Am I horrible because I'm not that proud of our country?

Question

I'm American, and have never lived in another country. However, in the wake of all the mess we have gotten ourselves into, I'm not very proud to be here, and consider moving to another country someday. Is this normal? Or am I crazy? I know there are the positive things about our country, but there are so many negatives as well. I'm just very confused, and angry at the way "We" act at times. Makes me really wonder if I should raise children here someday...

Answer 1

If people who notice our faults leave, there will be no one to help fix them.

And there is nowhere in the world you can go that your life won't be touched if things stay the same as they are here now or get worse.

Our country was founded on some good principles, and over time we get closer and closer to living up to them.

You can make a difference here. It starts with educating yourself, and that doesn't mean just watching TV and listening to talk radio. If we have a problem with another country, read up on our past with them, and not just in an encyclopedia.

Then start looking at our elected "leaders" as what they really are, public servants, and whenever you have a chance, call, write, or get in their face and tell them what you expect them to do and not do, and ask them to explain the things they have done that hurt you or our country as a whole.

That's how democracy is supposed to work.

Answer 2

You can leave if you like. But, before you do, please take a moment to reflect. The things that our government ( I am assuming that you are referring to politics) does on our behalf, isn't always popular. I believe that whatever is done, is more times than not, the best that can be done at the time.
It's easy to criticize others. It can't be so easy to make the tough calls. Our country has always had the responsibility of making those calls when no other nation(s) could or would...It's what happens when you have a backbone. A characteristic not that common amongst most other nation states.
People looking up generally hate to. At the top is where we are positioned. Those below, blame us for all the world's ills.
I think we have the best deal going. If you know of a better place, please share. I will go with you.
Love ya.

Upon further reflection, I have worked all my life doing the best I could. So did my parents and their parents and so forth.
It's what we all do, we are Americans. We kick a_s and take names. If you want war with us, you're going to get it. We do what we do and we don't want others to get in our way if they aren't going to help. We have enormous shoulders to hold enormous burdens.
Another reason we are hated so............

Answer 3

What's so horrible about Britain. I live it Britain and never found it to be horrible. That be because I am a Brit Have you actually been to Britain? If not you can't really judge it and I'll go ahead and guess you've only ever read about it or head from other people about it.

Answer 4

You are not crazy. Our country has become crazy in the last 8 years. It has strayed a long way from what democracy is supposed to be and has careened way too close to what is in fact fascism.

If you haven't seen the movie Vendetta, it is worth watching for all the parallels.

I am just relieved that now so many people are getting that Bush has neither the country's nor their own personal best interest at heart, which is now reflected in his poll numbers and in the way the majority of Americans feel about Iraq. About two years ago I was getting pretty damn worried that we were on a long slide toward totaliarianism.

Though I'm raising a daughter here, I am concerned about the fact that the US has an appauling track record of taking care of its citizens in a number of areas from infant mortality, to nutrition to health insurance.

I can't blame you. You're not crazy, though I hope you stay and do what you can to make it better.

Answer 5

If America is such a bad place to be - please tell me why there are so many coming here? Why are there so many willing to risk being deported - no not just south of the border - from OTHER countries as well.

Why are you allowing yourself to get caught up in the America bashing thing that goes on? It seems that if everything isn't going the way one side or the other feels it should - it is OK to bash America.

My husband is from The Netherlands, and from what I hear on the radio (we get Dutch radio over the internet) it is fine to bash America, but then what is going on over there that is so perfect? Just as much as others can look at us and say that we are so wrong in the way we do things, we can look at them as well. It is a matter of perspective.

Do I think we could be a bit more laid back? yes. But then again I live in Silicon Valley where we are usually go go go ....

If you think there is so much wrong with America, first - don't believe everything the media tells you - investigate it from different sources yourself. Make your own decision after some research. Then, when you find the areas that you think could be different, stand up for them, do your part to make the change.....don't join in line with the ones you think are telling you that America is a bad place.....stand up for yourself...

Answer 6

I love America, and she has been making me cringe lately.

However, I wouldn't move to another country...better have a look at them first. America tends to swing from extreme to extreme in the course of one of two generations. The America where I was born in 1954 was unrecognizable 20 years later in 1974, trust me.

For some reason, Americans cannot stand criticism of their country. Criticism is necessary, like having a colonoscopy exam every so often after a certain age.

Answer 7

Depends what you're looking for. You can't change the past, and every country has made mistakes so you won't be able to escape that. If your looking for free and/or affordable health care and education, we've already achieved that. If your looking for somewhere free of crime and racism you won't find many countries that are like that. If your arrested in australia though there aren't seperate periods of imprisonment according to colour. But it is compulsory to vote if your a citizen, you don't have a choice coz u get fined fi you don't.

Answer 8

Your feeling is more common than you think. And the rest of the world is not so in love with the US.

The problem with the US is both in its internal domestic structure and external world policy. While US sources tout freedom, democracy, human rights, and so on, anyone with a modest amount of intelligence can see that US history and current policy is one of domination, expansionism, manipulation, and greed.

Of course there are many positive points to the US.

I consider myself a world citizen because I am concerned about ALL people. That's why I do not feel compelled to waive the American flag because I do not condone many of the negative things it stands for nor do I approve of its history.

You do not necessarily have to move to another country. There are many places in the US that are more aligned to your viewpoint.

Answer 9

What a waste. george bush is the retard who has done the damage as far as politics. Hollywood is responsible for alot of things. The music industry is a big part of it. PARENTS spoiling their children,and putting up with their smart mouths, bailing them out everytime they get in trouble, not teaching them to respect authority or their elders Etc. This is the biggest part of the problem in my opinion. I see it everyday, these little prepubescent, brats, sassing their parents, IN PUBLIC, and the parents cower down like @ussies.

I don't think you should give up hope yet. You can do things to change you community. If people everywhere did this it wouldn't be half as bad. The problem is nobody wants to take the time to do anything themselves.

Answer 10

It is perfectly all right not to like the country which you are born in. There may be a multitude of reasons but you dont require to state them to anybody except yourself.

In fact many legends like Einstien,Ayn Rand etc have not liked their birth country and have moved to places elsewhere.

But before you begin to dislike your country, be sure you know enough about it which makes you say that.