America....

[Taverner]

America is NOT the greatest country on Earth.
America is NOT better than any country.
America is NOT the land of the free.
America is NOT the land of opportunity
America is NOT the shining city on a hill
America is NOT a light for all nations
America IS hypocrisy.

[YoungDemCA]

1. Depends on which "America" you are talking about

The masses of people, or the much more concentrated ruling elite?

[Taverner]

37. America the Empire nt

[el_bryanto]

2. I don't know

I think America is among the greatest countries on Earth -and better than a hell of a lot of other countries. I think we have a lot of problems, but not sure we are simply "hypocrisy."

Bryant

[spanone]

3. you haven't spent much time overseas.....

[Taverner]

9. I spent SEVERAL years overseas. 2 1/2 of them serving our country in the Peace Corps

In Thailand.

While there I also went to Vietnam, where the rainforest canopy still hasn't grown back.

I went to Cambodia and Laos...

So, no, you are mistaken

[spanone]

10. ok. we can agree to disagree.

[Taverner]

11. The America I speak of is the one that bombs "everything that moves"

and does drone strikes on unsuspecting civilians

I've seen the results.

It's not pretty.

The America I speak of sees the rest of the planet as it's own private toilet

[spanone]

13. on that we can agree.

[NightWatcher]

4. It's better than some places

I'd say we're top 20% of countries in the world. I'd rather be here than Saudi Arabia

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. "Patriotism is the most foolish of passions and the passion of fools." Schopenhauer

[MineralMan]

6. OK. Whatever you say.

It is what it is, and it's different things for different people. I don't think this country is definable by a single person. But you're welcome to try, I guess.

[99Forever]

7. Agree with all but the last line.

I would say that it this way:

American has a huge problem with hypocrisy.

[Dreamer Tatum]

8. Lost the cable remote again? nt

[Arugula Latte]

12. The tragedy of the USA is that it could have been so great.

Instead, it squandered all its advantages, turning away from funding education, healthcare, science, infrastructure, public transportation and social programs in favor of the military, the military-industrial complex and the wealthiest of the wealthy. We've chosen to undertake worthless invasion wars that have slaughtered tens of thousands of innocents. Also, the gun nuts and the capital punishers and the pay-no-taxes idiots have further done it in. So, all the conditions that gave this country a shot at being the best in the world have been hamstrung and destroyed.

The result? Dropping life expectancies, high infant mortality, crumbling schools and poor student performances, widespread illiteracy, people dying from lack of healthcare, unbelievable obesity rates, biggest prison population on Earth, people unable to afford college or saddled with huge debt for life, massive loss of life by gunfire, bridges falling into rivers, libraries closing, a gap between rich and the (dying) middle class wider than the Grand Canyon, and on and on ...

We coulda been a contenda. We coulda been somebody instead of a failing, violent, sick country in decline.

[Taverner]

14. Yes. I agree 100%.

[sagat]

15. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

[Taverner]

16. Me neither. Somebody has to kill the beast. NT

[geek tragedy]

17. "somebody has to kill the beast?"

Eh, maybe you and your neighbors would both be better served if you moved to one of those other places on earth so much better than the country you clearly despise.

[Taverner]

38. The empire, the American Empire, is the "beast"

I do not want hundreds of US Military bases all over the world

I do not want defense to be roughly 2/3 of our budget

I do not want the deaths of people whom I do not know and have done me no harm on my hands

I want America to be a country, alongside Canada, Russia, Argentina, Israel and Palestine

I do not believe in American Exceptionalism

We are no different than any other empire that preceded us

[geek tragedy]

39. Agree with all of that. Cut Pentagon by 50% is a good start. nt

[Taverner]

42. Turn the Pentagon into a kids park

Seriously, it would do this country better if the whole thing was demolished, and we kept the five outer walls, and turned the rest into a kids park.


I have kids, and do not want them to grow up to be "Good Romans"

[geek tragedy]

18. Well, why not move to a country you don't hate?

Goodness knows I would never live in a place I despised and considered the scourge of humanity.

[Taverner]

19. "If'n you don't love it, leave it!"

Nice sentiments

I hate America the Empire, not America the Country

There is a difference

[greytdemocrat]

20. America isn't an "Empire"

If it was, you wouldn't be posting.

But don't let me interrupt your little hate fest.

[99Forever]

23. You don't actually know...

.. the meaning of "Empire" do you?

Wow.

[greytdemocrat]

24. Well...

I recognize people with "problems". They aren't too hard to miss.

[99Forever]

29. Huh?

This Nation has problems, friend, huge problems that are getting worse by the day.

Try reading some history and see what happens to Empires in decline. I'd suggest seeing how things went with Nero and friends.

[Taverner]

33. Empire does not mean what you think it means

The dictionary definition is "An extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority, formerly esp. an emperor or empress."

Single supreme authority: the US

More specifically: Corporate America

We are empire by proxy

[greytdemocrat]

36. I'm well aware of what "Empire" is.

Others, not so much. You take care.

[geek tragedy]

22. Your OP doesn't draw that distinction, nt

[Taverner]

32. You're right. My bad.

But if you didn't live in the USA, how would you view these drone strikes?

[geek tragedy]

35. A giant acting like a giant.

O, it is excellent. To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous. To use it like a giant

[onethatcares]

21. "America, where are you now"

"Don't you care about
your sons and daughters,
don't you know
we need you now,
we can't fight alone
against the monster"

Thank you John Kay and Steppinwolf

Jeeeeez, back in the 60s this whole thing was known about, nothing changed.

[99Forever]

25. "The more things change....

... the more they stay the same."

[pampango]

26. America has its myths about itself. Most countries and their people do.

You are right to point out that we don't live up to our myths. Few do anywhere in the world.

The frustration of the repetition of the myths makes me want them to go away, but perhaps we should strive to live up to the myths rather than dispense with them. They all represent good policy and laudable outcomes.

[Robb]

27. But we make great bourbon, amirite?

[Taverner]

34. And the worlds best marijuana!

Take THAT VANCOUVER!!!!

[Earth_First]

28. You know, for all it's ills...I'm still proud to be an American.

I didn't perpetrate these crimes; I am simply guilty by association...

[DreamGypsy]

31. America Is Not The World...

Morrissey song, this time performed by Christie Moore.

[Zax2me]

40. Sounds like RW propaganda to keep out "illegals".

It isn't working, people will keep coming - will become citizens and they will vote.
For Democrats.

[Taverner]

41. Ummmmm Hmmmmm???????????? eom