Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Is America the best country in the world and has it ever been?
Slickinfinit
Member UncommonPosts: 1,094
I am a Canadian and I hear all the time how Americans claim that their country is the best in the world but I strongly disagree for many reasons. Why does America set examples like invading other countries or rigging their own elections in favor of corporate intrests? My country like many other established nations has universal health-care but the U.S.A does not? Many countries rank higher than the U.S in education and number of youths who get post-secondary education and the school systems in most of the U.S are under funded with more and more teachers leaving the field every year.
I hear Americans say that their country is the most diverse and tolerant but why do groups like the KKK still flourish? Look at Canada if u want to see a diverse society with very little discrimination and that treats its people with dignity. America is a great country but at the moment they are not what I would call our planets best and I cant remember a time when they were? I am not trying to flame any Americans I just wanna know why alot of them think that their ability to nuke,destroy and kill everything means u are a great nation?
I personaly think with the Iraq war that the U.S set a very bad example on how to deal with problems and lost so much credibility with the world that when a real threat actualy appears dealing with it will be all the more difficult. The American people do give alot to charities around the world but if u compare the money to the American GDP then percentage wise alot of countries give alot more. Americans are losing jobs left and right to outsourcing and the middle class is beaing assaulted by the huge corporations when the expense of living keeps on goin up so how long can Americans pretend to be #1?
In my honest opinion I think Canada is the #1 nation who's example should be emulated? Imagine every country on Earth with the same laws and standards as Canada? No war! No famine! No super-rich super-poor class divides! No racism! and No George W Bush!!!
{(RIP)} SWG
Comments
1- No
2- No
3- there's nothing called best country.
4- Canada allow same sex marriage and that is the worst.
I agree with you. I think anyone who measures our superiority through our warfare is naive. First of all I don't believe in trying to be superior per se, the only reason to be "superior" is to be a role model/guide for others so they can be helped. I think countries should be measured in education, healthcare, peacekeeping, economy and of course leadership. Unfortunately America is lacking in all 5. Canada seems nice but I think too cold. New Zealand would be nice. There is really nothing special about our country anymore, we can say we have freedom but we can't even smoke a plant and then we pay taxes for all those smokers to go to jail....friggen dumb. It sounds kind of small but it's extremely unconstitutional because they just banned a harmless activity that can an is done in the "privacy" of our own home. Of course there are a bunch other issues but I felt like getting that off my chest. We are no longer sovereign.
______________________________
"When Saddam flew that plane into those buildings, I knew it was time to kick some Iranian ass!"
-cheer leading, flag waving American
Im not swiss, but I think switzerland is.. it never EVER had a war
1. No Everyone is a equal in their own way.
2.No. Now your just being a hypocrite I agree with one of the comments above gay marriage is immoral
As for smarts comments here. I think we have enough people making themselves retarded to the point where we have to pay SS through our damn tax's. The weed adding to it is wont help in any event. We dont measure ourselves through warfare we never have. Get your story straight. Penatly's will always be somewhere. Your just one of those damn drug punks on the street getting busted for it because you are so retarded that you have not figured out your killing your own brain cells. There was a reason why it was banned. Think hard on what you say before you say.
By the way I havent logged on here to post a comment in over a year.
Take a deep drink of your demon Lad, tonight we tangle with the fire in the gut.
______________________________
"When Saddam flew that plane into those buildings, I knew it was time to kick some Iranian ass!"
-cheer leading, flag waving American
This is totally subjective. A country can excel, or fail to excel, in a million different ways. What ways are the most important to you is a function of your values. America has high ideals. Sometimes we live up to them, and sometimes we don't. All I can say is that we have a lot of people in America who have a shared belief in human rights and individual liberty, whether or not we achieve that in every way and in every instance.
Any time you look at something as large as a nation, and still further the entire history of a nation, you can find a lot of which to be critical. You can also find a lot for which to be proud. I think America is a great nation. Is it the "best"? That's hard to say and it doesn't really matter.
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
Ballistic!
To answer this part: I hear Americans say that their country is the most diverse and tolerant but why do groups like the KKK still flourish?
It's this that makes us diverse. You or I may not agree with the KKK or their views, but they have the freedom to express their beliefs. Getting rid of people like this doesn't make a country more diverse, it makes it more homogenized. Everyone is the same, thinks the same. Again, the way they think doesn't jive with me. But they are free to be who they want to be.
See your problem is you're throwing all of the US population into the war mongering, blood thirsty group. Not all of us are like this. Neither are we all greedy corporate execs. We are free to be that if we want. Most of us are hard working, decent people and it's too bad our people blindly elect morons into office. It's also too bad all these "diverse" countries judge all Americans based on the actions of Bush.
To your "In my honest opinion I think Canada is the #1 nation who's example
should be emulated? Imagine every country on Earth with the same laws
and standards as Canada? No war! No famine! No super-rich super-poor
class divides! No racism! and No George W Bush!!!" comment:
Yes, lets have every person in every country all act and live exactly the same. That's great diversity there bud. All you'll ever be is what you are now, and what everyone else is. I'll take racism, upper class/lower class over a homgenized society. If I don't like what I am, I am free to change my life through working hard. The way you're explaining Canada sounds like everyone is the same and treated as such. If I work 12 hours a day and someone else sits at home and does nothing, I better have more money and more things to do. Otherwise what's the point of my 12 hour day?
Yes we are the best, in the middle of an 8 year rut. But it's almost over for Bush(finally). It will be awhile before someone like him makes it back in.
In my opnion, America is the best country in the world. Even with all that is going on these days, America still ranks as number one. Even in other parts of the world.
If you remove all that is negative, and see the good that America has to offer, you may come to understand why. There is an American Ideal. Freedom. Equality. Sharing what America has with nations that have less - even if it costs America a great sacrifice. Accepting outsiders as friends and equals (if you enter America's borders legally). The homeless person on the street has the same rights as the man in the White House. These are just some of the ideals that Americans have and believe in.
Sure there is corruption and disharmony. That happens everywhere. One reason that America looks bad to others is because America does not keep it's dirty laundy a secret. While other countrys hide or bury their dirty linen, America exposes it to the world. This allows others to know that even if you are powerful, you still have to answer to the people, to the nation.
In many countrys a person cannot even criticize their leaders. In American, the people can take them out of power without bloodshed.
If America was so terrible, why is it that people from all around the world want to come to its shores, perhaps to become Americans themselves?
I see and understand the problems facing America, but I also know the roots of the American Ideal and where it can lead us. I am an American. I am currently travelling from country to country showing different nations that Americans are friendly and approachable. That we do not want to invade them or disrupt their world. That Americans are not so different from them. We all want pretty much the same things.
This is turning out longer than I intended, and the internet on this boat might be cut off soon. So, I will end this now.
Even with bad news in the media, down the street or around the corner, America is still the best country in the world. For me.
Be seeing you. Ciao!
The way you play the game is the way you live your life.
Before you say gay marriage is immoral, look at the 50% divorce rate of heterosexual marriages. Is THAT not immoral?
The United States does not take care of its own people...no universal healthcare, one of the higher infant mortality rates in the world, etc...USA needs to take care of those things before even thinking about wasting money on wars with other countries. Before some right-wing capitalist says it's wrong to provide basic needs of life to people: you're wrong. Yes, you are wrong. Everyone should have the necessities of life to begin with, so that they are ABLE to get a job and such. I'm not talking about a welfare system that lazy people can sucker off of. I mean a truly great country that professes to believe in "equal opportunity" should give everyone in it food, shelter, healthcare, etc. so that they WILL have an equal opportunity.
I'm an American...and I am not proud.
-----------
In memory of Laura "Taera" Genender. Passed away on August 13, 2008.
http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2005/pdf/HDR05_HDI.pdf
According to the UN. USA is nr. 10. Looks like my parents picked a good country for me to grow up in
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4020523.stm
This list doesn't even rank USA in the top 10.
Now if someone feels well in a country or not, that those lists can't prove. Since this depends on you.
But they scientifically show the best countries in the world.
So:
1. No it's not the best country in the world.
2. It has been great on several areas. But overall it hasn't been the greatest country.
USA is the greatest in some areas. Economy and power specially. But it's lacking in other areas.
I personally couldn't live in the USA. 6 months ago I was considering the study in USA. But I turned it down. It was too religious, too politically different and it clashed with many of my values.
I also find it abit weird that the country that upholds freedom as one of it's greatest values, score rather bad on the list over press freedom. http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=554
-Cloudoffire-
______________________________
"When Saddam flew that plane into those buildings, I knew it was time to kick some Iranian ass!"
-cheer leading, flag waving American
Well I think I wrote what I thought was bad. It's too religious. I don't think I have to explain that one more. Politically it's totally different than me and many of my values clash with the overall american attitude. I think I would feel very well. There are many things that appeal with USA. But in the end I decided it was best not too go there. I felt the risk for me not being able to feel well in your culture and your politics was to great, to justifie the rather big expenses that education would give me.
Well I think I wrote what I thought was bad. It's too religious. I don't think I have to explain that one more. Politically it's totally different than me and many of my values clash with the overall american attitude. I think I would feel very well. There are many things that appeal with USA. But in the end I decided it was best not too go there. I felt the risk for me not being able to feel well in your culture and your politics was to great, to justifie the rather big expenses that education would give me.
Yeah i knew what you wrote but i was just wondering more details. I think your steryotyping america a little too much, I can and do clearly state my Religious views and im not persecuted. I was just wondering what some values you have that are different about american?
-Cloudoffire-
The last thing i want is a "world govt" under canadian rule.
The Canadian govt is nothing more than communism with a nice demeanor.BTW if it so bad them why are people from all around the world so desperate to come here illegal or otherwise?
Want to ENJOY an mmo?
Dont start a guild and dont be a leader or volunteer to be coleader or captain.
Just play the damn game:)
The U.S. had the potential to be a great nation. If we would have stuck with the principles laid down by our founding fathers, I think everything would have worked out.
Our biggest blemish, slavery, came to an end and we seemed to be on the right track. But things just started going downhill. Down the hill towards bigger government and less freedoms for the people. More towards majority rules and stampeding of minority rights and lack of respect for individuals.
We were headed down the right path. Had we kept going in the direction that the founding fathers pointed us in, we would have a wonderful country. Our culture would have evolved into a culture of respect for one anothers beliefs. Our culture would have encouraged a search for the uniqueness of each individual without the guilt of that journey. Our country would have maintained the promise given to each individual, not by the government, but by the peoples desire to be decent and proud of their commitment to help others.
Instead we've become a country with a behemoth government run by the special interests of this country. These special interests include the big corporations, the principle of individual gain over social responsibility, and the religious intolerance that wants to rule the people.
You can look back at the history of this nation to see it. Prohibition, income tax, growing government programs instead of community programs, over involvement in foreign affairs, racial discrimination, ideological intolerance, the federal reserve, over indulgence in ones self, the government ruling the people instead of the people overseeing the government, lack of respect for ones self... The list goes on and on.
Nothing good is going to come of this country until we get back on the road that the leaders like Thomas Jefferson tried to set us off on. Benjamin Franklin warned us of letting this happen. It's like he knew that human nature would struggle with the evolution of a new government with new ideas, and he was right.
We need to get back to individual freedoms. A sense of belonging to a community instead of a corporation. A respect for others and their uniqueness.
Besides the corporations, I think one of the biggest threats right now for this country is this religious fundamentalism that is raging. It's pitting people against each other when we should be evolving into a more tolerant and loving society. We're headed backwards.
I read people writing stuff about homosexuality and gay marriage being immoral. Those are the words to display what I mean. The fundamentalists want nothing more than to split this nation and turn it eventually into a theocratic leaning country. They don't want to celebrate individual freedoms. Or even civil rights for that matter. The old saying, the most racially divided places are churches on Sunday's is absolutely true.
I listen to a radio show on the weekdays in the morning hosted by a guy named Neal Boortz. He is a libertarian and supports gay rights. He catches hell from christians calling his show. But he's a smart enough guy to throw it right back at them in ways that trip them up to the point where most just hang up the phone.
One way he does this is by asking them a simple, but as of yet unanswered, question. If homosexuality and gay marriage are so bad and immoral, tell me how they would change or hurt society. People say that gay marriage would ruin the family. How would your neighbors being a gay couple effect your marriage or your family? Even living right next door to them. How could it destroy your marriage? Would you love your wife less? Your children less? What's the answer? The answer is it would have no effect. None, whatsoever. And that's why he's left that question open and no one has been able to answer it.
Topics like this are what is killing this country. We were intended to be a growing, diverse, and accepting nation. One that helped the weak and respected individuality, creativity, and free thought and ideas. Our founding fathers were some of the most radical thinkers of their time. And now we've let them down.
--------------------------------------
The last thing i want is a "world govt" under canadian rule.
The Canadian govt is nothing more than communism with a nice demeanor.BTW if it so bad them why are people from all around the world so desperate to come here illegal or otherwise?
Yeah, I see us having to fight back the Canadians over the northern border all the time.
BTW, I have read countless reports about the Canadian health care system vs the American health care system. In some respects, ours is better. But in MOST respects theirs kicks ours butt.
Their health care is immensely cheaper. And this whole myth about having to wait for a procedure to be done or to see a doctor was proven to be a myth.
Just ask one the canadians on this board. We'll take a matter such as migraine headache. I get these and the first time I needed to see a doctor it took me waiting 2 months to see a neurologist. Maybe one of our canadian friends could tell us if the case is the same over there.
And check on getting an appointment to a dermatologist over here. That's even longer.
Alsot, it took me a week and a half to have an ACL scheduled. How about a case like that?
And if you're a veteran and need to go tot he VA for care. Better start your funeral plans.
I think you'll be surprised to find that the wait time is about the same or actually even less for those cases in Canada.
Dont be ridiculous, we (europians) pay for healthcare and education with taxes. Nothing is free in this world.
There is nothing immoral about gay marriage or civil unions. It would have no effect on our society whatsoever other than giving rights to a group of people once denied them. Denying rights is immoral.
No one is going to be able to answer that question with any kind of response that makes sense. You just wait and see. It will all be based off the Bible. Which they think it supposed to be the authority for everyone. That too shows where they're coming from. They don't want to live in a free society. They want to live in a society where the Bible is the authority for laws.
News Flash. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and other founding fathers of this nation were not christians. They were deists. The modern day equivelant is the Unitarian Universalists. Look them up and see what their beliefs are. If we'd stuck to their plan this is what our countries beliefs would have evolved into; The Unitarian beliefs. Instead the evangelicals gained power through coercion, intimidation, and power grabbing.
DEISM - WIKIPEDIA
So, you're being led away from the original American dream by Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. That should make you proud.
-----------------------
</OBAMA>
I'll focus on a number of topics that were brought up in this thread. I will hopefully give my opinion on each topic and give my insight as an American. The first topic I will discuss, "Is America the best country in the world and has it ever been?" I believe you can't place a "rank" on any country.The "Best Country of Earth" award you seem to be wanting, isn't realistic. Like previous posters have stated, each country is unique and adds or takes away something that makes this planet the best. When it comes down to America's past, I will say that the United States has been very successful in economic ventures and its ability to express freedoms. We were the only nation to announce our governship under the Lord God. I will acknowledge this nation's departure from our forefathers and from the biblical absolutes it was founded upon. I have often said as I have studied the American lifestyle that, "if our forefathers were given the opportunity to see what their country as turned into they would weep." For a time, the U.S. was once a great nation that provided protection for Latin America, offered aide to other nations, but most importantly, sent missions to educate the world about Jesus Christ. To give you a clear answer, Is America the best country in the world and has it ever been? No.
Many of you view America as a nation that thrives on "imperialistic" views. I don't know the true desire of my President or the desire of my government. However, I have been instructed by my God to follow my authority. I believe that Bush isn't a tyrant. I would not place George W. Bush up next to Saddam Hussein. Many of you seem to do so.
Many of you that are Americans have expressed that you aren't proud of being born in this fair country. Others have stated they rather leave and emigrate to a "better" country. I encourage you to do so. When you do go though, don't come back. Honestly, I get a hot head when I hear my fellow countrymen say these things. If it is so bad, "get the hell out of dodge." Go join one of the many Socialistic nations, or maybe a Communist state would suite you? I'll stick with a corrupt Republic.
Before I end my discussion, I'd like to leave you all with this thought. Was Rome the best country-state in the world? The U.S. and the Roman Empire are very similiar, in my opinion.
Regards,
SpiritCrawler
"In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don''t." -Blaise Pascal
Read this for real this time. All the way through. And pay close attention! Most of our founding fathers were DEISTS!!! That is not christian by any respects. They couldn't have built a nation on personal freedoms if they were christians. It takes a deist point of view to give you the freedom for the radical ideas of their time.
DEISM - WIKIPEDIA
Be sure not to miss that part about 18th century popularity!!!!!
-----------------------
</OBAMA>
Regards,
SpiritCrawler
"In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don''t." -Blaise Pascal