understand the history, you'll realize that the cities themselves were even heavily segregated.
Each "block" or "side of town" generally represented different ethnic or religious groups.
It is true that many people came to America because they felt persecuted in Europe. But when they got here, they created religious colonies, and began persecuting everyone else.
Also, the first amendment starts out by saying "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion".
The reason it says Congress, is because the Bill of Rights didn't apply to the states when the Constitution was written. The First Amendment was only a limitation on the Federal government. The states could, and often did, pass many laws to establish religion within their borders.
The idea that the First Amendment is a general right, applied to individual citizens, came about as a result of something called the "Incorporation doctrine", back in 1925.
Before 1925, there was no such thing as a general right to religious freedom.
Key word hoss-Cities.
Cities were heavily segregated.
Don't have that problem in rural areas. Especially when you have more important things to worry about than your culture, like gathering food, building shelter... yet, somehow rural people are all racist...
We're equal opportunity hell raisers. Everyones welcome.
This "redneck, hillbilly" (whatever you consider me) has friends of various backgrounds.
Know why?
I'm not fickle. It's interesting learning others cultures and tasting their foods.
Only color that matters to me is green.
Money.
John Deere.
I am not, nor have I ever, advocated treating women badly, or as less worthy than men. However, I think you are making some pretty offensive assumptions by equating traditional modest attire with abuse, and making even broader assumptions by assuming there is only one religion that expects such behavior.
If you really want to be helpful, why not just be there for women who reach out for help, and allow them the dignity of deciding for themselves whether or not they are victims?
Modest attire? I wouldn't call being covered from head to toe with a heavy robe like attire and a face covering that only reveals their eyes as modest attire. I went to Sea World with my wife a few years ago and it was a hot day. There was a woman dressed like that and she was following who was apparently her husband a few feet behind him. We both felt sorry for her. You can't tell me that seeing my wife dressed in cool clothes for the day didn't make the robed woman wince. What kind of religion would treat their women that way?
Your idea of freedom and a good time is disturbing the peace, destroying things and killing things for pleasure. That kind of moronic, destructive behaviour got the perpetrators exiled or executed in any society in any country in the past when populations were smaller. Why should that kind of barbaric disruption be tolerated now in America or any other civilized society when populations are hundreds of times more than what they were in the past?
Personally I think that the barbarians who behave that way should still be getting exiled or executed today the way they were in the past, them and the people who support and enable them.
.
LOL... you must be the life of the party ! SMH....
Christian values huh? yea after they killed every living soul they met here- the list was passed out-- the founding father were not all Christians... We had some values- but we were not wound too tight back then either
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
we were founded by Christians and not some other religion or Communists for that matter. If we were I wouldnt be free to not believe in a god or not. If we were founded by Muslims we would be like Saudi Arabia or Iran. If we were founded by Hindus we be like India, and on and on.
yet, somehow rural people are all racist...
