Why America Is the Best Country In the World

Why America Is the Best Country In the World

I wondered what would happen if I went on DU and simply made positive comments about America... I thought maybe I'd been wrong about them and that it was only the arguing about political differences that so set them on edge, so that's what I did.

Their follow-up question to me his is a good example of the snottiness of the d'RATS, my attempt to provide a viable answer to the obvious--and the predictable results. This 'question' is being put to me as I have stated a number of times that I love America and that it is the greatest country on earth:

FROM DU: I find it odd the threads you have contributed to and the content that you have contributed to those threads with little to no content contained in the posts. You were asked to substantiate your position, not all that uncommon on any DU thread, IMHO. General lists of things that most here consider to be in the "questionable future" arena, that you say are the things that make this country great should not be hard for you to "flesh out" if you really believe they are the things that make this country "great".

Others have posted a challenge to those statements you have made. Can you support them with more than just generalities or not? I, for one, would love to find something to embrace as "great" about the things you listed. Lead me there, if you can. But, I won't hold my breath waiting for it either. (sydnie)

MY ANSWER: People value the things they value because they find them valuable. I can't provide my every waking thought as to why I think America is a beautiful country, or why I've found great job opportunities here. Or why I value that I can travel freely, or that we can ably defend ourselves, or that our Constitution is a wonderous thing.

I can't explain all the choices where I had to live and go to school; I can't explain to you that, if I did not like where I was living, I could pick up and easily move elsewhere. I don't have the time all the rest of my life to explain our laws and legal redress we have here, or the civil rights we aspire to--and have so greatly improved.

All I know is that this vast collection of things I value are found here--some of them nowhere else--and the greatest number of them are here, all in the same place.

I value America because no other place is as valuable TO me.

Sure, other places are nice--I love Canada--I have relatives there. But my uncle, with a heart problem, had to wait 6 months for his med tests--he would've waited 3 DAYS here. My aunt wanted weight loss surgery in Ontario and the wait was 2 YEARS for a consult--my cousin had hers here 6 WEEKS from the time she decided she wanted it!

Ireland is my family's country, I love it too, but there's not as much free speech, not nearly the jobs or educational opportunities. In Russia, you couldn't travel--in much of the middle east, woman can't even LEAVE. You think anybody would care if my husband beat me in Pakistan? Or if I disappeared in Sao Paulo? Or if I was killed in Colombia? You think I'd have my sister working in the maquilladores on the border of Mexico?

You think I could say any of this in Iran? Or write freely on the Internet in Cuba, China, or North Korea? Do you think we could protest our government in Myanmar? Or that we would we have anything close to free press in Indonesia? Can it defend itself as well from outside threat?

Can I make the wages I make and go fishing in the mountains in Nigeria? What school would my kids be sent to in Chad, Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Lesotho?

Now, I'm not going to debate every single little instance I've mentioned (I can see you getting all warmed up!)--and I'm not saying SOME of those things COULDN'T happen elsewhere. But less of the bad, and more of the good--and more redress of the bad--and more FREEDOMS and more good--happen HERE than anywhere else.

People are either able to see that, or they're not. (VerityINK as dempeoria)

I got 'tombstoned' after less than 48 hours--thrown off their board--simply for loving America and finding it a great place to live. I love my country--and DU hates me for saying so. A better bellwether for the state of the Democrat party you couldn't find!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1396182#1399068