What does it feel like to be a US citizen?

Hello there...

What does it feel like to be under the rule of the US-goverment?
I mean with all the lies and stuff you have to put up with?

A scandal in my country (no, it's not better than your country, just different) within the goverment is mostly about cheating with taxes, maybe some occational drunk-driving or things alike, someone buys an appartment under shady circumstances and so on. Over here we freak out as soon as we see that the politicians don't practice what they preach (but we freak out in a calm manner). Ok, we got some problems with the justice-system but that is not due to goverment but due to the courts themselves and its personel. Mostly I feel that the people are somewhat in power of their own regime. The military is crippled and no longer has any covert operations (part from intellegence gathering, domestic and foregin for sole military strategical purposes) and as far as I know never had any of greater extent (not affecting the everyday life of the man on the street anyhow). If we are totally outraged with some behaviour performed by the goverment we will protest and probably get our will through (it worked before) and the opposition is always ready to strike. The media is always investigating everything, almost too much at some points... The public service TV-channels even broadcasts insight programs that are severely critical towards the staff of thier own public service network... It's all so neat and tidy.

But in the US there are and has been (for the last 60 or so years) MK-Ultra/MK-Delta, DU-ammunition, war for oil, HAARP, hidden agendas for all wars since WW2, patriot act and laws alike, treatment of the natives, CIA and FBI acting threatening to their own population in general, not signing the Kyoto-protocol, untoucheble corruption and shadow goverment, disinformation on a broad scale (compared from what we get to learn in school and afterwards about the world and how it works), more troops to Iraq, mass hysteria over terrorists...and so on and so on.

Don't get me wrong here, I know it's not YOUR fault, the system of democracy, freedom and liberty has failed long since and now there is not much to do about it. But my question is; how much more are you willing to take? Or are you prepared to stay patriotic forever just for the sake of it, hoping all the bad will go away? I am not demening you and if you feel utterly insulted by this why do you even visit this forum? Nearly ALL of the conspiracies and alike originates from the "land of the free and the home of the brave" or has something to do with it.

Please don't hate me, I mean nothing bad. I'm just wondering.

[edited for typos]

[edit on 9-1-2007 by Raud]

I believe you need to come and find out what it means to be American. That is truly the only way you will ever be able to get an idea of how it feels.

the system of democracy, freedom and liberty has failed long since

Freedom and liberty are not systems. That is an essential understanding that you must be clear on. Also, America is not a Democracy-that also is essential to understand.

Don't be fooled. America is still one of the best countries on earth to live, and will be for some time.

Now, how it feels to be an American:

1. Awesome!
2. Feels good that I can come and go as I please. Wherever I want to go. Especially when concerning leaving and entering this country.
3. Feels good that when my attention is wanted by police, that I have no fear. (excepting peer/peer bigotry)
4. Feels good to be assured that when I go to the grocery market, that there will be groceries there.
5. Feels good that I don't have to wait in line for half a day, for $100 dollar loaf of bread.
6. Feels good that I have many options and freedoms regarding my pursuit of happiness. (btw, ver batim, that's in the constitution.)
7. Feels good to know the lights will always come on, the water will always run. (please, noone rebut this with 'what if the pipes break?')
8. 1000's of other reasons go here.
9. 1000's more reasons go here.
10. Feels good to know, that NOONE can come to my shores, and forcibly change this country.

It's good to be on top.

Now, there are some concerning, going's on; and all the things that make America great, are not unwavering. We as a people have a duty to stay on top of these things, but for now, America is great. No argument.

Originally posted by nextguyinline
I believe you need to come and find out what it means to be American. That is truly the only way you will ever be able to get an idea of how it feels.

the system of democracy, freedom and liberty has failed long since

Freedom and liberty are not systems. That is an essential understanding that you must be clear on. Also, America is not a Democracy-that also is essential to understand.

Don't be fooled. America is still one of the best countries on earth to live, and will be for some time.

Now, how it feels to be an American:

1. Awesome!
2. Feels good that I can come and go as I please. Wherever I want to go. Especially when concerning leaving and entering this country.
3. Feels good that when my attention is wanted by police, that I have no fear. (excepting peer/peer bigotry)
4. Feels good to be assured that when I go to the grocery market, that there will be groceries there.
5. Feels good that I don't have to wait in line for half a day, for $100 dollar loaf of bread.
6. Feels good that I have many options and freedoms regarding my pursuit of happiness. (btw, ver batim, that's in the constitution.)
7. Feels good to know the lights will always come on, the water will always run. (please, noone rebut this with 'what if the pipes break?')
8. 1000's of other reasons go here.
9. 1000's more reasons go here.
10. Feels good to know, that NOONE can come to my shores, and forcibly change this country.

It's good to be on top.

Now, there are some concerning, going's on; and all the things that make America great, are not unwavering. We as a people have a duty to stay on top of these things, but for now, America is great. No argument.

Could you please post that in the NWO recent thread thats going here. they would have you believe that people's freedoms are about to be wiped out and this new world order is ready to control everyone's lives.
I must say that is the most positive account of a modern american citizen that I have seen here on ATS when to an outsider like me I thought that most were beginning to feel opressed by the Bush admin and the events since Sept.11th.

I am angry that my fellow Americans has taken so long to see between the lies and decpetions of our ruling goverment.

But beside that I will never change my nation for everything in the world, beside of what our elected politicians has done to our nation, they can never take away what it makes this country great and what it feels to be an American, the pride the joy and the happiness.

I can do without the corrupted governement we have right now, but I can never part away from my nation.

Sometimes I feel a little gassy but that probably has more to do with diet than being an american.

I have my guns, my barbecue, my liquor and a warm sense of manifest destiny.

Bring on the dancing girls, it's america baby.

I goes where I wants and I does what I wants.

I'm just full of poptimism tonight.

Unless of course someone says my trigger phrase than everything gets all weird and manchurian candidatey.

Spiderj

I was talking to a lady who had been born and raised in South America and came to the U.S. to work. She told me that the one thing that astounded her was how much food was wasted in this country. That in her country no food went to waste cause there was always someone who needed it. Yet in this country we throw out whole pots and pans of food simply because the meal was over.

I replied with the only thing I could think of. I said, "But we have so much of it...."

I've thought about that response over the years since, and it goes a long way in explaining why the American people are asleep. WE have the best of EVERYTHING and we have lots and lots of it.

It's hard to get a man to revolt when he's sitting in a Lazyboy recliner, stuffed to the gills and watching football on a 60 inch television.

I consider being born in the U.S.A. as like winning the freakin' lottery of life. If I had not been born here you can bet i'd be crossing the southern border illegally.

wupy

Originally posted by mrwupy
I consider being born in the U.S.A. as like winning the freakin' lottery of life. If I had not been born here you can bet i'd be crossing the southern border illegally.

wupy

Then people wonder why is so many illegal immigrants trying to get into our nation.

Can anybody blame them?

What you told me is very truth specially when I worked with immigrant families and children.

The are amazed a the abundance of everything in this nation.

We American born and raised in this nation many times take for granted what we have and always asking for more.

But people that never had anything just dream of having some hing.

Good post. mrwupy.

[edit on 9-1-2007 by marg6043]

I must say that is the most positive account of a modern american citizen that I have seen here on ATS when to an outsider like me I thought that most were beginning to feel opressed by the Bush admin and the events since Sept.11th.

Your gonna get a slanted view of things, if you only use ATS threads to make a perception.

One thing that I've never seen brought up here, concerning Americans and the loss of freedoms, is that word 'freedom' and it's concept, is engrained into every American, more so than apple pie, democracy or F-22 Raptors.

IMO, this is the ONE country that may never see a tyranical rule. At least a full blown one—men and women will always try, it's inherent. Anyway's, underneath all the glutiny, excess and abuse, lies a thread of understanding among Americans, that is just non-existant elsewhere. I hate to use the movie, but the passion behind this movie is exactly what I'm talking about. "Red Dawn"

I consider myself lucky to have been born in the good ole US of A.As much as I wish our government could go back to the days of "I'm a yankee doodle dandy",I'll just grin and bear it.Sure there is greed and corruption,but as stated above the abundance of goods here is awesome.I don't have to worry about providing for my family.

It is not a bad feeling to live in the US, I guess It is just like living in any other faux democratic country. Yes, some people are proud that they are able to vote for their president (WRONG! an "elite" group of individuals choose for us). Yes, it is good to live in a country that keeps secrets and lies to it's people (read me sig). Yes it is good to live in a country where the first order of business is to pledge your allegiance to the republic, and in the commons area of the high school, Military recruiters are hounding seniors, and freshmen alike to join the great cause. Military camaign ads cover the hall way walls(not literaly).
But lets focus on the good. I am proud to belong to a land which gives me a free education. I am grateful for the land on which my forefathers gave their blood for.

But just being in america dosn't give me that warm and fuzzy feeling.

My pulse is good and my heart is still ticking...which means one thing; I love my country, The United States of America inspite of the indiference its shown by its leaders lately, to continue to be the best.
One can only hope and pray that there's some intervention,. that something happens to open up everyones eyes, and that we send all the evil packing.
This man in power has yet 2 more years to go, and a hellofalot can happen in two years which the majority doesnt approve of. Hell, the minority doesnt approve of it either.
Those in power here currently are in it for themselves and for big corporations...ignoring the people's shouts to change their ways. This will NOT have a good ending. Even our highways are being sold to corporations...Our borders are open...yet we are thoroughly checked as a means of security.
The "infidels" are threatened everyday, but the very path which our enemies take to get to the United States remains open....Its something else...But in the back of my mind remains hope...that we will once again be a nation of setting examples and goodwill and diplomacy.

*sigh*

Ok, thank you for your replies. I understand what most of you mean and honestly it was the kind of responses I expected.

Yes, the only way for me to find out is to go live at your place for some time, until then I should just shut up (but I won't).
But on the other hand, one of you guys should come live in my situation for some time and you will understand what makes me ask such a question...

Well, I hope your lives will keep on being all peaceful and prosperous.

But I have to say; Your forfathers did not give as much blood for that country as the natives did.

@marg6043

Originally posted by nextguyinline
Your gonna get a slanted view of things, if you only use ATS threads to make a perception.

Exactly!
Whatever you do, do not use this forum as a gauge of what it's like to be American.

It's awesome to be American. I think about this alot. We have everything under the sun at our fingertips here. The problem with most Americans nowadays is they take this country for granted. If this country was ripped away from them right now, they'd be the first one's crying "We want America back." And they would take it in any way shape or form. I'm not sure what country you're from, but I guarantee if you moved here, you'd never want to live anyplace else in the world.

I love this country. Don't judge us by Bush! Most of us here cannot stand him. He is probably our most hated President in all US History. And I think he knows it, but he doesn't care because he's all about money, power and corporate greed.

My sister and her family use to host exchange students from all over the world and they always left here saying one day they would come back to live here. That should tell you something.

Yes, I get that. But my intentional question was: how does it feel to know that the ones in charge (and the ones who have been in charge for the past 60 years or so) are up to their neck in corruption and real shady business.
Anyone who would be even the slightest intrerested in politics and aware of the world outside thier cosy neighbourhood would be terribly ignorant and blind if not sereiously feeling just a little disappointment. I mean, of course you love your homeland, almost everyone does, no matter nationality...but with all the secret operations, wars and mysterious experiments paid with tax-money don't you get fed up?

I get this feeling that the US-goverment is quite efficient at keeping its people in the shadows, keeping them away from what is really going on. But for us outside who keeps a sceptical eye on the whole deal and don't have a genuine feeling for the "american way" gets a very different view on things. A very sad bi-product of the thing is that the american population in general recieves a bad reputation world-wide.

I am very happy about my native country, on the verge of patriotic but if I became aware of that my goverment spent MY hard-earned tax-money on MK-Ultra, Contras and a crazy military-industrial complex gone out of hand I would revolt pretty fast.

This is not a thread about how good apple-pie tastes in the US or how fine it is with Nascar, it's about the general feeling towards the goverment. And sadly not many of the responses applies to this question. This tells me two things; you are not really aware of what is happening or you are fine with it as long as you yourself are not affected.

Catch my drift?

Until this past summer I felt absolutely blessed and thanked God everyday I had limitless opportunity and limitless potential to be and do whatever I wanted.
That part of my life is going great. I have a great education, a great job, great income and am always on track for bigger and better. Every year or so it seems I climb a rung on the ladder.

Then, last summer, I went to a local gun shop to pick up a rifle I had always wanted. Turns out its illegal for me to have it. Sure, its a state law and not a federal law but man, nothing feels quite like being told "no" when your whole life has been "land of the free." It was like this horrible culture shock. I had an outburst in the shop and cant go back there anymore.

Since then Ive written a letter a week to all of my Representatives, local and national. Ive joined various 2nd Amendment groups and spek up about it whnever the opportunity arises.

This country is still the greatest in the world, hands down. Its just there are alot of people in this country who, in my opinion, simply dont want freedom. They cant handle the responsability.

Its like recieving a lung transplant only to continue smoking. Its a sad shame and a pitiful waste of what America has to offer.

Certainly the response you get will depend on where you ask it. Most of us US citizens here on ATS have internet access (probably broadband) and skew toward the better-off among the US population.

Personally, this country has been very good to me and my family. My dad had the opportunity to build a better life than that of his dad and I better than him. I fully expect my children to do better still. Opportunity. Sometimes being an American can be frustrating. For the last several years I've felt as though I got on the worng bus and can't get off. Yes, the current administration has gotten us on a decidedly wrong track. That will change. But the mere fact that alot of the 'scandal' is public knowledge is testament to our general openness. Most countries have nothing that even approaches that level of trasparency.

Most of us feel as though the last several years have largely constitued some big steps backwards. We'll turn that around. Perhaps our biggest faults have been laid bare in earlier posts: we can be lazy, inattentive to the important issues and can easily lose touch with just how fortunate we are.

Despite our faults, alot more people are trying to come to the US than tryng to leave. This administration will fade into history like every other one before it. Hopefully we've learned from the last several years and will be less apt to repeat the mistakes we, the population, made back in 2000.

My feeling towards the government is that it is too far out of control to really do anything productive. The only thing us Americans can do is assemble, organize, and spread knowledge. That's the only way. What do you think it'd be easy to start a new revolution? The government's fear tactics are too strong to ever let that occur.

What does it feel like to be a US citizen?

Some days it's wonderful, some days it's embarrassing. There are days I'm ashamed to be an American because of the things our government does.

I don't believe my feelings about my country are unusual. There are many Americans, average people with average lives, who feel just as I do.

The one really incredible feeling I have about my country concerns the government. I often ask myself, "Who the hell do you think you are to invade a sovereign country? Who the hell do you think you are to dictate to other leaders how to run their countries? Who the hell do you think you are to claim the American way is THE way when your senate, legislature, cabinet, the Oval Office, and the military are rife with corruption? Who the hell do you think you are to allow Big Business to screw the citizenry?"

America is a great idea and a great country gone bad. This, in the end, makes me feel sad because all Americans know how great the US could be if our leadership thought less about making a buck and controlling the rest of the planet and more about taking care of its own people and minding its own damn business.

Being an American is great - because Americans have the (correct) mentality that with hard work and ingenuity anything - and I mean ANYTHING - is possible!

Being in a culture that truly revere's freedom and individuality is quite empowering and always inspiring!

However - living under the currently corrupt American Govt. is very difficult - because their actions are an affront to everything the average American citizen believes in.

The change has been so "sudden" and really so insidious - that even the most educated citizen is frankly dumbstruck.

And I believe our core American beliefs can betray us - because so many of us believe Facism can never, ever, happen here - but it is happening every day now.

And now - slowly - the sleeping giant is awakening again - and we will reject this attempt of the NWO to take away our soverignty and destroy our way of life - and we will send their cowardly minions packing their bags and heading back for the safe shores of fuedal Europe.

Make no mistake about it - America (and specifically Americans) are one of the greatest threats to the "illuminati" - and they fear the unlimited Human potential of our melting-pot society.

Soon, I think, the people's everywhere will see the tide turn - and America will once again be a becon of Freedom and Hope for all the world to bask in.

Either that - or a bunch of us will start a new country founded on the same principles or Fore Fathers championed not so long ago - That man has inalienable rights - and that all Govt. must rule only at the discretion and approval of the people - with those powers of the Govt. granted only by the citizens themselves.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Then, last summer, I went to a local gun shop to pick up a rifle I had always wanted. Turns out its illegal for me to have it. Sure, its a state law and not a federal law but man, nothing feels quite like being told "no" when your whole life has been "land of the free." It was like this horrible culture shock. I had an outburst in the shop and cant go back there anymore.

What kind of rifle was it, or do you live in an "anti-gun state"