(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As people are likely well aware if they've read many of my posts, I am British and while I'm proud of the social ideals of my country they're far from perfect. There are many issues with the UK and one of the worst is that it's constantly emulating USA, in all the worst ways. I feel national pride is stupid, being proud of your country for no reason other than you being born there is pathetic. Have pride in your country for things it does that you actively support, for it's growth and development, not for it's mere existence.

So... with that it would be fair to say I hate the United States of America, but I don't far from it. I both love and hate USA, it's a country that brings both the best and the worst out in humanity and depending on my mood I have two ways of considering USA

The first, fuelled by my anger is the most common view people see from me, and is the one I feel the strongest. It's far from a good view and any honest American should be able to accept what I'm going to say...

USA is a self-absorbed country filled with arrogant people convinced their country is "number 1" when it's anything but. They're generally uneducated, racist, extremely homophobic and the further south and further inland you go the more stupid, racist and homophobic they get. They seem to think communism is evil, even though most of them have no idea what it is. They seem to thing atheism is evil, even though most of them have no idea what it is. All the working class vote Republican even though that party clearly stabs the poor in the back whilst propping up the rich, saying they don't want to support "leeches" when in reality the social programs they oppose would benefit them and their families the most. They're ignorant of foreign cultures and customs, obsessed with an isolating USA only mentality and they're extremely xenophobic. They prop up sports like Basketball, Baseball and NFL which no-one outside USA gives a shit about whilst ignoring international sports like Football and Rugby which they simply don't understand, yet they make out that sports is one of the most important aspect of American culture. They disrespect other peoples media, expecting us to buy Hollywood blockbusters but remaking every foreign film and TV show because they're convinced they can do them better, which they never do. To top it all off, they're ridiculously, even offensively Christian saying things like "God bless America" as if they're the only people in the world who are worth considering. They're ridiculously ignorant, they deny evolution, refuse sex education and insist on inserting God into everything, then they act like God has always been there, such as on their money, in their pledge etc. and become deeply offended at the mere concept of removing this religiosity. They treat Atheists like they're cultists and treat other religions like they're delusional yet expect us to always respect Jesus. Lastly USA is filled with liars. They have universities devoted to "creation science", psychics, alternative medicine and endless superstitions and conspiracy theories. Everyone's opinion is expected to be treated as though it's "equal" and science if given no respect, unless your opinion is "liberal" at which point your ignored and labelled anti-American. Still this doesn't stop people posing as scientists to support something, for political or financial gain, especially Republicans and their mouth-piece Fox News. In general American scientists are unreliable, their politicians are always scapegoats and their news-media is purposefully dishonest to the point of propaganda. The people are wilfully ignorant and act with a sickening sense of entitlement while having little to no compassion for anyone else, often thinking only for themselves, with a culture based entirely on greed and the profit motive.

This is an accurate description of USA, and if you disagree, you're simply wrong... I'm sorry if that's upsetting but it's true. But it doesn't have to be like this, this is nothing more than a regurgitation of my frustrations. This is how I see USA in the back of my mind, and why I feel so strongly about it.

USA is a nation of innovators and is genuinely exceptional in ways that put it up their with the great empires of old. While it stands as the far unmatched military might of the world, it's military bloated and unnecessary in my opinion, it doesn't use this military to actively oppress or conquer. While misguided occasionally, the US military is deployed as a peacekeeping force in an attempt to secure freedom and liberty for the world, and it is, in principle an inspiration to us all. There is room for improvement, but in comparison to all other nations that have risen as a superpower militarily, USA is by far the fairest and most reserved. But it doesn't stop there, USA is exceptional in business and economics. When it was founded USA was the leader of the agricultural market, exporting sugar, cotton, tobacco and corn at greater amounts than any other country. It quickly became an industrial power in the 1900's and was the centre of innovation and invention. In recent times, it has housed some of the greatest minds of the 20th and 21st centuries, and is the centre of the information age. With only 5% of the worlds population, USA produces almost a quarter of the worlds GDP. USA produces 3 times as much in exports and GDP than China, the next most productive country in the world, with less than a quarter of Chinas population. Whilst I may not like the ideals of Capitalism, in practice, they work and USA has proved this. But while wealth is great, anyone can make money. Scientifically, I must hold my hands up to USA and say that, while I find their scientists deplorable as they lack a proper method of peer review and greatly damage the good name of the scientific method, science is one of the strongest cards USA has to play. The population on average may be stupid, but some of the most intelligent and capable people are Americans. USA produces more scientific research papers and journals than any other country by far, in fact they make more than Canada, Japan and most of Europe combined. UK the second most scientifically productive country in the world, produces on average 1.5 million scientific citations per year, USA produces on average 6.1 million per year. While I question the quality of many of these that's still an impressive devotion to science that I feel truly inspired for. More than 90% of medical research is done in USA, and inventions are far too numerous to mention. USA has been responsible for the invention of refrigeration, the digital computer, the aeroplane, the communications satellite, the liquid fuelled rocket, the transistor, lasers, carbon-dating, the credit-card, carbon-fibre, kevlar, the compact-disc, the integrated circuit-board and not forgetting... the video game (yes, they where an American, not Japanese invention). The Americans also landed a space shuttle on the moon, mapped the human genome, discovered the quark, and was the first nation to perfect animal cloning. To deny the genius of USA is to wilfully lie. It is such a shame the general population of USA cannot appreciate the brilliance of their country, but it is a real inspiration and one that other countries really should move to emulate. Culturally USA is a triumph with the best films, TV shows and music of recent times being all American productions, while the vast majority of American productions are awful, the very best of modern media is usually American, but media isn't what culture is all about, it's a measure of the ideals of a country. USA is a country founded of principals that even today would be considered revolutionary. Some of the most proudly held values of the United States are values I hold as the most valuable of society. Freedom of speech, separation of church and state, innocent until proven guilty, the demand for a free press, the right to vote, the right to protest, the equality of human kind, and the constant fight for liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The constitution and the bill of rights are a testament to American idealism and what all should strive to. Do I agree with all of the ideals in those documents? No. But if I where an American I would feel a true sense of pride in such thing. As a British person I can say with absolute honesty, if I where alive in the times of George Washington, I'd have been on that boat with him. A true visionary and I hope every American at some point tries to live up to his idea of America, it's an incredible nation...

So there we have it. I think it's fair to say I respect and admire USA, while at the same time I hate and despise it. Why? Because in this world, if there's any nation that will be at the front, ready to take us to a new enlightenment, a second renaissance, it will be the United States of America, but for this to happen, the country needs to change. It's public needs to respect science and recognise the incredible feats of science it's country does while they still can, because if they don't Europe, China, India, Japan and Russia will... our national respect for science is growing, USAs is shrinking. USA needs to break away from religious dogma. In the early 1800's USA was one of the least religious countries, a haven for atheists and freethinkers, a true secular society and this is why it was so great. To see it become 'Jesusland' is depressing. With a little effort, some social reform, some liberal thinking and some more focus on the more important things USA could be great again. If USA could focus more on education, institute universal healthcare, cut military by a huge amount and a institute a more progressive tax system, it could become the envy of the world.

There's a reason I focus so much on USA. It's the most influential country of our time, everything that happens in USA effects my country and my life, but more than that. USA is a country with such potential, it could become a beacon for everything I hold dear and everything I respect, but at the moment it strangles my values and is reverting to ideals that I consider painfully barbaric. USA brings a tear to my eyes, it was so close to being my perfect country but every day it moves further away and becomes a corrupted and warped version of everything I hold dear.

I've heard people tell me "You have no right to an opinion. You're not an American, you have no idea what it's like here", and they couldn't be more wrong. They don't know what it's like outside of USA, they're self absorbed ignorant arrogant Americans and I HATE them. They are a symbol of all I hate in USA, and why? Because I likely know more about their nation than they do, and I appreciate it so much more. I hate Americans not because I hate America, I hate Americans because they're not good enough for America, and they're destroying my American dream.

Thank you for reading my post, I hope it's given you something to think about.

I have to agree with godfather on one point. I hate the welfare system in the U.S. It's become too easy to live without working. In fact, it's BETTER to live without working in this country. I have a job, and taxes are taken from MY PAY CHECK and given to people who don't want to work to make their own living. And since there are hardly any jobs in this country that pay any more than welfare does, those unemployed people think "Why should I find a job if I'm getting paid more for doing absolutely nothing?"

They need to make the rules for unemployment much more strict and enforced. This post doesn't really have very much to do with the topic, but it does show one flow of the "best country in the world"

Either this proves one of two things...

Either you are nothing more than a middle class conservative prick with no clue what it's like to be unemployed and have to live of the welfare system, which honestly is the most likely of the two. I meet people in UK all the time that think the unemployed stay unemployed by choice because they're so ignorant and lack such compassion that they can't imagine the working class as people.

The other possibility is that Americans are uniquely selfish in a way no other country is. That they sit on their arse all the time claiming welfare (which in USA is considerable less than in UK and doesn't include healthcare), because they like living in scabby little trailers, with shit food, no entertainment and no luxuries... sure, people do that.

As someone who's unemployed and has been for a while, I can tell you straight that the people on welfare live on FÚCK ALL! US welfare is a pitiful amount that would barely cover rent, water, gas and electric required to run a basic single bedroom home, which is why trailer parks exist. These people are so poor they have to get their food of food stamps, which are vouchers that effectively shame the person into buying specific food from specific shops in rationed amounts. This is the lifestyle these people have. TV? Video Games? Eating Out? Having Hobbies? SOD OFF! They can't afford those things. They can barely afford to survive, and you honestly think they're sitting there choosing that lifestyle when they could work instead.

If you check the figures, working a standard 32 hour minimum wage job would earn on average more than $200-300 a month more than the welfare system does. That's only a 4 day a week job. If you're working a full time 9-5 job with overtime it could be as much as $500 more, just on minimum wage, that's almost DOUBLE what you get on welfare and if you're working for minimum wage you don't even pay any fúcking tax in USA so don't dare get on your fúcking high horse and act like the unemployed are ripping you off you self-entitled little prick.

What can I say, I was going to try and be nice. But conservative douches propping up the capitalist hate-mongering of the welfare state piss me off. It's just greed and nothing more, and it's not even you who benefits when you oppose welfare systems, it's the mega-rich. You will NEVER be one of the mega-rich, you might however become unemployed and need the welfare you actively hate one day, this is after all a recession. Would you be prepared to curl up and die in a ditch rather than claim welfare? Or perhaps you're a fúcking hypocrite as well as a stupid self-entitled douche.

Since when did this discussion become all about insulting me? I was trying to join the discussion. It's one thing to correct me, but a completely different thing to insult me therefor. I've never insulted you or disrespected you for what you've said. I would like the same treatment in return. But yes I do know that a lot of people actually use the welfare system responsibly. My father lost his job and was on welfare for 6 months while he found another job..But I know of people who work for the minimum required time to apply for unemployment, quit their job, and do nothing until their unemployment is up. During which they aren't even trying to look for a job. I'm not saying that EVERYONE does that, and I'm not saying it's the best living conditions in the world, but a good amount of people do take advantage of it.

Also, I work 24 hours a week with 50 cents more than minimum wage (which is $7.25 here) and unemployed people collect double what I make in a month.

You may not have actively posted an insulting word or phrase but to say you haven't insulted me is wrong. You entire view point was insulting to me which is why I reacted the way I did. Too strong? Probably, but I didn't just arbitrarily choose to insult you. Your sweeping statements on the mindset of those who claim welfare imply that me, my family and the vast majority of my friends are leeches draining YOUR resources and treating you as personal slave labour. This is pathetic. The fact that there are working class people who complain when an unemployed person claims benefits, yet they defend the corporate shill that makes five times the money as them for less than half the work, that infuriates me.


I can't imagine why someone would actively choose to live in poverty, but in my experience, every unemployed person I know is actively looking for work because it would improve their quality of life significantly.


That means you're making almost $800 per month (equivalent to around £515 per month), that's a low wage, but you're also only working a 3 day week, so really that's a part-time wage, if you had a full time job you'd be on significantly more. Also, as you're only earning $9600 you're in the lower tax bracket, and only pay tax after the $8500 mark, which means you pay $160 per YEAR in tax (or at least you should), this is assuming a standard tax deduction and personal deduction for a single person living alone, under 30, with no kids. You pay less than 2% tax. I guarantee you use more than that. Do you drive on the roads, ever called the police, ever needed the fire brigade or an ambulance? Do you think you get more than $160 per year in value.

Now if it's true that welfare people can get double what you earn, which would be almost $20,000 per year, or $1600 a month if you prefer, then your countries welfare system is quite frankly fúcked. The thing is, it's not true and you know it. You're lying through your back bloody teeth and you wonder why I insult you. Perhaps it's because you'll perpetuate any lie to justify hating the people who can't find work, pretending like you're propping them up with your measly $160. Let's look at the facts shall we...

The latest figures we have are for 2005 (if anyone has any more recent great). According to the USA Social Security Administration, the average single person, with no kids under 30 gets only $154 per MONTH! Sure, it's higher is some states where the cost of living is higher. A single mother of three living in one of the large cities of California (where local cost of living is more than double what it is in say, Georgia or Alabama) would get $688 per month. That's STILL less than what you're getting.

So where did you get the idea that people on welfare can get double your wages for sitting on your arse? I can tell you where, Fox Fúcking News, who have released multiple stories showing how welfare pays more than working. What they don't tell you is they're comparing someone working in Georgia for 20 hours a week to someone in the centre of Manhatten with 4 kids, mobility issues and who happens to be blind. Yeah, if you happen to live in the most expensive city in the world, have a shite load of kids and more than one disability you can probably squeeze over $1000 per month out of the US welfare system, but considering a standard Manhatten apartment costs £1400 a month rent that's not really very impressive is it.

Next time you make statements, consider the implications your making, make sure you know the facts and make sure you're not just being a greedy sod who's begrudging paying less than $200 a month in tax, because when someone shines a torch on your life, you'll realise just how bad you look.

I never meant for this to offend you man. I wanted to discuss views of the topic, rather than you proving I'm wrong. I also never meant to insult you, your friends, or your family. If I did, I apologize. I don't think everyone who uses the welfare system is a leech. All I meant to say in my previous post was that some individuals DO find a way to cheat the system. For example, my mom is on unemployment right now. And since she has my brother and I to take care of, she gets extra money from welfare like you said. She does collect more than $20,000 a year (I don't know the exact amount she makes, but she tells me she makes more on welfare than a job that pays $15 an hour, which comes to almost $25,000 a year). But my mom IS looking for a job actively.

I'm just saying that some people on welfare do find a way to make a pretty decent living without working. Those are the people I don't want to contribute my 2% of taxes to. I will gladly pay my fair share of taxes for the people properly using the welfare system though.

Just to be clear, I'm not greedy, and I'm not complaining about paying less than $200 in taxes each month. What I'm worried about, are the people who are receiving the money. I don't want the welfare system giving money to people who aren't trying to find work.

I am 16 and Sophomore in High School and I can honestly tell you that 3/4 of my peers in school have no work ethic or ambition. I am the only person my age I know who pays attention to political issues or other news that occurs outside the US. The US is going downhill and I can see it happening first hand. All I can say is that something revolutionary needs to happen in this country. Good post. :megusta:

I'm American but I don't believe or do any of the things you say except one. I know im probably am going to get flamed for this but I do think America is number one. It's because growing up you always hear how America is the "land of the free" and that everyone wants to be a american. Its not our fault, its our "elders" fault. :p

I'm American but I don't believe or do any of the things you say except one. I know im probably am going to get flamed for this but I do think America is number one. It's because growing up you always hear how America is the "land of the free" and that everyone wants to be a american. Its not our fault, its our "elders" fault. :p
BTW I had to Cut out some of your quote cuz it was too long.

So you think America is great in spite of the fact you know you've just been fed those lines since you were born to persuade you such? :rolleyes: Ehh, I just cba...