# Are you proud of being an american?



## glover (Apr 6, 2017)

Meh. I wish i was canadian. America has too many problems and so much going on


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## Aquari (Apr 6, 2017)

Kinda, sometimes i feel a bit ashamed of it but not really.


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## DarkDesertFox (Apr 6, 2017)

I mean every country has their own problems. America's not so bad when you think about it. I wouldn't say I'm very patriotic either. The only time I really am is during the Olympics.


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## Bowie (Apr 6, 2017)

My pride to be British is hanging by the skin of its teeth, and if I were an American it would be completely tarnished.


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## Corrie (Apr 6, 2017)

Tbh I'd be embarrassed to say I was American. It's true that every country has its bad parts but it seems to me like America has a lot of bad parts compared to most developed countries.


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## fenris (Apr 6, 2017)

Not really?  I do love America as a place, because I was born here... but I'm not really _proud_ of being American.  I think that's kind of silly.  Why be proud of something like that?  Nationalism as a concept has always kind of rubbed me the wrong way.  I feel like the attitude of "my country is the best" can even be dangerous, sometimes...  it lets people blind themselves to their country's problems, or worse, makes room for xenophobic and racist rhetoric.

There's nothing wrong with loving your country and feeling connected to your heritage (though most Americans' heritage is tied to other places, since we're pretty much all descended from immigrants), but acting like you're superior to people from other places just because you're American is not okay.


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## Espurr (Apr 6, 2017)

well, at least we're not cuba or north korea
just cuba-adjacent


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## blackroserandom (Apr 7, 2017)

DarkDesertFox said:


> I mean every country has their own problems. America's not so bad when you think about it. I wouldn't say I'm very patriotic either. The only time I really am is during the Olympics.



Pretty much. I'm not ashamed of where I'm from, don't really see the point in being ashamed of it. It's not like all Americans are responsible for everything that goes on in the country.


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## keybug55 (Apr 7, 2017)

I was born on memorial day weekend and my brother was born on Veteran's day. I know that one of my family members was a veteran. I always thought I was pretty patriotic. I feel that I am proud of where I come from but I can't always agree with the government. I still look at the constutution very seriously and I honestly hate it when someone tries to break constitutional rules. That could also be because I am very anti discriminatory.


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## LambdaDelta (Apr 7, 2017)

dear rest of the world,

please purge us from these domestic terrorists in power

thanks


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## BrinaLouWho (Apr 7, 2017)

Every country has its issues I don't feel proud but I'm not guilty either as I'm not the president and don't hold all of his views.


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## Millysaurusrexjr (Apr 7, 2017)

I'm not proud to be an American. I was for one day; the day gay marriage became legal. Other than that.. nah.. not with Trump/Pence in office


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## Noir (Apr 7, 2017)

LambdaDelta said:


> dear rest of the world,
> 
> please purge us from these domestic terrorists in power
> 
> thanks



i agree one hundred percent. >_>


I'm not particurarly proud to be America. It feels like it was going good, and then kinda went south since the new election..... Especially, since the new election, honestly. I feel that people think it's okay to be ignorant, stupid, hateful, and so despicable. And, it's a shame it's happening in our own backyards, now. Well, it always has been, but just more so.

And with the current tyrant's decision on throwing chemical weapons everywhere, I'm not surprised, unfortunately, if we just go to war again. .-.


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## Trainer Lillie (Apr 7, 2017)

I'm not proud to be British, and if I were American, I might well be more ashamed than proud of that too. While I recognise that individuals are rarely directly responsible for how countries/governments behave and there are good qualities and intentions in most (if not all) places, I feel the weight of what my country has done and continues to do wrong sort of on the back burner of my national consciousness at all times, if that makes sense. I think it may partly be because I come from a family of mixed ethnicities, and was educated from a young age to be sceptical of my own government and nationalism in general, and aware of how Western countries in particular both historically and presently behave.


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## KarlaKGB (Apr 7, 2017)

funny how all these people take for granted the fact that they are living relatively comfortable lives in a stable western democracy that while imperfect, could be much much worse.


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## Weiland (Apr 7, 2017)

No, because I'm Australian.


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## carp (Apr 7, 2017)

i'm proud to be british, i'd hate to be american


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## Trainer Lillie (Apr 7, 2017)

KarlaKGB said:


> funny how all these people take for granted the fact that they are living relatively comfortable lives in a stable western democracy that while imperfect, could be much much worse.



I wouldn't say that recognising what you feel are glaring flaws in and thus not being actively _proud_ of your nation is taking the positives for granted. You can be sceptical or critical while still appreciating what you believe is fair and right about the situation. It's not a black and white issue, in my opinion, and the two aren't mutually exclusive.


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## B e t h a n y (Apr 7, 2017)

Spoiler: I don't know how you could be proud of this







 
Y'all don't even know what biscuits are smh


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## tumut (Apr 7, 2017)

YAASSSS I LOV AMERICA 
and I would happily DIE for my country you lmao listen to these ungrateful *****es


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## KaydeeKrunk (Apr 7, 2017)

I wouldn't say "proud" but I mean, I survive. Better than some other places.


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## Soda Fox (Apr 7, 2017)

Not proud exactly but I'd rather be in the US than just about anywhere wise (Japan being the only other country I'd like to be).


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## Rasha (Apr 7, 2017)

I'm not American and I would never want to be.


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## King Dorado (Apr 7, 2017)

B e t h a n y said:


> Spoiler: I don't know how you could be proud of this
> 
> 
> 
> ...



_:::looks for the dislike button:::_
how dare you besmirch the natural vessel for delivering sawmill gravy to our grateful palates!!


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## Millysaurusrexjr (Apr 7, 2017)

KarlaKGB said:


> funny how all these people take for granted the fact that they are living relatively comfortable lives in a stable western democracy that while imperfect, could be much much worse.



I don't take it for granted; I know it's a lot ****tier in other countries. I know that if I lived somewhere in the middle east (for example), I wouldn't have the rights that I have here in America because I am a woman (and an atheist).

But just because we have it better than a lot of countries doesn't mean I have to be proud, and that I'm not allowed to complain. We have it good, yes, but there's so much room for improvement. Not to mention the fact that there ARE other countries that, IMO, are better than America. They have free/much more affordable healthcare, their education is MUCH more affordable, better public transportation, better gun laws, etc. 

*TL;DR* just because America has it better than a lot of other countries doesn't mean Americans are not allowed to complain.


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## Alolan_Apples (Apr 7, 2017)

Yep. I'm very patriotic, yet I don't like 20% of the people that live there. I also don't care who's in office right now.

But I do admit America made mistakes before.


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## Stalfos (Apr 7, 2017)

I'm from Sweden and while there are things that make me proud of my country there are also things that make me ashamed. Kind of a mixed bag. I guess most people feel like that.

Sweden and our Scandinavian neighbours are generally considered some of the best countries to live in and I do consider myself lucky to have been born here, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna turn to blind patriotism. Just because your country happens to be better than average doesn't mean you should accept things that aren't so good.


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## Espurr (Apr 7, 2017)

People really shouldn't threaten Trump.  Trust me, Pence is worse.

And I couldn't care less about the country's state.  If I did I still couldn't do anything about it.


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## Tessie (Apr 7, 2017)

I think I won a lottery in life, I could've been born in a third world country, or a country where I wouldn't know where/how/when I would get my next meal/water source. Or a country that is constantly at war with itself, where I have no freedom to even express myself. Or a country that is out of control with crime, and I have to worry about being a female and under represented. 
But here I am in my comfortable bed with Wifi, and a $1,500 laptop, with abundance of food/water/heat/shelter. And I was given the opportunity and liberty to become whatever I choose, and I'm educated, and in a doctorate program, so I can make a comfortable living for my future family.

So yes, I am proud to be American. I'm happy where I was born and raised. I'm happy to be raised with western mentality where we are deemed more compassionate for animals/humans, and are a bit more environmentally conscious.
Every country has flaws, but I'm glad I'm American.


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## lostineverfreeforest (Apr 7, 2017)

I don't see why I should be proud that my parents ****ed and birthed me in this country.


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## Twisterheart (Apr 7, 2017)

I'm glad I live here. This country has flaws, but so does every country and some worse than others. Right now things are tense, but there are countries in the world with a lot worse going on. I'm fortunate to be living here when I could be worse off.


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## Cailey (Apr 7, 2017)

yep! c:


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## King Dorado (Apr 7, 2017)

I think everyone should be proud of their nationality, it's part of who you are.  That doesn't mean you have to be proud of everything your government does or everything your countrymen do, but you can still be proud of your origins.


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## Nuclear Bingo (Apr 7, 2017)

Yes, until the day I die. No matter what


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## nerdatheart9490 (Apr 8, 2017)

Nope. I haven't been for a very long time. Political system is corrupt beyond measure, corporate greed is valued over the health and welfare of citizens, our education system is an absolute joke, and this past election proved that we can no longer provide decent options for leadership. Unless we completely overturn the current political and educational system, we're going to continue working our way backwards into becoming a third world country with a mighty large attitude problem.


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## Fearthecuteness (Apr 9, 2017)

I'm not American myself but if I was I definitely wouldn't be proud. But then, I'm not proud of being British since we're the ones to blame for the US being the way it is.


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## Crash (Apr 9, 2017)

Twisterheart said:


> I'm glad I live here. This country has flaws, but so does every country and some worse than others. Right now things are tense, but there are countries in the world with a lot worse going on. I'm fortunate to be living here when I could be worse off.





King Dorado said:


> I think everyone should be proud of their nationality, it's part of who you are.  That doesn't mean you have to be proud of everything your government does or everything your countrymen do, but you can still be proud of your origins.



^^ these are almost exactly my thoughts on the matter, too. i'm not _always_ proud to say i'm american, but i'm very grateful to live here, and for all of the people that have fought for our rights, freedoms, and for positive change in this country both throughout history and currently. america without a doubt has its flaws, but there are so many places that are much worse. that doesn't mean that we don't need to move forward and grow as a country and as human beings, but i think a vast majority of americans are good at heart. unfortunately it's just the terrible ones that get the most media attention, which is a damn shame.


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## SensaiGallade (Apr 9, 2017)

If only I was an American.


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## moonford (Apr 10, 2017)

(When the majority of the site is Americans and you feel lonely because there is no other people who are from the same place as you.)

If I was an American I wouldn't be proud, I would go as far to say I hate America, not the people (well sometimes, there's a bunch of idiotic celebrities) but the way politics is handled and other issues. No country is better than another, but some have more flaws than others and America is the perfect example of a flawed country.


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## GrayScreen (Apr 10, 2017)

Hmm...No. I wouldn't say I'm proud. But I also wouldn't say I hate my country either.  There are some really good, amazing people here who get overshadowed by the absolute bull**** people in charge. It's easy to see the sideshow circus that we have for a political system here and think that we're a country of morons and terrible people, but there are so many people who are fighting against the grain, and are challenging the people who would keep them in the dirt. That's a good thing! We're a young, horrifically flawed country, but we're also a country of deeply passionate people who have the power to change things if we fight hard enough. We just have to keep pushing forward.


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## Duzzel (Apr 10, 2017)

It's hit or miss for me. 
What keeps me going is how unbelievably diverse this country is. The US is without a doubt the most diverse country on the planet, and that's incredibly exciting to me. 

It's distressing, however, the corruption and skewed priorities our country has in general. I would venture to say that nationalism is dropping since the presidency shifted. The US is responsible for a majority of our planet's troubles and I wish we addressed real concerns other than what Donald preached on his campaign trail.
Our country has such incredible capacity for good, but instead our resources go to isolationism, the military, and bigotry. 

That's why I find it hard to be proud I'm American.


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## Envy (Apr 10, 2017)

Can't say I am proud of a nation that elected Donald Trump as president, no.


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## Mimi Cheems (Apr 11, 2017)

I'm really proud to be an American actually, I'm glad I wasn't born somewhere else. Most of these Americans saying they aren't proud of the country they live in. Ummmmmm.... Excuse? We have rights, literally more rights than most countries. We don't get shot for speaking our opinion in America, and we don't get murdered for being gay or trans like they do in the Middle-Eastern countries. I'm glad and proud I live in America rather than in a hellhole where I get shot or killed for speaking my mind or being gay or being rebellious against the country I live in.  

I'm 100% proud of being an American because I can be proud of the freedoms we have, the freedom of speech, freedom of religion (if you were an Atheist in Saudi Arabia or didn't do your prayers during the day-- you'd probably get killed LOL)

Us Americans should be lucky we're not as terrible as the other countries. America ain't so bad. At least we're not like Russia, or Syria, or Pakistan??? 
Some people are just selfish tbh


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## PotatoPowered (Apr 11, 2017)

I'm pretty moderate feeling about being an American but we have conflicts and an orange as a president. 50/50 i'm saying


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## LambdaDelta (Apr 11, 2017)

KarlaKGB said:


> funny how all these people take for granted the fact that they are living relatively comfortable lives in a stable western democracy that while imperfect, could be much much worse.





Skywalker said:


> I'm really proud to be an American actually, I'm glad I wasn't born somewhere else. Most of these Americans saying they aren't proud of the country they live in. Ummmmmm.... Excuse? We have rights, literally more rights than most countries. We don't get shot for speaking our opinion in America, and we don't get murdered for being gay or trans like they do in the Middle-Eastern countries. I'm glad and proud I live in America rather than in a hellhole where I get shot or killed for speaking my mind or being gay or being rebellious against the country I live in.
> 
> I'm 100% proud of being an American because I can be proud of the freedoms we have, the freedom of speech, freedom of religion (if you were an Atheist in Saudi Arabia or didn't do your prayers during the day-- you'd probably get killed LOL)
> 
> ...



do you people just go "good enough" and eat it when your food arrives half-cooked or something?



also, someone please tear apart skywalker's first two paragraph for me. I know it can be done, but damn do I not feel like gathering all the reference materials


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## Byngo (Apr 11, 2017)

I'm thankful to live here, I enjoy the rights we have here and the opportunities I've had here but that's where it ends... to be quite frank I find overly patriotic people overbearing. I'm talking the kind that has big flags on the end of their trucks, wears something with a flag on it daily, etc



Skywalker said:


> We have rights, literally more rights than most countries. We don't get shot for speaking our opinion in America, and we don't get murdered for being gay or trans like they do in the Middle-Eastern countries. I'm 100% proud of being an American because I can be proud of the freedoms we have, the freedom of speech, freedom of religion



this stuff isn't exclusive to America though? Most of Europe, Canada, Australia and probably some other places I'm unaware of have all this


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## fenris (Apr 11, 2017)

Skywalker said:


> I'm really proud to be an American actually, I'm glad I wasn't born somewhere else. Most of these Americans saying they aren't proud of the country they live in. Ummmmmm.... Excuse? We have rights, literally more rights than most countries. We don't get shot for speaking our opinion in America, and *we don't get murdered for being gay or trans like they do in the Middle-Eastern countries.* I'm glad and proud I live in America rather than in a hellhole where I get shot or killed for speaking my mind or being gay or being rebellious against the country I live in.
> 
> I'm 100% proud of being an American because I can be proud of the freedoms we have, the freedom of speech, freedom of religion (if you were an Atheist in Saudi Arabia or didn't do your prayers during the day-- you'd probably get killed LOL)
> 
> ...




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Orlando_nightclub_shooting
http://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-transgender-community-in-2016
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unlawfully_killed_transgender_people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_violence_against_LGBT_people_in_the_United_States
http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-...rans-people-still-disturbingly-common-n685971

Aside from the article about the Pulse shooting, this is all from literally the first page of results when I searched "violence against trans people in the US."  America is not a safe place for LGBT people.


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## LambdaDelta (Apr 11, 2017)

LambdaDelta said:


> also, someone please tear apart skywalker's first two paragraph for me. I know it can be done, but damn do I not feel like gathering all the reference materials



good news, I manged to dig up a twitter thread re: free speech stuff. no citations, but hopefully anyone with any level of interest can look this stuff up (it's mostly historical things, so...)

https://twitter.com/discomfiting/status/827354681504587777

also, I will say that by no means am I saying free speech is bad, but that American free speech is purely until you're a liability to the established system. after that, your "rights" are meaningless. it is not a true free speech

and yes, it has improved in plenty of areas; but more importantly, there's also many areas where it's still just as heinous a lie that's blanketed over or otherwise twisted into a workable narrative


tl;dr embrace free speech, but don't turn a blind eye to its failings either

pretty much everyone is aware that America isn't perfect, but neither are the things people generally praise America for. be critical of these flaws, otherwise there stands no real chance of improving them


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## Soda Fox (Apr 12, 2017)

Duzzel said:


> It's distressing, however, the corruption and skewed priorities our country has in general. I would venture to say that nationalism is dropping since the presidency shifted. The US is responsible for a majority of our planet's troubles and I wish we addressed real concerns other than what Donald preached on his campaign trail.
> Our country has such incredible capacity for good, but instead our resources go to isolationism, the military, and bigotry.



The presidency has only made me more nationalist and really many other people I've talked to.  But that's just my experience.

I really wish people would stop blaming the US for "most of the world's troubles".  No, the world has always has problems and it's not fair to pin most of the blame on one country.  Especially a country that's pretty darn great compared to a lot of the countries in the world.

I want the US to back out of other country's problems.  If the US is getting the blame no matter what, I think it should stay out of other country's business.  It doesn't make sense for the US to go in to help only to get blamed when things go wrong anyway.


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## N a t (Apr 12, 2017)

I don't think it would matter where I lived, I feel no reason to be PROUD of being a citizen of my designated country. I certainly feel very lucky since I have lots of freedoms and wonderful things at my disposal, but what is there to be proud of? I may be an American, but I'm not exactly a patriotic person, or doing anything to represent my country. I'm just living here because I was born and raised here. It would be no different for me anywhere else.

- - - Post Merge - - -

Plus, there are quite a few people who have negative views on the US, so I don't necessarily feel like it's the greatest place on earth lmao


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## animalcrisscross (Apr 12, 2017)

i don't see how anyone couldn't be. America helped to make me who i am today. i could've been born into some of the many crapholes of the world. i could've been born into a country where racism, bigotry, and misogyny are the norm and have an extremely difficult chance at being a decent human being because these backward ways of thinking are ingrained into the minds of their citizens at birth. 

of course there will always be problems in America. none of them insurmountable. if America is not heading in the direction you want it to go personally you have the power to change it. you can't say that about every country. just because it's not going in your direction right now does not change the core values of America (individualism, freedom of speech, equality, liberty, pursuit of happiness, etc.) and never will. so to say you're ashamed of, or even just plain not proud of America simply because it's heading in a different direction is silly and even a bit arrogant. America has ingrained these core principles in you. they are what drives you to think for yourself and to say "hey this is wrong" when something goes against your beliefs. these values are nonexistent in many nations, criminal acts even.

you can argue the petty differences between America and other Western nations but it's a waste of time. Western nations all have similar core values and i'd be proud to be from most any of them. it beats living in some third world nation or somewhere ruled by tyrannical oppressors.

why do you think people from these poor and war-torn countries are fighting so hard to come to ours? maybe they want somewhere to be proud of because their countries failed them in damn near all aspects.



fenris said:


> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Orlando_nightclub_shooting
> http://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-transgender-community-in-2016
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unlawfully_killed_transgender_people
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_violence_against_LGBT_people_in_the_United_States
> ...



there are places where the government kills you for being gay. like it's actual systemic oppression that the far left loves to talk about. *it's illegal not to kill gay people there. *like wtf. and show me the evidence that all these people were murdered _because _they were trans. people get murdered. like are we supposed to only stop trans people from getting murdered? 75% of murder victims are cis males. America must be unsafe for us.



LambdaDelta said:


> good news, I manged to dig up a twitter thread re: free speech stuff. no citations, but hopefully anyone with any level of interest can look this stuff up (it's mostly historical things, so...)
> 
> https://twitter.com/discomfiting/status/827354681504587777



a bunch of repealed/revised laws and court cases from over half a century ago? let's talk about how this year the left started a riot because they didn't want a gay jew giving an hour long speech on their campus.


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## LambdaDelta (Apr 12, 2017)

animalcrisscross said:


> a bunch of repealed/revised laws and court cases from over half a century ago?



I literally bring this up in one of my following points. still doesn't change that they happened though and that blind faith appraisal of free speech without understanding its historical usage, and more importantly, silencing, is a fallacy

also there's more examples than just old laws, which makes me inclined to believe you didn't bother reading very far


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## Trundle (Apr 12, 2017)

That's the issue with you Americans. You're never content. Just shut up and learn how to enjoy life. You would not be any happier anywhere else. You just make excuses to justify your petty materialist life.


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## Ghost Soda (Apr 12, 2017)

Apple2013 said:


> That's the issue with you Americans. You're never content. Just shut up and learn how to enjoy life. You would not be any happier anywhere else. You just make excuses to justify your petty materialist life.









I'm going to assume you're trolling here.


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## Trundle (Apr 12, 2017)

Ghost Soda said:


> I'm going to assume you're trolling here.



I am 100% serious.


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## LambdaDelta (Apr 12, 2017)

Apple2013 said:


> That's the issue with you Americans. You're never content. Just shut up and learn how to enjoy life. You would not be any happier anywhere else. You just make excuses to justify your petty materialist life.



please ****post harder


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## Trundle (Apr 12, 2017)

LambdaDelta said:


> please ****post harder



I hope America collapses and gets purged from the earth, along with everyone in it.


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## LambdaDelta (Apr 12, 2017)

Apple2013 said:


> I hope America collapses and gets purged from the earth, along with everyone in it.



I mean regardless this will happen eventually

nothing lasts forever after all

the only question is if you'll be around for it


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## Soigne (Apr 12, 2017)

i've never really felt a strong sense of patriotism, but that's not to say that there aren't worse places to live.


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## Sonny Resetti (Apr 12, 2017)

No.


I'm not American.


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## Hellfish (Apr 13, 2017)

I'm a New Zealander so I'm blessed with living in one of the best countries in the world, I feel like America while it has lots of downsides is still way better off them other places. However in saying that I wouldn't be too proud to be an American (But that's cause I'm much better off as a kiwi ^-^ )


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## Soot Sprite (Apr 13, 2017)

I wouldn't go as far as saying I'm proud to be American but for the most part I like living where I do. In my opinion America has a lot of problems but I also know I have better rights here compared to a lot of other places I could be living.


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## Primarina (Apr 19, 2017)

I am absolutely proud to be an American. The thing that makes America different from any other nation the world has ever known is that we are a country founded on ideas, on the sharing of a common credo, not on a common history or genetic lineage. That is what makes us exceptional. That is why people have fought and died for this country for generations, not because they shared a common ethnic background or religion, but because they believed in a shared idea of freedom, of a democratic republic, of certain inalienable rights including freedom of speech (which no other country has so centrally enshrined as we have, not the UK, not Australia, not New Zealand, not Canada, no one). That is also why people of every color and creed have sought to come to this country for over two hundred years, because they wanted to start over somewhere where they could have some measure of freedom. Is America perfect? No, of course not, but our country's sins are not unique in their substance or scope, and there are many many nations throughout history guilty of so much worse.


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## piichinu (Apr 19, 2017)

no?? and i wouldnt be proud of being any other nationality either? ppl who are proud of or ashamed by their nationality are just idiots 90% of the time

i meman like im grateful to be here its a great country and i really hate seeing ppl complain and cry about it because other people have it so much worse


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## jcamac45 (Apr 20, 2017)

I am embarrassed of being American. Its history is full of racism, discrimination and massacres of the innocent. I used to think racism was a problem of the past century... but with current president winning the elections, how can you not be ashamed of being an American? 
I agree with what other posts have said about nationalism being really dangerous. We have seen its results at its worst in WW2. 

I disagree entirely with posts mentioning that they get bothered by people "crying" about "issues in America, when other countries have it worst." I don't mean to be disrespectful to these people... but if you really think that these are "snowflakes" complaining about nothing, that only demonstrates the level of privilege under which you are living in this country. Many people don’t have that ability (I call it privilege) to ignore these issues, because they worry that the color of their skin could mean dying in police custody after being pulled over for a routine traffic violation, or being killed for walking down the street wearing a hoodie, or being massacred by a white man in their house of worship, or being deported for being "illegal" even though, in history, the US took their lands by force.

Sure, you might say other countries have it worse and that is why many people are escaping from their countries and even risking their lives in hopes of finding a "better life" in the US. But they come to this land only to realize that they will suffer from discrimination. By the way, our current politicians don't want to accept refugees from countries they have been bombing the heck out of. So yeah, many people moving to the US have, in some way, being forced to move to the US thanks to the US always trying to involve itself into other countries' matters. We are "better" than these other countries... but that does not mean we are in a good social shape, and that is why we need to be more outspoken about these issues and not simply shut it.


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## Alolan_Apples (Apr 20, 2017)

Do you want to know something interesting about the United States?

We are actually ahead of the rest of the world in terms of science and technology. We invented air conditioners, the assembly line, TVs, radios, and phones. It's also where the internet started, where internet services like Facebook and YouTube were launched, and where iPhones come from. Not only that, but we were the first country to land a man on the moon and even sent a spacecraft beyond the solar system.

At the same time, we are behind the rest of the world on social progresses, mostly because we were motivated by religion, stronger justice system, and free economics. And we take the constitution more seriously. We can't catch up with the rest of the world as long as we stick to the constution as if it were a static document, but technologically, we come first.


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## piichinu (Apr 20, 2017)

jcamac45 said:


> I am embarrassed of being American. Its history is full of racism, discrimination and massacres of the innocent. I used to think racism was a problem of the past century... but with current president winning the elections, how can you not be ashamed of being an American?
> I agree with what other posts have said about nationalism being really dangerous. We have seen its results at its worst in WW2.
> 
> I disagree entirely with posts mentioning that they get bothered by people "crying" about "issues in America, when other countries have it worst." I don't mean to be disrespectful to these people... but if you really think that these are "snowflakes" complaining about nothing, that only demonstrates the level of privilege under which you are living in this country. Many people don’t have that ability (I call it privilege) to ignore these issues, because they worry that the color of their skin could mean dying in police custody after being pulled over for a routine traffic violation, or being killed for walking down the street wearing a hoodie, or being massacred by a white man in their house of worship, or being deported for being "illegal" even though, in history, the US took their lands by force.
> ...



i appreciate the two paragraphs u wrote in response to me, but u misunderstand the key words "cry" and "complain" are in reference to those that are always talking about how they want to move to Canada and making memes and whatever

crying and complaining and not really trying don't solve anything and aren't real activism which is what people should be doing


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## jcamac45 (Apr 20, 2017)

badgrl2 said:


> i appreciate the two paragraphs u wrote in response to me, but u misunderstand the key words "cry" and "complain" are in reference to those that are always talking about how they want to move to Canada and making memes and whatever
> 
> crying and complaining and not really trying don't solve anything and aren't real activism which is what people should be doing



It was not targeted at you specifically. I read a couple of other posts where they were expressing their opinion in the context I mentioned. But you are right, I misinterpreted your comment. And agree! Political activism is the way we've being able to bring progressive changes to this country.

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Alolan_Apples said:


> Do you want to know something interesting about the United States?
> 
> We are actually ahead of the rest of the world in terms of science and technology. We invented air conditioners, the assembly line, TVs, radios, and phones. It's also where the internet started, where internet services like Facebook and YouTube were launched, and where iPhones come from. Not only that, but we were the first country to land a man on the moon and even sent a spacecraft beyond the solar system.
> 
> At the same time, we are behind the rest of the world on social progresses, mostly because we were motivated by religion, stronger justice system, and free economics. And we take the constitution more seriously. We can't catch up with the rest of the world as long as we stick to the constution as if it were a static document, but technologically, we come first.



Actually not for too long. Have you seen the budget plan our current president has proposed? He has made some really deep cuts on agencies dedicated for scientific research (agencies like EPA, NIH...). If the budget plan gets passed by congress... China and even Russia will be above us. Actually China is a great place for scientific research now, thanks to our president's propositions. I tell you this, because that is really what's happening right now.


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## Bones (Apr 20, 2017)

Not even remotely. And I'm technically _German_-American, so I often try to pretend that part of my identity doesn't even exist.

Really, the only time I'd ever be "glad" to be American is when it's time to vote. I'm stuck living here, so it's nice to have some say-so in what goes on in my state/country, no matter how small it may be.


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## Primarina (Apr 20, 2017)

It's really sad to me how many people in my generation don't even understand what makes America unique and don't think America is a decent country, let alone a great one. I wonder why people like that who obviously hate America so much don't just renounce their citizenship and/or move to a country they think is better, and I'd love to know what country they think that might be.


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## easpa (Apr 20, 2017)

Not American, but I've never really managed to wrap my head around the concept of nationalism. I like living in Ireland, but I don't feel any exceptional amount of pride in the country; it's just where I happened to be born and where I happen to live.


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## Alolan_Apples (Apr 20, 2017)

jcamac45 said:


> Actually not for too long. Have you seen the budget plan our current president has proposed? He has made some really deep cuts on agencies dedicated for scientific research (agencies like EPA, NIH...). If the budget plan gets passed by congress... China and even Russia will be above us. Actually China is a great place for scientific research now, thanks to our president's propositions. I tell you this, because that is really what's happening right now.



But we're still behind the rest of the world on the social progresses.

- The United States has the second highest incarceration rate in the world, only behind North Korea (but that's because North Korea is a totalitarian state). However, America has such an unusually high incarceration rate mostly because of our ban on drugs most of the nation (more typically marijuana and cocaine). Even non-violent addicts are condemned. We also have a high drinking age, stricter laws against underage drinking, and the strictest laws against texting and driving. Another possible reason why we have the highest incarceration rate out of all non-totalitarian nations is because of our crime rates. Pretty much the larger cities like Chicago, Oakland, Baltimore, and Philadelphia are filled with these high rates.
- Even if the execution rate has been lower recently, we still have a death penalty structure here.
- Education is a lot worse here while in the rest of the developed world, it's great. In states like Louisiana and Mississippi, you can see how important public funding is when it comes to education. They don't put too much funding into it, which is why their education is terrible. But in states like California, you can see how labor unions on education is failing. California is one of the worst states when it comes to education, yet teachers there are the highest paid in the nation. Texas has the highest high school dropout rates in America. I'll explain why later.
- We are behind on healthcare too. A huge chunk of Americans can't even tolerate what we called Obamacare, yet all the other countries in the western world have a must tougher socialized medicine program. And they have easier access to healthcare than we do with universal healthcare.
- Much of the developed world has banned guns entirely, and they are happy about it. In the United States, you can still own a gun, even where gun control laws are at the strictest. And we won't be following the rest of the world anytime soon because we take the 2nd Amendment more seriously.
- Because of how large of a role religion plays here, we are still debating on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage, which has now expanded to religious for-profit businesses and companies fighting for the rights to opt out of same-sex weddings and proving birth control. The devolped world has went beyond that point, as religion is fading there.
- And the rest of the developed world has already got large populations speaking many different languages. In the United States, we couldn't even tolerate people that don't speak English to live here.

Am I proud at how we're behind the rest on the world at this? No, cause this is shameful, but I'm really anti-liberal as I oppose all of their views on political issues (except for the same-sex marriage issue, where I'm for legalization). But I am patriotic and would still live here, even if we're still behind the rest of the world on the social issues.


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## redpqndq (Apr 20, 2017)

Primarina said:


> It's really sad to me how many people in my generation don't even understand what makes America unique and don't think America is a decent country, let alone a great one. I wonder why people like that who obviously hate America so much don't just renounce their citizenship and/or move to a country they think is better, and I'd love to know what country they think that might be.



I'd move if I could afford it.


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## Trundle (Apr 20, 2017)

jcamac45 said:


> I am embarrassed of being American. Its history is full of racism, discrimination and massacres of the innocent. I used to think racism was a problem of the past century... but with current president winning the elections, how can you not be ashamed of being an American?
> I agree with what other posts have said about nationalism being really dangerous. We have seen its results at its worst in WW2.
> 
> I disagree entirely with posts mentioning that they get bothered by people "crying" about "issues in America, when other countries have it worst." I don't mean to be disrespectful to these people... but if you really think that these are "snowflakes" complaining about nothing, that only demonstrates the level of privilege under which you are living in this country. Many people don?t have that ability (I call it privilege) to ignore these issues, because they worry that the color of their skin could mean dying in police custody after being pulled over for a routine traffic violation, or being killed for walking down the street wearing a hoodie, or being massacred by a white man in their house of worship, or being deported for being "illegal" even though, in history, the US took their lands by force.
> ...



haha welcum 2 human race kiddo


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## Zura (Apr 20, 2017)

Definitely, America is and will always be the greatest country in the world! Now that we have President Trump in office, the country is only gonna get better 

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Primarina said:


> It's really sad to me how many people in my generation don't even understand what makes America unique and don't think America is a decent country, let alone a great one. I wonder why people like that who obviously hate America so much don't just renounce their citizenship and/or move to a country they think is better, and I'd love to know what country they think that might be.



Exactly, well said.

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Apple2013 said:


> haha welcum 2 human race kiddo



Sad but true, people try to pin racism and slavery on America alone, but fail to realize it was something that happened everywhere. People who use those kind of excuses for hatting America really need to take some history lessons.


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## Alolan_Apples (Apr 20, 2017)

Vaati said:


> Definitely, America is and will always be the greatest country in the world! Now that we have President Trump in office, the country is only gonna get better



I'm actually disappointed with Trump. I wanted someone other than Hillary to get in and some who can actually repeal Obamacare, overturn Roe v Wade, and suppress political correctness, but some of the stuff he's doing while in office is something you shouldn't be doing in any position of power. Here's what I don't like about him.

1. *He's a bully* - his habit of saying mean things like he said during the election has continued on in his presidency. He's making all these tweetstorms full of very mean or rude stuff. He was disrespecting former presidents (like his rude comments towards Obama and the wiretapping thing), companies that did something he didn't like (such as when Nordstrom or Macy's cancelled the Ivanka brand), and other celebrities (like Arnold Schwarzenegger when he replaced him in a role he used to be in). I would rather vote a bully in instead of a traitor like Hillary Clinton, but even I would never support a bully.

2. *He's constantly bringing up past drama* - you see, the 2016 Election is over, long over actually, but he's still complaining about the aftermath, even if he won. He was complaining about how people think that Russia had ties with the election, calling stuff "fake news" when polls and stuff don't go in favor for him, and talking about past controversies that have no meaning today. If I were a moderator on this forum, would I write blog entries gossipping about other members on this site or complain about how people treated me? Would I write blog entries complaining about past times when people didn't think I would be a good moderator or when people think I'm a racist (I'm really not, actually)? The answer to both questions is no. If I have a problem with another member on the site right now, I try to talk to them about what's wrong or go to the Contact the Staff board, not publicly solicit their offenses (even without naming). Trump somehow couldn't do this, even as president.

3. *Some of his policies are a bit extreme* - talk about the refugee ban and his deportation raids, there's something he's doing that's going too far on. I wouldn't even support that beyond the extent I can handle.



> Sad but true, people try to pin racism and slavery on America alone, but fail to realize it was something that happened everywhere. People who use those kind of excuses for hatting America really need to take some history lessons.



And I agree here. We may had a history of racism, poor treatment to everyone below the urban elites, and other stuff you wouldn't want to be reminded of, but all countries had something like that before. Germany had Hitler, the British were mean to Indians when India was under their control, France had Napoleon, Italy had Mussolini, and Spain was where the Spanish Inquisition took place in. I can't name all 210 countries and what they had done wrong in the past, but past activity does not matter in present times.


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## jcamac45 (Apr 20, 2017)

Vaati said:


> Definitely, America is and will always be the greatest country in the world! Now that we have President Trump in office, the country is only gonna get better
> 
> - - - Post Merge - - -
> 
> ...



Haha you probably say that because you have the privilege of not being the minority.
You don't get to live in America under constant fear of losing your dear ones. And I would move to another place... but unfortunately I was not born privileged to just move to another country like China. I am seriously considering moving to China, since the money for scientific research is where is at. BTW, I am a researcher.

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Vaati said:


> Definitely, America is and will always be the greatest country in the world! Now that we have President Trump in office, the country is only gonna get better
> 
> - - - Post Merge - - -
> 
> ...



Haha you probably say that because you have the privilege of not being the minority.
You don't get to live in America under constant fear of losing your dear ones. And I would move to another place... but unfortunately I was not born privileged to just move to another country like China. I am seriously considering moving to China, since the money for scientific research is where is at. BTW, I am a researcher.


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## Licorice (Apr 20, 2017)

It's not something I worked for so I can't be proud of it.  I was born here.


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## jcamac45 (Apr 20, 2017)

Alolan_Apples said:


> But we're still behind the rest of the world on the social progresses.
> 
> - The United States has the second highest incarceration rate in the world, only behind North Korea (but that's because North Korea is a totalitarian state). However, America has such an unusually high incarceration rate mostly because of our ban on drugs most of the nation (more typically marijuana and cocaine). Even non-violent addicts are condemned. We also have a high drinking age, stricter laws against underage drinking, and the strictest laws against texting and driving. Another possible reason why we have the highest incarceration rate out of all non-totalitarian nations is because of our crime rates. Pretty much the larger cities like Chicago, Oakland, Baltimore, and Philadelphia are filled with these high rates.
> - Even if the execution rate has been lower recently, we still have a death penalty structure here.
> ...



Well I don't see how I am liberal for pointing out the issues occurring in this country.
I don't follow parties.. Republicans? Liberals? They are all the same if none of the two parties are actually standing for the people.
To me that is one of the problems we have in the US. It is either white or black... never gray, when in reality, the world has different tones of gray. We need to think things more critically and develop our own opinions through research and reason. By the way, I don't consider myself anti-liberal nor liberal. I consider myself human and speak with humanitarian ideas backed by science.

And I am glad you did your research on pointing out those issues. See? pointing out the problem does not mean you hate the country. It only means you are aware of the problems and could think of ways of making the country better by making those changes.

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Apple2013 said:


> haha welcum 2 human race kiddo



That still does not make racism acceptable, son.

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Primarina said:


> It's really sad to me how many people in my generation don't even understand what makes America unique and don't think America is a decent country, let alone a great one. I wonder why people like that who obviously hate America so much don't just renounce their citizenship and/or move to a country they think is better, and I'd love to know what country they think that might be.



That is because we do think that America could be great. Pointing out the problems in your country does not translate to hate. It only means you are aware of the problems that should be changed by the people in power. That is why you vote after doing your research about the candidates that will be representing you in government. And no! You definitely don't want people to leave this country. The US is a country of immigrants. That is how it was founded. By pointing out the problems, you are critically thinking on ways of how to make this country better and not the same as the world. Is racism ok with you? how about police brutality and mass incarceration? or the government deciding what women should and should not do to their bodies? It is important to stay politically active in these things so we don't make the US a dictatorship country like N. Korea for example.


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## B e t h a n y (Apr 20, 2017)

how could you be proud to live in a nation that thinks the correct way to try Vegemite is on a spoon?


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## Duzzel (Apr 20, 2017)

I would like to intercede despite how thoroughly I'm enjoying the discourse.

I mentioned before how much I adore my country given its heterogeneity, and even though I would emphatically denounce some of the views here, I would like to call attention to how many views there are - and how great it is that we can express them.

Now I will always denounce bigotry or any form of oppression, but I find it incredibly interesting how people view what the US is "all about". For me, it's diversity, open-mindedness, and progress. But I can appreciate other views that value self-improvement, tradition, or integrity. 
Unfortunately, US society has devolved into a bipartisan structure that, as many people have mentioned, puts us in black or white scenarios. This would be easily combated with more insightful political activism, but I digress.

There needs to be recognition that (generally) no one is truly ashamed of being born in this country. I just hope we end this discussion recognizing that US citizens do care about what happens to this country, I just hope it ends up the way I want it, lol 



B e t h a n y said:


> how could you be proud to live in a nation that thinks the correct way to try Vegemite is on a spoon?



Honestly, the all-or-nothing attitude of an American shouldn't be too surprising.


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## jcamac45 (Apr 21, 2017)

Duzzel said:


> I would like to intercede despite how thoroughly I'm enjoying the discourse.
> 
> I mentioned before how much I adore my country given its heterogeneity, and even though I would emphatically denounce some of the views here, I would like to call attention to how many views there are - and how great it is that we can express them.
> 
> ...



EXACTLY!!!! 
I actually enjoy these types of threads, not going to lie.


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## Primarina (Apr 21, 2017)

redpqndq said:


> I'd move if I could afford it.



Good, hopefully you'll be able to afford it soon.

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Where would you move, by the way? I'm dying to know where you think is so much better than the U.S.

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jcamac45 said:


> That is because we do think that America could be great. Pointing out the problems in your country does not translate to hate. It only means you are aware of the problems that should be changed by the people in power. That is why you vote after doing your research about the candidates that will be representing you in government. And no! You definitely don't want people to leave this country. The US is a country of immigrants. That is how it was founded. By pointing out the problems, you are critically thinking on ways of how to make this country better and not the same as the world. Is racism ok with you? how about police brutality and mass incarceration? or the government deciding what women should and should not do to their bodies? It is important to stay politically active in these things so we don't make the US a dictatorship country like N. Korea for example.



I do want people who actually hate this country to leave it. I don't disagree that one can criticize problems in their country without hating it (I hate our current president, for example, but that doesn't mean I hate this country. I actually hate him because I love this country.), however if you think America is uniquely racist or has a unique level of racism or police brutality, you're kidding yourself.

Of course racism is not ok with me. Of course actual police brutality is not ok with me. Of course people being imprisoned for non-violent drug crimes, or as you call it "mass incarceration", is not ok with me. However, being against abortion is not about "deciding what women should and should not do with their bodies", it is about not letting a doctor end the life of an unborn person in utero (but that is a whole other issue we'd be best not to get into and just agree to disagree on as I don't care to get into that debate). I am all for people staying politically active, and I do not want us to become a dictatorship any more than you do, but if you think China, where you've said you want to move, is better than the US, then you're just an idiot.

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Vaati said:


> Definitely, America is and will always be the greatest country in the world! Now that we have President Trump in office, the country is only gonna get better
> 
> - - - Post Merge - - -
> 
> ...



Thanks for agreeing with me, but I am going to have to disagree with you on Trump, who I think is a traitor.


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## animalcrisscross (Apr 21, 2017)

jcamac45 said:


> The US is a country of immigrants.



we're a country of Americans actually.



Pachireecko said:


> Not American, but I've never really managed to wrap my head around the concept of nationalism. I like living in Ireland, but I don't feel any exceptional amount of pride in the country; it's just where I happened to be born and where I happen to live.



i think some people are getting pride and nationalism mixed up and it's a big distinction. nationalism has pretty much become a dirty word at this point. the modern definition of a "nationalist" has morphed into someone who believes their country/race is superior to all others for arbitrary reasons. being proud of your country doesn't necessitate a sense of superiority. in fact, i doubt many nationalists are proud of the country because they hate immigrants so much and, in their minds, immigrants have been invading America or whatever.

that's the problem these days. any Trump supporter or even just anyone who disagrees with extreme leftist views are labelled alt-right nationalists. there is middle ground. as others have said, everything isn't black and white. if you view things in black and white terms you will never be satisfied.

all of us just happened to be born where ever we were born. but we also all just happened to have whatever parents that we had too. i'm sure if you had a parent that raised you right, you are proud of them for it despite them not being perfect parents all the time. just because we are randomly put into situations doesn't mean we can't be prideful of them. if you're a parent, i'm sure you want your kids to be proud of you. and yes there are some bad parents out there that some probably aren't so proud of. 

it's the same thing when it comes to countries. there are good ones and bad ones. if you can't be proud of being an American i don't see how you could be proud of any other nation either. there's no country that at some point hasn't done something terrible. choosing to ignore the good and focus only on the bad is a miserable way to live and i'm not sorry for choosing not to worry about crap in the past i can do nothing about. i acknowledge it and learn from it but i'm not so conceited that i'll say it's all unforgivable.

there are issues all over the Western world today but America is so overly criticized by foreigners and its own citizens, more so than any other country. what makes America better is that it can take all that criticism and progress. we're criticized so heavily, and some problems are so exaggerated, that people get this idea that America sucks simply because it has so many critics. it's crazy. Europe is being terrorized to all hell and people rip on America for petty bull****. i don't understand it honestly.

tl;dr everyone's just jelly of America.


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## jcamac45 (Apr 21, 2017)

Primarina said:


> Good, hopefully you'll be able to afford it soon.
> 
> - - - Post Merge - - -
> 
> ...




I don't think the US is uniquely racist. I actually lived in Mexico for 20 years. There is also a lot of racism in Mexico, and I always pointed that out, protested, and called my representatives while living there. To do that is actually very dangerous over there, and had to move to the US at some point, since I am a citizen. Currently living in the US, I am pointing out the racism that exists here, and would love for a first world country to erradicate it entirely. So that's what everyone should do, instead of getting offended for people pointing that out.

Well I'm glad to hear you dislike racism and hate Trump and think both should go away from the US. That is really the whole point of my argument .

I would like to move to China because in China there is more opportunity for my research funding. Currently the president cut substantial funds to the scientific community, mine among other ones. In terms of _*research*_, China is going to get better than the US because of what the current president is ridiculously proposing. China does have a lot of funding for research. So saying China is better than the US alone is too vague to even argue about.

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animalcrisscross said:


> we're a country of Americans actually.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



"We are a country of Americans"
Actually animalcrisscross, America is not only the US. I remind you that America consists of Mexico, Canada, Cuba, PuertoRico, all of South America.
And even before the Europeans started colonizing to what now is known as the US, there were Native American tribes like the Lakotas, Apaches, Sioux, etc. So indeed, America *IS* an immigrant country.


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## animalcrisscross (Apr 21, 2017)

jcamac45 said:


> I don't think the US is uniquely racist. I actually lived in Mexico for 20 years. There is also a lot of racism in Mexico, and I always pointed that out, protested, and called my representatives while living there. To do that is actually very dangerous over there, and had to move to the US at some point, since I am a citizen. Currently living in the US, I am pointing out the racism that exists here, and would love for a first world country to erradicate it entirely. So that's what everyone should do, instead of getting offended for people pointing that out.
> 
> Well I'm glad to hear you dislike racism and hate Trump and think both should go away from the US. That is really the whole point of my argument .
> 
> I would like to move to China because in China there is more opportunity for my research funding. Currently the president cut substantial funds to the scientific community, mine among other ones. In terms of _*research*_, China is going to get better than the US because of what the current president is ridiculously proposing. China does have a lot of funding for research. So saying China is better than the US alone is too vague to even argue about.



what "racism" are you even talking about? the China vs. America argument isn't vague. just about anyone would be better off in America. you'll make more money over there? great. actually living there will be hell though.



jcamac45 said:


> "We are a country of Americans"
> Actually animalcrisscross, America is not only the US. I remind you that America consists of Mexico, Canada, Cuba, PuertoRico, all of South America.
> And even before the Europeans started colonizing to what now is known as the US, there were Native American tribes like the Lakotas, Apaches, Sioux, etc. So indeed, America *IS* an immigrant country.



we are a country of Unitedstatesians*


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## Alolan_Apples (Apr 22, 2017)

jcamac45 said:


> Well I don't see how I am liberal for pointing out the issues occurring in this country.
> I don't follow parties.. Republicans? Liberals? They are all the same if none of the two parties are actually standing for the people.
> To me that is one of the problems we have in the US. It is either white or black... never gray, when in reality, the world has different tones of gray. We need to think things more critically and develop our own opinions through research and reason. By the way, I don't consider myself anti-liberal nor liberal. I consider myself human and speak with humanitarian ideas backed by science.
> 
> And I am glad you did your research on pointing out those issues. See? pointing out the problem does not mean you hate the country. It only means you are aware of the problems and could think of ways of making the country better by making those changes.



You may not be conservative or liberal, but you said that white people have privileges others don't have (well what you said sounded like it). Those who actually claim that there is a white privilege, straight privilege, or male privilege seems to be leaning closer to the Democrats. There is no social advantage of being white. There is no social disadvantage of being black or hispanic. There is no social advantage of being male. There is no social disadvantage of being female. Nobody have any privileges based on race or sex. We are all the same. Yet, minority groups and women face unique obstacles white people and men don't have to face because of our racist and sexist history. And yet, racism still exists. But to say that America is racist as a whole, anything that lacks diversity is considered racist, or to say that white people get the perks because of their skin, that's not acceptable. In fact, invoking the white privilege (which is basically shaming them for being white instead of their other characteristics) is an evil thing to do. I understand that it's not fair that we demonize african americans when they do the same bad stuff (or half as bad) white people do (and it's still happening), the reverse is true too. When a white person does something a non-white person doesn't like, the media always throws in racism, sometimes ignoring the actual story behind it.

Basically, I don't see white privilege or male privilege. I don't see non-white people or women as underprivileged. I only see good and evil. I do see how all races are unequal right now, but the reasons why they're unequal isn't even about race. It's about human nature.


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## Byebi (Apr 22, 2017)

to answer op's question

not really
the ignorant stereotypes of americans makes me feel guilty
i wish we paid more attention to the other worldly problems and not just focus on our own issues. like during the elections everyone tunes in on whats going on to us but we rarely hear anything about the affairs of other countries?
and of course with all the political mess going on,,, i'd rather be associated w something else.


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## Bowie (Apr 22, 2017)

Black people face fears that I could only imagine. As a white male, I would never ever compare my social issues or my cultural relevance to theirs. I would never pretend to understand what they have to go through.


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## ApolloJusticeAC (Apr 22, 2017)

well i'm not gonna say: "i'm not american!!!!" in public or in resumes.

i'm proud to say it at least


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## nintendofan85 (Apr 22, 2017)

I was, but Trump often makes me feel ashamed...


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## oliversacnl (Apr 22, 2017)

Yeah, I'm pretty ashamed of the United States. We're full of hypocrites. 

I was thinking of moving away simply because I didn't want to fund terrorist groups. We're notorious for arming Islamic groups like al-Qaeda, then saying that Muslims are dangerous, violent people. *eyeroll* 

Whew... glad I got that out of my system, haha. 

But yeah, the USA has some pretty terrible history. I mean, many other places do too (like Germany and Japan, for obvious reasons), but I think that we're the one place that doesn't learn from our mistakes. It's like... it seems like the past just keeps repeating. I dunno. 

At least I can get gay married, I guess.


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