Corrupt Government?

[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by CupCake :

You might say that America is not the envy of the world, you know there is a reason why I moved here, the reason is that I came looking for the american dream and you know what??? I found it!!! You will never understand until you have to live in a country that doesn't have anything and the people is starving. You don't understand this becuase you have everything you want and if you don't you can compain about it, I am tired of listening all this "americans" whine about how bad is their country. Sometimes it seems that people that are not americans and they have to go to hell and back to get some paper to be able to even be here are more americans than the real ones. STOP WHINING and see how good you have it!

Thanks - again - for bringing some much-needed perspective to the patently false argument that America is the source of the world's problems and to the constant whining from too many very comfortable Americans who have no real conception of how free and open our nation is and only see the negative because they take their freedom and prosperity for granted, never having known anything else. That's forgivable - but to a person like you, Cup Cake, born and raised in a far less prosperous and democratic land, the American whining and complaining must seem ridiculous and somewhat of a mystery.

I hesitate to say it, but: get used to it. The American education system tends to focus on things like slavery (officially and legally ended in 1863) - 141 years - 7 generations- ago)and other negative aspects of Americas history and the media (TV and newspapers, especially) always focus on 'bad news' and especially during a Republican administration. Thus, we have young people growing up to believe that America is somehow a bad place and that we are a racist , oppressive nation. Absurd? Of course...but this is what is taught in too many public schools and the university today. The folks who promote this false and negative point of view are generally called the 'Blame America First' crowd. Whatever happens, it's somehow America's (or President Bush's) 'fault'. We're too 'arrogant', too rich, use too many resources, and so on. That this is usually nonsense is obvious to many of us but a lot of Americans (too many) buy into it and thus you'll see this kind of 'it's all America's fault-type' messages on boards such as this one, where general topics are discussed. Sad, isn't it?

It's natural to want to see your country improve and of course a nation as large as America wil always have some problems to deal with but the complaining and general negativity some people go on about is far beyond the reality of America, today. That you - as an immigrant - can clearly see this and are honestly annoyed, if not offended by those who bad-mouth their own nation is heartening. I applaud your honesty and ability to tell those who whine about America that they are quite wrong and clearly unappreciative of what they so freely take as their due - and then demand more and complain when they think they've found some 'faults' in the most free and clearly the most powerful economic system in the world today.

Like you, I deeply appreciate the freedoms and opportunity America offers to all. Like you, I get annoyed at the whiners and complainers who see nothing but negatives in the best country on earth. Unlike you, I was born and have lived all my life in this country (with a few trips out of it on vacations) and I'm very proud of my nation and am pleased to be able to share it's benefits and freedoms with you and millions of other immigrants who have made this nation great because they appreciated it and took advantage of it's freedoms and opportunities, Cup Cake.

Keep up that great attitude of yours and never let the grumblers and complainers change your mind.