God Bless The Usa!

[patsfangr]

I'm starting this potentially inflamatory thread as a result of some relatively innocent discussion that took place among Americans in another thread. Oddly enough, the original subject had NOTHING to do with any nationalistic issues. It was, in fact, addressing Weho's search for vertical chicken spit! :-)

But, as Weho is wont to do, he threw in a "Weho shot" about the USA that drew an angry response. (Naughty boy!) The exchange that followed, which was between Americans, and not particularly adversarial, got my juices flowing. So, I decided to open Pandora's Box, and let the English speaking population of the Pattaya Forum express their opinions about the USA. I'll set up the targets with a few opening comments.

FIRE AWAY!

When I see a serious criticism of the greatest nation in the history of the world, I'll get my back up. Because, although I will NEVER claim that the USA is perfect, I will never back down from that statement that it is the greatest nation in the history of the world!

We still have more racism than should be present in our country, in spite of the fantastic strides we've made in reducing that horrific human instinct. We began that racism with an absolutely abhorent seizure of the lands previously occupied by the natives of the land now called the United States of America; and the slaughter of thousands of their people. No American can present the positive achievments or actions of the USA without acknowledging the guilt we should all feel for that travesty.

We are also guilty of supporting the slavery and future oppression of millions of people who were initially imported as chattle from the African continent. Again, no American can deny the evil of that period of our history.

As for today, we must also acknowledge that the USA is still far from being a Utopian nation.

We still have far too many people unable to secure adequate housing, clothing, and food for themselves and their families, in spite of having more millionaires per capita than any nation in the world.

We still have far too many people murdered every day, in spite of a national philosophy that abhors murder.

We still have far too many people unable to afford adequate medical care, despite having some of the best medical experts and supporting equipment in the world.

We still have far too many people in power who are more concerned with personal riches and expansion of power than they are with making the country, and the world, a better place for all people.

We must acknowledge that there have been multiple motivations for some of the military actions initiated by the USA, some of which have been the desires of the people mentioned in the preceding paragraph!

But the fact remains that, all factors of human existence considered, and comparing all of the issues noted above to other nations of the world, the United States of America is the best nation in the history of the human existence. Perfect? Absolutely not! Immune from criticism, from within or without? Absolutely not! But the United States of America, all things considered, is the best country in the history of the human race!

All I ask is that people who are critical of my country acknowledge its' good points and actions, while criticizing what they perceive to be its' errors.

No country has every contributed the amount of economic aid to people and nations in need that the USA has. (Oh, and, by the way, we have almost always been given nothing but grief from those countries after such aid was provided!)

No country has ever sacrificed the number of lives to combat aggression and oppression throughout the world that the USA has. (Once again, the "gratitude" of those nations has usually been expressed with opposition to everything the USA has done internationally. Bon jour, France!)

Yes, some may argue that some of our military actions have had "ulterior motives" from the rich and powerful. Perhaps, to some degree, that is true. But has there been any such action taken by the USA that was not justified, by at least a significant degree, by just human needs? What was the justification for attacking Adolph Hitler? What was the justification for attacking Emperor Hirohito? What was the justification for defending South Korea? What was the justification for sending troops to Somalia? What was the justification for sending troops to Bosnia? What was the justification for repelling Hussein's invasion of Kuwait? What was the justification for destroying Saddam's genocidal regime in Iraq? (A war for oil? Tell it to the Kurds!)

OK. I'm done for now. Bring it on! Give me your thoughts on what it is that negates any claims by flag waving Americans like me that the USA is the greatest nation in the history of the human race.

[begsaresponse]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwn!

[toptuan]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwn!

Anybody who runs around the beaches of Pattaya looking like that avatar definitely must get their kicks on a higher level!

[Jingthing]

Portugal used to be a great empire, too. They seem to be doing alright now. Accept change. Learn Mandarin.

God bless the USA? Secularists are Americans too, bub.

This thread won't last long.

[dee123]

....I'm British but I like yanks......but do they like me?

[Tywais]

OK. I'm done for now. Bring it on!

You might want to read the forum rules under the definition of 'troll'.

This thread won't last long.

So true Jingthing. Not Thai related and an open door to American bashing.