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[personal profile] gerbie
I have used this point quite a few times now during a discussion, so I might as well put it here as well.

I consider the United States of America a third world country.

Look at it and you'll realise I am right. It has all the characteristics that are normally attributes to developing countries.

Apart from the barbarian death penalty, there are plenty of other signs. The prisons are full, the percentage people in prison is unrivalled (another sign that the death penalty doesn't actually scare people off), but worse is that in prison the percentages of minorities are huge. And so are the percentages of innocent, under age and people who are not capable of managing normal decisions. I'm not even referring to the way people are being treated inside.

Class justice is normal, is the rule, not the exception, money can buy you freedom, lack of money gives innocents a real risk of ending behind bars anyway.

It's education system is a joke. Apart from a few top schools and universities, I am surprised every single time again when I bump into Americans who don't know their own country as well as an average foreigner does. People earn a degree just because they happen to be able to use their overweight on a football field.

There is no other industrialised country that has so much poverty, the social system is pathetic as well. No real unemployment benefits to speak of, no serious rights for employees, no holidays that deserve that name. Health care is unaffordable if you do not happen to be rich. The difference in standard between private and public hospitals shouldn't exist.

Some of their cities are as dangerous as other top cities for danger in the world, not coincidentally in 3rd world countries.

The political system can't be taking serious either, the last election just an example. Isn't it funny that Castro actually offered to send some observers to the USA to help them out with counting. Why does one election have to have dozens of different ballots and methods of counting? Somebody with less votes than his opponent can actually become president. Apart from the 2 traditional parties, no one has a chance.

Their drugs policy is old fashioned. Even though Astma patients may benefit from smoking a joint, they pretend that smoking something innocent is as dangerous as dealing harddrugs. Statistics show though that the repressive system only temps the youth to try out. In comparison with countries where the softdrugs are decriminalised, the percentage smokers in the States is nearly twice as high.

The right to wear a weapon, the right to defend yourself is ridiculous. If nobody is entitled to have weapons in homes, most of the massacres in schools and others public places could easily be avoided. Though mr Heston and his political mafia still remains an important political factor in the country.

There is no country where there are as many serial killers. Is that coincidence?

How can a tiny, fairly small country as Cuba be condemned for being communistic, whereas world power China, more communistic than the Caribean isle, is the biggest trading partner?

Why does the whole world have to suffer for the fact that the United States used the capitalistic system, that rules the world since the second world war, to add to its own power. Sometimes I wonder if the world would have been worse off if the Germans had won the war? Don't get me wrong on that last remark, I'm only trying to say that extreme capitalism to me resembles fascism in many ways.

Unfortunately we are talking about the country that uses it military power and economical influence (power of numbers) to influence the whole F***ing world. If I wasn't a pacifist and a baseball addict I'd suggest to just nuke the place.

I am an American...

Date: 2001-09-13 07:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] prytania.livejournal.com
Who hasn't had the chance to visit other places and other than in the books I read, have no idea of what it is to live in another country. I understand the attitude people of the world have about American's as the arguments are usually things that I myself have a hard time with in my society.

Death Penalty/Prison Systems/Civil Justices: Grotesque display of power on behalf of our government and a tribute to the old fashioned way of thinking by those in our country who have been brainwashed into supporting these people. These rules we are accepting were brought about by old fashioned thinkers, and contrary to what the world may think, a growing majority of our newer generation are apalled at and no longer will stand to live under old laws that don't fit into a changing society. As a mother and wife I know all about the errors of the jail system as my husband was recently imprisoned for two months for protecting my children from a madman. (he has since been released). Our Justice System is in dire need of reformation. The social ills we tolerate amongst our peers of all different nationalities must be stopped.

Education: Agreed. There needs to be more culturalization integrated into American studies with greater emphasis on broadening one's education by rote and not to fill an elective (extra class used as filler by student).

Politics: It is a joke. Most of the newer generations feel helpless in the process and don't even bother to vote. A broader partied system is desired in which the voters are educated on each and every prospect, and as seen in Florida, a new system must be integrated.

Drugs: If our officials weren't making so much money off of drug convictions it may be a policy that had a chance to change. This would also lighten the prison load extensively for those that have been given 10 years for Marijuana charges. Some states are extreme in the punishment of Marijuana crimes. The money paid out by the convicted is outrageous.

Weapons: Believe me with all the problems mentioned so far....none of us needs to have a freaking weapon.

So..you see, it's not the points of mention that I disagree with in your entry. It's the implications on the normal citizens that live here. We may not agree with everything happening in government. But we're figuring out what we can do about it and how we can change it. We are stubborn. We can be tenacious, and the principals that we as a people have fought for, we wont allow to be trampled. Mind you...I said principals. We still believe in all the freedoms we have fought for although we are still trying to compromise with our government in how we can come together in IMPLEMENTING these ideals.

I believe everyone should be entitled to their gods/god, their politics, their personal views. My country is not perfect. It has had atrocities as everyother country has had. That doesn't mean that here today or tomorrow I have to accept the atrocities those who violently uphold their beliefs wish to inflict on me or my neighbors. Terrorism cannot be allowed. It would be my desire to find those responsible and punish them. Wiping out a whole region based on the actions of few is not in our hearts. To accept it, would be to condone it...and we will not do that. To say that our country should be nuked because there are individuals or groups who haven't "gotten it" is a horrible thing to say. I would defy any citizen of any country to prove that each citizen living therein wasn't guilty of a crime against that which is right. No country has perfect citizens or governments, and to say that we should get rid of them because they are human and thus doomed to be imperfect for the rest of their lives is insanity.

Re: I am an American...

Date: 2001-09-14 12:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gerbie.livejournal.com
I apologize for the last sentence of that entry. You are absolutely right. It was written ages ago, this week we have seen how bad terror can be. I never meant that last sentence seriously, you seem to agree on each of the points you've found throughout the entry, so I can only admit that I was wrong in the way I have put down my criticism. Sorry.

Every country makes mistakes. Yours has, mine has as well. Just sometimes some mistakes get up your rear end more than others. I do not withdraw the comments on your country, therefore I'll leave the entry and do not delete it, but I apologize to anyone who is offended by the conclusion of it. Thanx for pointing it out to me.

Re: I am an American...

Date: 2001-09-14 12:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] prytania.livejournal.com
Hey. No problem at all. If anything what we are currently going through has impressed upon me that all the misunderstandings, problems, arguments we have with anyone...are petty. I would not condemn you for your thoughts or feelings, especially those you enter in your journal of all things! I simply felt I had to respond. I know there was no malice intended.

Well wishings,

Pry~

Re: I am an American...

Date: 2001-09-14 01:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gerbie.livejournal.com
Thanx. I know it is my journal, but by posting your journal on the WWW, you automatically invite people to read it. If I don't want that, I should make it private, lock entries, don't react to others. I opened up mine, even entered entries in the topics section and communities. Discussions are welcome. Knowledge is power, the more people tell me, the stronger I become. In this case I had a point, reality has just pointed out to me that you always have to be carefull with words.

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