Views on America

Onesnap

What? Texas is not the "wild west"???? Ha!

Tell that to my friends in Montana. They have had not one but TWO dogs shot and killed by neighbors. No fines or penalties either. 4 broken-hearted children as a result.

You want me to tell your friends in Montana that Texas is not the "wild west"???? Not sure I see the connection.

Any state that allows 2 pets to be murdered in cold blood (very good dogs--one was a St. Bernard) is the Wild West in my opinion. I love Montana and all of the west (really, I do) but this shooting family dogs thing is INSANE.

MissTattoo

I live here and I can see why the rest of the world shakes their heads at us.

-Healthcare is terrible. But as soon as someone says socialism, people get scared and start hoarding sh it for doomsday. Everyone should be covered. We shouldn't have people dying because they can't get treatment. We shouldn't have people debating on going to see a doctor because of cost. It's ridiculous!

-Work/life balance. I'm always jealous of my friends in other countries who don't work crazy long hours and have crazy holiday time. I get 3 weeks paid time off and that's vacation and sick combined. Maternity/Paternity leave is a joke and there are jobs here where if you dare take a day off they are looking for your replacement.

-Our politics suck. My goodness. Religion has no place in laws. Simple as that. Why can't they grasp it? And we don't do anything about it. We allow it to happen by continuing to vote. Bills like the abortion bill in VA SHOULD NOT have been passed! The whole US should have been up in arms, but whatever.

-There are too many rich people on the top. They are making too much money to stop and want to change anything. Why change healthcare? Too many people on the top are making money off of premiums, deductibles, co-insurance, ect.

That's all.

bio_fit

One of the best things about the USA is that everything comes in Peanut Butter or Cinnamon.

Mmmmmm.

Peanut Butter M&Ms are actually the best things ever invented.

priescm

I love America!
I don't agree with everyone's opinions on us, but I can't hate on someone's comments because if you've never lived here, you just don't know.

My co-worker LOVES England. She lived there for 3 years. She says she hates America ALL the time. The reason this pisses me off is NOT because our spouses are in the military, but because she hasn't seen very much of America at all. It's like me saying, "I HATE THE UK!" When I've only been to London.
She hasn't seen anything west of Pennsylvania. We currently live in Wash., DC. How can you hate somewhere if you haven't even experienced it all? I can agree that people around here are soooo rude, but they aren't like that everywhere.

The same goes for other people. Basing opinions of America on what you see in the news does no justice. Visiting one city in the US or living in one city in one region of America doesn't even allow you to make harsh judgements. I have been North, East, South, and West...and the cultures are very different in each one. You can't say, "I went to New York City and Americans are rude and fat" and be right. Not EVERYONE in America is like that.

If I judged countries based on news information, I would hate everyone.

I think our politics are very messed up.

Nothing makes me more heated than when someone on the news says, "Those federal employees in Washington" because I am a federal employee in Washington and I get paid like crap. lol I have strong political views, but I'll let most of them go for now.

As for the "free health care" and other crap like that...I don't like that idea. If you have grown up somewhere where that is "normal", then that's probably why you don't understand why we don't have that system. I have grown up here having to pay for health care and that is the norm for me. Giving out free healthcare just enables the American sense of entitlement. Like I said, my husband is in the military...we don't pay for health care..and do you know how many people I see abusing the system that way? OMG. So annoying! "Ow. My wrist hurts. Guess i'll go to the ER!" YEAH, go to the ER which is WAY more expensive than a doctor or urgent care. The "free" healthcare does nothing but cost more money to our fellow taxpayers. Just my opinion. I think it is a nice idea, but Americans just aren't ready for that step. (Don't hate me for that opinion!)

Onesnap

Holy crap some of you folks are hard on the USA.. for Americans that dislike their home... The grass is always greener... In Canada health care is not free... we are taxed up the wazoo and back down the wazoo and around the wazoo etc etc!!! Our Canadian political system is also so f'ed up that i would never diss another countries political system. If you don't like something where you live.... CHANGE IT! get vocal! participate! I do it here in Canada.. if i don't like something, i join forces with like minded people! We just made to gov't here ban the long-gun registry and we worked hard and it happened! Things can change, don't grumble and/or run away.. Fight for your rights and change whats wrong... It can be done!

Met an engineer while camping on PEI.

He told me he had a slice of metal in his eye 12 hours in the ER before a doctor would see him.

Universal Health care is not perfect. Not even in Canada.

christine24t

Americans are not as educated as people in other countries, especially when it comes to international politics, environmental issues, and geography. I was watching a video the other day where this British chap asked Americans about political issues. He then presented a map of the world to them, except that the countries were mislabeled. For example, Australia was labeled North and South Korea. When people said that No. And So. Korea were hot zones for war, they were asked to put a flag on those countries. They put the flag right on Australia without even questioning if that was the right name for that continent. Australia! For goodness sakes!

This is just a few ignorant Americans. You can't judge all Americans off of a couple of stupid people.

I don't get the fact that, while many European countries start school early for their children (like around 4 years of age), Americans don't start until around 6 years of age.

A lot of kids go to preschool/daycare. I went to preschool ages 3-5 and I was one of the smartest kids going into kindergarten. There are options. I went to private preschool but there is public preschool.

I don't get the fact that second languages are not taught until middle school.

That is a generalization - in elementary school, we learned Spanish. And in my district there are Spanish and French Immersion schools.

I don't get the fact that everyone has an opportunity to go to university, even if they failed half of their highschool classes.

So just because you have bad grades, you don't have the right to go to college? People mess up, and want to change their lives. Don't knock someone for trying to improve themselves. And even if they fail out, well at least they tried!

I don't get the fact that Americans don't have Universal Health Insurance.

There is a lot I can say about this. Yes, there are problems with our health system. But what country doesn't have issues? Countries with universal coverage generally have much higher taxes. Watch this documentary if you want to learn more: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/

macpatti

What? Texas is not the "wild west"???? Ha!

Tell that to my friends in Montana. They have had not one but TWO dogs shot and killed by neighbors. No fines or penalties either. 4 broken-hearted children as a result.

You want me to tell your friends in Montana that Texas is not the "wild west"???? Not sure I see the connection.

Any state that allows 2 pets to be murdered in cold blood (very good dogs--one was a St. Bernard) is the Wild West in my opinion. I love Montana and all of the west (really, I do) but this shooting family dogs thing is INSANE.

And that has what to do with Texas?

eightpock

I wonder how many were smart enough and lucky enough to get out of Rome before things got really bad?

Rome Fell in part for 2 main reasons.

The expense of fighting wars on all fronts, and the Elite, Ruling class were gluttons, and benefited at the cost of Rome herself.

Coolhand1969

I served 10 years in the Marines and I am happy to live here

Thank you very much for your service.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

In the US census, there are 5 races (White, Black, Asian, Some other race, other) & they classify Middle Eastern & Central Asians under the "White" category. Honestly I also can't tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese or sometimes even some Filipinos & Thais apart from each other. I mistook two Chinese for a Filipino & some Filipinos as Chinese or Japanese. However I can tell the difference between a German and an Arab or a British and an Iranian.

This post is not about telling the difference between races. It's about a country that is wayyyyyyy past it's heyday and long past being the "ruler of the free world"

Sorry but the topic is about "views on america" and the OP is asking for our opinions about the US. Also I'm not talking about race difference, I'm just replying to somebody. Its about one thing I hate is the fact that US loves to give out inaccurate label to minorites. Please read my posts first before you comment OK. Enough said.

boomboom011

One of the best things about the USA is that everything comes in Peanut Butter or Cinnamon.

Mmmmmm.

Peanut Butter M&Ms are actually the best things ever invented.

and BBQ

Onesnap

As for the "free health care" and other crap like that...I don't like that idea. If you have grown up somewhere where that is "normal", then that's probably why you don't understand why we don't have that system. I have grown up here having to pay for health care and that is the norm for me. Giving out free healthcare just enables the American sense of entitlement. Like I said, my husband is in the military...we don't pay for health care..and do you know how many people I see abusing the system that way? OMG. So annoying! "Ow. My wrist hurts. Guess i'll go to the ER!" YEAH, go to the ER which is WAY more expensive than a doctor or urgent care. The "free" healthcare does nothing but cost more money to our fellow taxpayers. Just my opinion. I think it is a nice idea, but Americans just aren't ready for that step. (Don't hate me for that opinion!)

Universal health care is not CRAP. It allows small business owners to AFFORD health insurance for their employees as I stated earlier.

I've only lived with Universal health care a few years (Massachusetts). It's a great thing if and only if for the reason I stated above.

bane0317

my issue with our country is that every time i turn on a TV I see ads wanting me to send money to another country to help with their hungry children. I have seen too many hungry children here in our own country. We have a lot of problems here that we do not resolve. Maybe that is one of the reasons that people have issues with us is that we feel it is acceptable to tell other people what to do and how to do it but we don't have our own house in order yet.

I also have issues with the fact that so many people in power make a lot of money off of the oil industry. i feel that this, along with the lobbyists, has helped to keep us dependent on fossil fuels. There are many other technologies that if properly funded or if incentives were offered for people who pursued being more energy independent would take off and help us to be self sufficient. Look at Brazil, they are independent by using sugar cane, etc. to make their own fuels. If the American farmers were given more of a chance and paid well to grow fuel sources we could put this country back to what it used to be and stand on our own two feet. This would also teach our children how to be self sufficient. I think that a lot of our culture is so tech based that kids don't know how to behave if they aren't plugged in. yes, i realize the irony of posting this on an internet forum. However i meet a lot of adults who don't know where foods come from or have never seen anything grown. Oil is not the only thing we are reliant on other countries for. We send enough money out to them to help support themselves.

I heard it summed up well the other day: "If more people had dirtier hands and cleaner minds this world would be a better place!"

Just my two cents worth.

MaraDiaz

I wonder how many were smart enough and lucky enough to get out of Rome before things got really bad?

Rome Fell in part for 2 main reasons.

The expense of fighting wars on all fronts, and the Elite, Ruling class were gluttons, and benefited at the cost of Rome herself.

Exactly. Best start packing now.

jpuderbaugh

If I remember correctly, those questionnaires are optional. You don't have to fill them out. (I know that doesn't mean you can't complain about them, I'm not saying that).

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/the-problem-solver/2010/03/the-us-census-and-why-you-should-care.html

I wasn't talking about the Census, I was talking about the questionnaires potential employers hand you asking your race, age, marital status (illegal to ask), etc. Maybe they don't ask marital status anymore, can't remember. But I wasn't talking about the other person's comment about the census.

crazytreelady

It's time for this thread to be locked.

bio_fit

One of the best things about the USA is that everything comes in Peanut Butter or Cinnamon.

Mmmmmm.

Peanut Butter M&Ms are actually the best things ever invented.

and BBQ

*facepalm* how did I forget BBQ!

christine24t

I served 10 years in the Marines and I am happy to live here

Thank you very much for your service.

Yes thank you!!

TheWinman

I wonder how many were smart enough and lucky enough to get out of Rome before things got really bad?

Rome Fell in part for 2 main reasons.

The expense of fighting wars on all fronts, and the Elite, Ruling class were gluttons, and benefited at the cost of Rome herself.

HHHHmmmm. sounds like something I currently see.

debrapeterson

I don't dispute he was elected. I disagree with the way he governs which is my right. I'm glad you are happy with this president, this is also your right to voice. I think its great we can agree to disagree. Our constitution gives us these rights and I'm so thankful for that.