Americans, I Have Some Bad News For You

reply to post by amc621


Quoting Wikipedia doesn't count. It's also against the ATS T&C to use external sources without proper referencing.

You just keep digging that hole ever deeper dont you?

reply to post by intrepid


I would, however I was the one who wrote that first for Wikipedia, your reference was from someone copying MY writing there.

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Originally posted by Shark VA84
reply to post by SkurkNilsen

 

Unless the U.S. is willing to engage 60%+ of the Arab nations, there is no point in furthering our occupation of Afghanistan or Iraq. The people of those lands don't desire freedom. They do not understand our concept of freedom. The unification of Islam and "Government" in the Middle East has constructed an ideology and way of life so vastly different from ours in the West, trying to give these people a democratic form of government is a practice in futility.

I think you are right on most accounts and that we don't disagree to much here, but I still stand by my point as it is the same reasons the Russians in their time had to give up on Afghanistan.

But the quote from your text here is interesting and very true.

I think many westerners believe that our lifestyle and "brand" of freedom is the only one and that we somehow liberate people in these wars.
While the fact is that people from anywhere are proud of their way of life and culture no matter how backwards it seems to outsiders, just look at the US midwest (do not mean to offend anyone, but to me it's a strange and exotic culture).

Take Christianity, the changes the last 1000 years are enormous, Christianity 200 years ago seems completely barbaric if you loook at it trough 2010 eyes. and given time Islam will also change in the same way.
Some places quicker than other, just like Christianity. But in this situation we have made the wrong choices and alienated our two cultures and propably set the reformation of Islam back decades.

IMO this is just cultures that have come out of pace with eachother and we are now seeing the effect.

Sorry you had to be one of those that had to be a victim of these terrible circumstances.

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Conspiracy theorys.
The IRA were financed by the USA.
Bush did borrow millions from china, so that he could invade iraq. (god told him to invade iraq)
presscot bush jp morgan ect did finance hitler.
Ford did build tanks for hitler.
The pentagon was taken out by some cave men armed with box cutters.
buildings that were designed to with stand damage from larger air craft, collapsed with in hours after being struck by smaller planes. One didnt even get hit by a plane. Tim osman was a cia agent dealing in weapons for heroin. al cia da was created by the cia in its fight against the russians in the afghan.
Yes im just an ignorant 9 year old.

Originally posted by ledzeppelin489
Yeah but most loyal Americans won't just abandon this country for a better wage; we're here to make things better for anyone who comes here. America is still the greatest country on Earth, and the OP is just one defector we will not miss

It appears you have not worked, nor lived abroad. I have had the pleasure of working in the USA and abroad.

I am first generation in the USA and love the USA, but our work and living ethics stink. We here in the USA, work to live and think that working more will provide a better future, but miss almost everything in life and the "Now".

I have worked the 7 day work weeks, 16 plus hours a day, with little or no vacation and that type of work ethic is pointless, because I missed living my life and connecting with others. It was fine when I was single and choice to have zero social life, but that burnt me out at a young age and made me really soul search.

Although there are good points about the USA, we do not know how to enjoy our lives here, some do, but not many. People think that a couple of weeks a year vacation is awesome, but the fact is we are short changing ourselves. Think about it 14 days to connect with your loved ones. WTF!

People in the USA think that sitting around the television as a family, for a couple of hours is quality time and connecting. News Flash! Sorry, but in Europe and many other countries they actually socialize with family and friends on a daily basis and not in front of the Idiot tube.

So the next time people feel the urge to take on huge financial responsibilities and/or work to many hours, think of this song.

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Artist: Harry Chapin
Album: Cats In The Cradle

too bad this wont hit mainstream news where all the zombies and brainwashed looneys dwell through most of their day. i dont even bother working i find other ways of making money, there really isnt any point in trying to find work in this horrible country especially with all the discrimination going on, racism and everything above thats been mentioned..

I currently find myself in phoenix arizona under the heel of
the nations toughest sheriff joe arpaio.
since i'm crippled up i only go over to the
pharmacy and thrift store. which always seems
like a stroll thru a prison yard..(and i remember what thats like)
i know the park's being watched-kids and all that..
druggies are scooped up by a crew of chevy blazers with tasers.
then i cross the street on camera ,into the store parking lot
on camera , theres a security guy roaming in a car, a city cop stationed
at the door of the store- which does have a bank and pharmacy..
then i walk home as a helicopter goes into a hover over some
shooting or what have you..as the mad dogs go nuts behind the chain link.
great, i got some meds to dump on my raw insular cortex.
and await the next run in i have with some fat cow abusing her kid-
or carload full of vatos out for kicks.
yeah- third world central america -get used to it .
serf city here we come.

Originally posted by FrancoUn-American
reply to post by monkey_descendant

 

Oh no I'm not saying you , But that is apparently the general views people have of my country men. When it comes to defending my government I'll be by your side hurling rocks but my people are another matter. I dont know where people get off saying this is the best country in the world because its not there is no one "best country". Every place on this earth has is pro's and it's cons. I am in no way against Europeans just the arrogant few(as you would have anywhere) who seemingly have no better thing to do then rail against good people day in and day out. To be honest some of the best people in my life are from across the pond including the girl I am engaged to.

I'll admit I have gotten nasty in this thread, but this has been in retaliation to some of the very horrible remarks I've seen against non-Americans. This thread has never been about Americans but America. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I've liked all Americans I've met. But I do not like the American government, and I detest the American corporate culture. And the reason I wouldn't want to live in America is because not only do I have the personal and intellectual freedoms you have as well (with cultural differences for each of us, like gay marriage allowed here) but here in the UK I have peace of mind.

By this I mean that I don't have to worry about being unemployed, or sick without insurance, or about getting non-emergency tests and procedures without insurance, and free medication if I need it, very cheap medication otherwise, a "free" loan (that doesn't need to be paid back) for university and the government to pay my rent and help me buy food indefinitely in the worst case scenario, cheap (but yes, very basic) dentistry should I need it. Now, despite what the media tells you, we have very good healthcare, but I'll give you the dentistry. I've never had to wait more than a day to see my GP, and I've never had to wait too long for tests or procedures. We also have very good education and welfare! And the cuts being made by our disgusting government are deeper than needed not because what we have is unaffordable, but because the government are following their classist ideology. They are currently all made up of rich boys who went to elitist privately funded schools. Our problems were caused by the banks, just like yours!

I also get more holiday (vacation in American English). And I do not believe that life should only be about work. Corporations make such large profits. These profits would be justifiable if they were being reinvested into the company, but they are largely going into private pockets. This means that people could work fewer hours, or get more pay, otherwise the CEO's wouldn't be pocketing such huge amounts. People are working to make private people too rich, and are sacrificing their personal lives for this. At least I had 28 days holiday to look forward to (not fired, left).

Originally posted by SeventhSeal

Originally posted by bloodgame
That is not the only bad news for Americans.

Being from America is bad enough news. Socially dependent on media and fast food and medication.

Being from America is bad enough?
Let's see...

I can drink my liver out and no one will stop me. (in Islam, drinking is prohibited)
I can smoke.
I can criticize my PRESIDENT and call him names. (in North Korea you are sent to a camp or even executed if you criticize Kim Jong Il...also, when Saddam was president of Iraq, he had bad talkers imprisoned and had their tongues cut out)
I can be gay and not be executed or imprisoned for it. (like they do in Iran)
I can look at porn.
I can go to the strip club.
I can listen to a radio station and not get imprisoned for it (in North Korea, if you are caught listening to South Korean radio, you are sent to a concentration camp)
Women aren't repressed and have the entire Starbucks to hang out at and not just an isolated corner (like they do in Saudi Arabia)

I don't know....I'm pretty goddamn grateful to be American. Don't like it? Get out.

Hehe, you just compared the US to Islam (the great enemy), North-Korea (come on, that's just low standards man), Iran under Saddam Hussein and Iran.

I am impressed.... I'm not saying other countries are perfect or anything. But listen for a sec...

The reason people are reacting to the US in such a negatve way is that the west has allways had the US to compare and look up to, but now we see our star fall and we do not want to live up to the new standards the US have set. Such as torture and detention without having to give any reason at all, of whoever they see fit.

We don't hate the US. We bleeding love you guys! I mean apart from the movies, series, food, music and what have you, Americans are great people for the most part (just like the people in my country), so why shouldn't we. But as your friend we have to tell you when you are going of the deep end.

reply to post by The Baby Seal Club


here is a link to the number of vacation days according to mercer

money.cnn.com...

unless this topic has already been discussed and this link posted. i work in a bankruptcy firm and i can promise anyone who has doubts that we have more than doubled the filings locally and have broken records since october 2008 for 2 offices. things are not getting better and the media fills our eyes and ears with sh.t when they say the economy is looking up. it's not. and the housing market? yeah, if you're already rich and own more than one property, but seriously, if you are 'average joe' than chances are you have already lost your home and are soon facing foreclosure. i can't even name how many foreclosures i have seen since starting with this firm 3 years ago... i kind of wonder what the government wants with all the abandoned property everywhere... makes me wonder... also makes me wonder why the great grand world of credit cards are still so thriving... anyways, this has been a very interesting thread, and i am a german-irish stuck in america, and the downward spiral of the middle class... but seriously, give this 'recession' another 5-10 years and it should get better, right? i don't know how that would be when our population is growing exponentially... sorry so many topics, so many reasons for all this madness... atleast we can still send our troops out there to steal other country's oil supplies, and condemn some guy for 'wiki' info that TPTB already have access to, my question, what is it that our government wants us to 'look away' from while they divert so much media on wikileak? am i all over the place? yes. am i completely and utterly tangible? yes. am i subjective? yes. are you???

reply to post by Truth_B_Told



I guess that depends on what you do.

Empty trash cans for pennies.

Or be your own boss in the land of the free.

Are you kidding me. Those are socialist countries. look at those peoples faces. Their government takes all their money. What is the tax rate in any of those countries. Please list. Thanks.

Land of the free to make as much money as yiou could dream of.

Create an idea and sell it and make money.
Walk in to a grocery store and analyze it and tell them what they can do to improve their buisness profile. Write one up of course.

You have to be creative.

Obviosly if your brain dead then you just sip off the teet of the government.

Originally posted by BlackOps719
My question to all of you Americans and even the non Americans who are pissing and moaning about freedoms being removed or taken away, let me ask you one question?

What exactly is it that you have a burning desire to do that your freedoms will not allow for? Again, what is it you wish to do so very badly that you have not or are not allowed to do?

Please....I will wait for your responses.

So you do not see the problem with unwarranted phone and data taps?

Do you think that if you do not do anything wrong, then someone should be able to watch you 24/7 without giving any reasons to a court or anyone else?

There is nothing today that makes my day much harder except airport security and random searches on train and bus stations. But the principle that I am a free human beeing with my rights to privacy and the oportunity to live my life in a manner that suits me is very important to me.

In my country there is now a debate wether to aprove directive that gives my governments surveillance agency the right to tap and store all computer and telephone activity, sort of like a mini ECHELON. This is a direct result of the EU absorbing the Patriot Act.
And IMO it is very worrying, I fail to see how you are willing to be marked and overlooked like an animal.

Originally posted by T0by
Why is America the greatest country on earth anyway?
I find it abit conceited to say that, it's like saying 'I'm the hottest guy on the planet. Everyone wants to be like me and you must love me'

No because the guy that thinks he is the hottest guy simply thinks that.
We know we are the best, it's been proven time and time again. I know it sounds conceited, but look around do some research. Do you think the us dollar just became the primary currency of the world because we think we are cool? NO!!

Americans give more foreign aid than any other country. Granted our run away government is the cause for some of the strife, but not the people of this country. Yet you people still attack us at every turn like a bunch of vultures.
We export more food than anything just trying to keep the third world from starving to death.

Im really getting tired of defending my country from you people. Every country has had it's ups and downs. We don't hesitate to help any nation in need... LoL unless our government is busy bombing them at that current time.
But as soon as we are having some trouble you people decend on us like a pack of rabid dogs. Don't worry we don't want or need your help the GREATST nation in the world can pick it self back up all on it's own

Originally posted by Rocky Black
reply to post by Truth_B_Told

 

I guess that depends on what you do.

Empty trash cans for pennies.

Or be your own boss in the land of the free.

Are you kidding me. Those are socialist countries. look at those peoples faces. Their government takes all their money. What is the tax rate in any of those countries. Please list. Thanks.

Land of the free to make as much money as yiou could dream of.

Create an idea and sell it and make money.
Walk in to a grocery store and analyze it and tell them what they can do to improve their buisness profile. Write one up of course.

You have to be creative.

Obviosly if your brain dead then you just sip off the teet of the government.

You what? The government doesn't take all of my money. And yes we can make loads of money here too if we have good ideas and are entrepreneurial. You think the government tells us what jobs we can do? Whether we are allowed to be self employed or not? Whether we can start our own business? Whether we can invent things? Um, NO.

Originally posted by Shark VA84
reply to post by BlackOps719

 

You ever wonder what the world would be like if we had just let Hitler do his thing?

It's depressing that this young generation of know-it-alls seems to conveniently forget the sacrifices that U.S. American men, many still living, made to free most, if not ALL of Western Europe. What a slap in the face to men who lost limbs storming the beaches of France, or men who fought alongside Brits on the mainland to push back what is TRUE TYRANNY AND EVIL. The world is a messed up place, I just love these Europeans who think that they're hands are clean. YOUR GOVERNMENTS ARE IN CAHOOTS WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AT ALL TIMES, even if they publicly denounce something the U.S. does (if they pretend to hate us, they'll probably get elected).

Oh and as for your European universities being "free," you get what you pay for. U.S. universities are leaps and bounds beyond most European universities. Why do so many people come to the U.S. for secondary and advanced education? Oh, that's right, all that tuition pays for better FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGY and FACULTY.

Take your euro-trash garbage and shove it, it's amazing how "ignorant" U.S. Americans are when most of their critics conveniently forget history and/or current diplomacy.

I'm beginning to believe the average age of ATS members is somewhere around 16. Awesome.

And old Mother Russia?

Just relaxing and beeing Swiss about the matter?

It seems the forgetting of history and ignoring of the big picture is a double edged sword.

reply to post by Rocky Black


Socialist? Take all their money? What planet do you live on?

My god, so much anger displayed in this thread against stereotyping Americans and yet many of those same people then post stuff that confirms the stereotype. The ignorance in this thread is shining like a beacon.....