The USA is the Only Country on Earth

You must have read the title of this thread, which you subsequently entered, and I hope you immediately contested that title due to the fact that there are 196 countries on the planet we affectionately call Earth, and that the title should have been "The USA is NOT the Only Country on Earth".

Of course, the US is different from other countries in many ways - both good and bad (I am an American citizen and I try to remain objective, but of course I harbor a certain bias as it literally is "my home sweet home"). I won't involve myself in a(nother) discussion about the positives and negatives of being a citizen of the "US of A" right now, but I just want to raise the point and give a reminder that the US is not the only country on Earth, and our world will never change until all people acknowledge that the current state of the United States should not be a model to be looked up to - at least not with how our government's domestic and foreign policies are behaving.

In the words of Barry O. - "now, let me be clear..." I AM proud to be an American. I would not have rather had my children be born elsewhere and I have important liberties that most people from most other countries do not. Despite how "bad" things have become politically, judicially, morally, and economically we are still a head above the rest as far as freedom and comfort are concerned. We have a Constitution that every citizen is supposed to acknowledge and enforce, while many countries have used prejudice, fear, or twisted interpretations of religious texts to make a set of draconian laws that their population must obey - or die.

It's a scary and maddening truth that our Constitution is becoming an increasingly more obsolete relic of the past in the eyes, words, and actions of our "elected" officials. If you can't take a hard look at all of the events of, especially, the past 15 years and feel the need to make a change, you must not be awake. My opinion is that action must be taken in a positive, productive, and nonviolent fashion; sometimes the best way to confront a bully is with understanding and by not sinking to their level.

I've digressed... My point is that when I speak with my friends and family, or with strangers, or see posts online (it is the 21st century after all), and even when I talk to myself, I hear a common, misguided, unintentional arrogance. We need to not take our remaining freedoms for granted - and must always remember that as Americans we have a set of rules conceived generations ago to ensure that all citizens could live their lives free, peacefully, and with as much grace as any individual can muster. I have posted this link here to the Bill of Rights just in case there is anyone who doesn't know them by heart. With the way things are today you never, ever know when you might need to use those first ten amendments.

Not every one on here is a citizen of the United States and I am partially envious of them because I am not totally confident that my children will live as freely as I have in my life. I believe that someday there will be a country geographically close to where we are now that was created by people who came together in harmony and fought back against, and took back their freedoms, from the tyrannical government that the United States is ruled by, and is bound to grow worse.

I realize now that the title I made for this thread isn't really appropriate for the rest of the content, but I won't change it just because my train of thought veered slightly off course. Every citizen of every country needs to free their mind and retrain themselves to look at our planet and all of it's inhabitants as ONE - where no person is more entitled to liberty than another.

I LOVE YOU. That is what we need to say. Because I am human, and you are human, I love you, and everything is going to be OK.

reply to post by cosmikDebris


I disagree on many issues. USA is not as "free" as people there believe to be. USA has more restrictions to its residents than many other countries in a "old world " has. There are state laws and federal laws and not all laws are the same in all states and some of the laws are quite laughable.

Let´s take a look of some state laws
"No person may walk about in public if he or she has the common cold." ( Washington )
"It is illegal for the owner of a bar to allow anyone inside to pretend to have sex with a buffalo." ( Oklahoma )
"You may not sing in the bathtub." ( Pennsylvania )
"It is illegal to sell peanuts in Lee County after sundown on Wednesday." ( Alabama )
"Those under 21 can drink legally, but they must be enrolled in a culinary program to do so" ( Illinois )
"It is illegal to cause a catastrophe." ( Utah )
"It is illegal for a woman to be on the street wearing “body hugging clothing” ( New York )
the list of stupid laws is almost endless... and the justice system is a joke

What is good about USA is that people can thrive if they try hard enough but even then its not always possible even how hard you try.. but the same is in old world too.. just the same

People when they colonized the New World they not only brought code of living with them they also kept the old codes were tuned even harder codes than in old world. . Nudity is ok in Europe but in USA its hypocrite. Topless bars and sunday churches.. you do the math

I have lived in USA, seen some. Country in general is ok but restrictions are overwhelming. People are ok when you get to know them but its harder than you can think of. People have invisible masks and have invisible walls around them, all is chit chat small talk mostly.. to get to know the real person inside is a task.

Don´t get me wrong.. none of us is perfect !

reply to post by dollukka

I totally agree with you in general but the thing about those laws is that even the most power-tripping people who are hired to enforce them, if they can catch anyone in those unusual scenarios, would agree that they (the laws) are outdated and obviously not worthy of having extremities chopped off like in many countries. Every country has a few ridiculous laws like that and in the States they are typically not federal crimes.

I'm more concerned about the bigger picture and more serious business.

cosmikDebris
Not every one on here is a citizen of the United States and I am partially envious of them because I am not totally confident that my children will live as freely as I have in my life.

You shouldn't worry about that too much. Unless you live on your own island, you're not as free as you would like to think. Instead, try to make it to where your kids are as happy, or happier, as you were in your younger days. If people kept things on that level then they might find themselves with more freedom.

cosmikDebris

a-- I would not have rather had my children be born elsewhere

b--Despite how "bad" things have become politically, judicially, morally, and economically we are still a head above the rest as far as freedom and comfort are concerned.

c--I am not totally confident that my children will live as freely as I have in my life.

d--and everything is going to be OK.

a-- This I strongly disagree with, part of Europe, All of Scandinavia, the UK, and Australia area all places I rather would of my kids been born into, and myself. they have way better quality of life in pretty much every aspect.

b-- you cant be serious, there are places on the globe other than North Korea you know. i almost spit out my drink on this one

c-- they will NOT, nor will mine kids live anywhere near as freely, like a completely different nation, society and govt

d-- score one for blind optimism bordering on some delusion.
How can you really think everything will be OK? unless OK is a term with which you loosely define.

I appreciate the satire and pointing out how "stupid" law can remain; but can you post when the last time someone was fined for those laws that you posted? My guess is that it has been a long time.....

dollukka
Let´s take a look of some state laws
"No person may walk about in public if he or she has the common cold." ( Washington )
"It is illegal for the owner of a bar to allow anyone inside to pretend to have sex with a buffalo." ( Oklahoma )
"You may not sing in the bathtub." ( Pennsylvania )
"It is illegal to sell peanuts in Lee County after sundown on Wednesday." ( Alabama )
"Those under 21 can drink legally, but they must be enrolled in a culinary program to do so" ( Illinois )
"It is illegal to cause a catastrophe." ( Utah )
"It is illegal for a woman to be on the street wearing “body hugging clothing” ( New York )
the list of stupid laws is almost endless... and the justice system is a joke

reply to post by cosmikDebris


You know what I notice?

Everyone talks about the USA. Good, bad. We are still relevant.

So, while nations come and go, empires rise and fall, and men and women live and die, nothing ever changes. At least we had our time and we have the privilege of living in it still.

I like it: The good, the bad. It is us.

Really we are a mirror for the world. We are the world. The world is us.

Take a good look world. This is you as well.

It was, is, and will be the same forever. This is just one instance of one nation, one people, and one moment in history.

Others will come like all those before. Today we are here as the object of criticism and praise. Tomorrow like yesterday it will be you world.

Nothing changes except our memory of who we are.

Dont forget who you are world or you will find yourself elsewhere not at the point of focus for praise and criticism of others. You wont be remembered. You will not have your time is all. Entire civilizations lie buried beneath our world. Who remembers them? Just a few remain in our memory influencing our future. The others......

Just dust.

The United States is/are not a country. It is a Nation. Each individual state is a country. They are called states instead of countries because they must all live under the rule of a government and all work together to follow an idea (the constitution). Therefore they are all united as one (hence United States). Take away those basic principles, and they are countries. Each have an individual economy, and government.

When you have multiple countries that unite and/to follow specific principles, a single government for all, and federal currency, they form a nation and become states in that nation.

The USA is the only country in the world.

It certainly feels that way some days on ATS, you'd actually be surprised other first world nations existed.

woodwardjnr
The USA is the only country in the world.

It certainly feels that way some days on ATS, you'd actually be surprised other first world nations existed.

I second that, that's why "we" other guys post on ATS, when the US Users are asleep. Lurking in the shadows, undermining the american principles of thinking... you know

The Japanese used to think that the rest of the world was there for Japanese benefit, perhaps they still do, anyway, America is not alone, as much as the rest of the world does not exist, must be a shock to American tourists to find out other countries have there own currency, and not the 'almighty' Dollar, not so 'mighty' now. Ever notice how the British pound (£) is always worth more against any other currency? why is that? a piddling little island sinking under the weight of its own population.?

reply to post by cosmikDebris


The USA in its present incarnation is modeled after African tribal dictatorships.

When thinking of the USA memories of digging, then squatting over an Army latrine comes to mind. I especially recall the smell of it all.

Go ahead - tell me to get the hell out then!

I already did - Thank God!

reply to post by cosmikDebris

The USA is the Only Country on Earth".

I think most Americans think it is, or at least they have some god given right to moralise and preach to the rest of us.
America is the most hypocritical nation on earth, would have been a much more appropriate title.
A nation of war mongers.

cosmikDebris

In the words of Barry O. - "now, let me be clear..." I AM proud to be an American.

That makes one of us, personally I'm embarresed to call myself American.

I would not have rather had my children be born elsewhere and I have important liberties that most people from most other countries do not.

Most countries really? For starters we are ranked around 9th for overall freedom and 46th for press freedoms. We aren't as free as you think....

Despite how "bad" things have become politically, judicially, morally, and economically we are still a head above the rest as far as freedom and comfort are concerned. We have a Constitution that every citizen is supposed to acknowledge and enforce, while many countries have used prejudice, fear, or twisted interpretations of religious texts to make a set of draconian laws that their population must obey - or die.

You do realize this country was founded by rich slave owners right? You also realize the constitution wasn't originally intended for the common citizen but for landowners. America has never been about the common man its a ruse. Wake up your asleep at the wheel!

I LOVE YOU. That is what we need to say. Because I am human, and you are human, I love you,

I love you too.

and everything is going to be OK.

You willing to put money on it? Everything ok for the Ukrainians? The Syrians? The Lybians? How them liberated Iraqis doing? I hear they're not all too thrilled with the constant car bombs.....

cosmikDebris
Y. Despite how "bad" things have become politically, judicially, morally, and economically we are still a head above the rest as far as freedom and comfort are concerned.

Yeah ok



New Zealand, Norway, Finland and Sweden would likley disagree.

sorry - wrong thread

HanzHenry


a-- This I strongly disagree with, part of Europe, All of Scandinavia, the UK, and Australia area all places I rather would of my kids been born into, and myself. they have way better quality of life in pretty much every aspect.

Nah mate the UK just as bad as the USA, just in different ways.

Scandinavia is were its at and were Im going to jump ship

Still after visiting the USA I thank god everyday I wasn't born there plus I turned down a permanent work Visa for a very well paying job in the USA as I didn't want to live there! Cant be that wonderful !

Ahhh...

The US of A

How I love to hate thee...

Let me count the ways...


Meanwhile, those who are born here that self hate and glamorize everywhere else are free to leave. Those who live elsewhere and do not want to live here are free to criticize. In all the years I've been on ATS I've yet to read any 'Merikan say 'Merika was perfect.

PEACE

A couple of F bombs, but hilarious as usual Doug Stanhopes great comparison of the USA to the UK.

Ah yes another we the USA is no longer free as it was threads. You know back in the good old days when you could own slaves, you put Japanese people in camps, you could be put in jail under sedition laws for taking bad about the government, you could have a town bad you from bringing in your gun, you could only vote if you were a white male who owned land, you could be jailed and harassed for just knowing a communist, you could beat your wife and it was ok. Of those were some good free times alright. I swear it is like nobody has any clue about American History anymore.