Far be it for anyone to ever be able to say that you ever allowed the "facts" to get in the way of your well-laid and stubborn opinions, huh? (Are you SURE you're not a Republican?)

Oh well. Fine. That's your prerogative, but I don't understand how surveys and statistics and offical records are any less valid than your anecdotal approach to what is "truth" about the selfishness, rudeness, etc. about Americans. It seems that like the country you say "can't take criticism," it is instead YOU who have proven to not be able to take criticism.

Americans take criticism every day all day, and we will until China finally rises and can become the world's whipping boy. (Earthquake in Iran! Blame America! Tsunami?! Blame America!)

All we ask is that your criticism be INFORMED criticism, or no, we will NOT be able to take it. Ignorant negative opinions are not to be taken seriously, just as ignorant POSITIVE assumptions about America are not to be taken seriously.

America is the largest "Western" nation... comparable in size to ALL of Europe and not just a small portion thereof. We are going to have challenges that nations in Europe with 5 or 10 million people are simply not going to have. Greater challenges, ESPECIALLY given our multiculturality. You want to compare Finland to America in discussing this, that, or the other cultural differences? Make yourself feel better by pointing out this or that about the Netherlands over the US? Fine. But realize that's about as useful and interesting as comparing Wyoming to California. I think we can all agree that the experience of living in New York City is vastly different than small town Ohio, no? Same rules apply on an international scale. Also realize that you are treading on one-dimensional thinking again, such as pointing out infant mortality rates without bothering to do some research as to possible reasons. For example, in an article explaining why Cuba has better infant mortality rates, the following provides insight I'm sure you didn't bother researching: "The result is that the statistics make it appear as if Cuba's infant mortality rate is significantly better than the United States', but in fact what is really being measured in this difference is that the United States takes far more serious (and expensive) interventions among extremely low birth weight and extremely premature infants than Cuba (or much of the rest of the world for that matter) does." http://www.overpopulation.com/articles/2002/000019.html

It's a shame your criticism is thus dilluted by an apparent lack of curiosity to "delve deeper." I hope this site becomes a proper forum someday, because I'd relish good debate on this or any subjects. I am willing to concede where I believe criticism is appropriate - such as lack of universal healthcare - but far be it from me to allow ANYBODY criticize me indirectly (as a "typical" American) or my country without being able to back up their words.
Brian  ..more by this author.. (1 votes)

1. Anyone has availability to food, shelter, clothing and healthcare...no matter what

2. Free market and a democracy

3. Womens rights to show their faces

4. George W. Bush

5. Nice highway system

6. The invention of airplanes

7. Computers (if it wasn't for us, the haters wouldn't be able to leave messages like these. They would still be using a stick and dirt

8. Freedom!

9. Our military

10. It is nice to live in the most Powerful Country in the World and be a part of it all. God Bless the USA.
Michael Dailey  ..more by this author.. (1 votes)

I am entitled to "hating" America and stating it: this is the site for it.

I have noticed that when I don't write, no-one does either... Your little sonnets don't really inspire anybody to write anything. I draw the conclusion that people like you cannot have any discussion without shooting from the hip. If everybody agrees it is not a discussion. This site is called "Love Us . Hate Us". Not : "everybody is beautiful and they are all very happy". And you know what? YOU ARE NOT EVER GOING TO TELL ME WHAT TO SAY.

I have never been rude, but YOU are.
EJ  ..more by this author.. (1 votes)

M. Glade is very perceptive. Having visited lots of countries and talked to people there, he has a real "feeling" of what is really going on. He is right about the news we get. And I like his choice of words : brag and no shame.
EJ  ..more by this author.. (1 votes)

America is beautiful (not your fault...). Yes, you have the biggest army and nuclear bombs. You do not adhere to treaties (Kyoto Protocol- yes you are responsible in great part for global warming) or you criticize the Geneva Convention when it suits you. You ban torture when it suits you. You do not have Universal Healthcare. You are no. 13 in the World for longevity with a 5 year gap from the leader, and even behind Greece. You are among the top of the Western World for infant mortality. You have the highest imprisonned population of the Western World and you have the Death Penalty - the only western country to do so.

In Europe people are charitable too and it does not get deducted from their taxes. And furthermore, their taxes pay for lots of services that here have to fall back on churches.

In Europe people walk and have cars with good mileage. Their healthcare is very good and yet they spend far less to contribute than the US, half actually than the US. God bless the World.

As for one dimentional thinking, there is always a "reason" to why someone would not like America: it has to be jealousy, it can be envy, one dimensional thinking, stupidity, ignorance etc. It is never that others have the standing-back observation of what America was supposed to be like versus what it has become, but that others are idiots.

As for kids in this country, I have met quite a few expats, from different continents, who lament the way their own kids pick-up the bad ways of the American kids. Hey, just in my street, a couple, foreign born - not Europeans - (He PhD, she a dentist) who just moved in with 2 small children were telling me they were sorry to have moved here in this street. You know why ? Because there are some 40 kids in our street and they are so bad mannered that this couple is worried for their own. And I am not making this up. And my neighbors like me by the way.

American lifestyle and priorities, and statistics? These are what a few people answer to weighted questions. I find a lifetime of observations and mingling with lots of people from all over to be much more valuable, as well as lots of information. And I have a voracious curiosity and have always dug deep. I "feel" people more than I count their hair! I listen a lot and if you knew me, the last thing you'd think is that I am one-dimentional. Hahaha.
EJ  ..more by this author.. (1 votes)

We are not afraid of your bombs, Iraq is our brothers now! Venezuela is our brothers now! Iran is our brothers now! Korea is our brothers now! We will fight you and cause you the same pain that you cause on us. Is it not one of your ancestors who said: I would rather die free than live a slave. Aluta continua!
Anon  ..more by this author.. (1 votes)

I still believe this American man quoted in the British newspaper from my last entry. He really put it in a nutshell. I could not have done it better myself.

Also, isn't it ironic that one year after Katrina, nothing has been done to reconstruct New Orleans, yet if we had people organized like Hezbollah, rather than FEMA, New Orleanians would have homes to go back to by now. That bit of news really had me chuckling! Americans can't think straight. They talk, talk ad infinitum, and nothing ever gets done.

And yes, schools and universities in Europe and other countries prepare people by educating them well. Think of India's best of the best Technological Institute, which American corporations fight for. These countries' taxes have paid for these students' education and then they get recruited by these American corporations with "fantastic" pay, by comparison to salaries overthere. That is not right.

There are places where people still have a sense of ethic. Where it is not might makes right. And where people are better educated than here. Not just Europe. And where kids are still polite, and nice, and respectful and not brain-dead already...
EJ  ..more by this author.. (1 votes)

The Iran incident was in response to the Soviet intrusion in British and American oil interests as well as the fear of a well oil-supplied CCCP. Remember, the USSR had more tanks than NATO.

The chess game that had the world on the brink of nuclear war had repercussions, that is what we are seeing now. Before the cold war, problems in Latin America and Africa always existed.

The age of the caudillo in Latin America is something to be noted. What beautiful and glorious days, where one dictator would be ousted by a new challenger within a year. It was recorded that one dictator was killed by the next in line in front of a crowd. That same crowd, then cheered for him as the new dictator. The US is not perfect, far from it, but how can other countries condemn this nation when your countries have ills and more corruption than mine?

Now I have to agree, the US has failed the world in becoming that 'house on the hill." We have too much power, I concur. The US must disappear from the world stage and reestablish balance in world affairs.

The EU must get itself in order to become a superpower. India and Brazil must control and improve poverty in their countries which couldn't have been done thus far without international corporations yearning to maximize their profits through their investment. China must democratize and quit alienating its rural society. Allow a Japan to re-arm itself so it can police and bring balance between the Koreas and China/Taiwan.

The US should close all of its military bases worldwide. NATO will be stronger with a unified and militarized EU. Once that happens dissolve NATO, and let the EU be on its own.

I'm tired of the US being a global superpower that polices shipping lanes and provides security till this day to the not so weakened countries after WWII against a bellicose Soviet Empire. The Soviets are gone. Let the US be gone from Europe and their affairs. Let Washington's words ring loud today as they did back in his farewell address, do not get intangled in foreign alliances (remember, he said this when the US was a weak and destitute nation.)

North Korea will not invade South Korea because they won't survive the South Korean counter attack. Disregard what the S. Korean President wants in the presence of US troops, bring 'em home.

Do we really need a buffer zone island? Let Taiwan go communist. The USA needs to fix its internal problems as should the rest of the world.

Governments have a contract with its people, and ours must be dealt with since only the elites run this country. If you don't agree, then why does it take only millionaires to run for office? Then again, the elites in every respective country rule that country.
Johnny  ..more by this author.. (1 votes)