How do's it feel?

The title of this thread was a song way back in the 70s from a group called Slade.

But how do's it feel nowadays to be an American?

Your Constitution is ripped apart by Bush &Co. Your Anthem seems to me to be a joke, when you look around you and see what decent Americans have to put to.

Americans have lost a lot of sympathy around the World in the the last 40 years or so, Your holy $ has been overtaken by the the € and Yen, other people see you as arrogant warmongers, who have only their own intrests at heart, so how do's it feel to be an American nowadays?.

(Before anyone attacks me on this, I am Pro American who believes whole heartedly in your Bill of Rights.)

Living in Europe we see alot of other news coverage which, it seems dosn't get any credit in America, you could say we Europeans see more of both sides of the coin than you Americans are "allowed" to see.
Thanks in advance, for any answers.

Pretty god damn good actually. I am happy as a pig in..poop. There are a few issues here we need to clear up for ourselves, but other then that things keep going on, just like they do all over the world.

I am not sure if the song really spells it "do's" but in the US we spell it "does" just for your future reference. How do you feel being a German? And I am not being condescending, I am really curious because I don't know any Germans.

Please do not feed this troll.

These posts are my biggest (only really) problem with ATS. They are intended to incite anger, generate points for the OP, and they do great harm in terms of establishing stereotypes of people from other countries for those with no first hand experience.

I started a thread like this once out of frustration, and to illustrate the paradigm. I was attacked from both sides and the thread was locked.....

as I hope this one will be very quickly.

[edit on 2/14/2008 by darkbluesky]

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I'm very proud to be an American... mostly for the cornucopia of opportunities i have available to me. Granted i'm living under the most corrupt (soon to be worthless) government in town... but hey! They don't bother me (yet) and i'm cool with that.

I do wish i could see that "flip side of the coin" media you refer to OP. As for mine, its mostly entertainment, something to get a kick out of from time to time.

Its funny, cuz even thou he may be trolling or tryna get people madd he is speaking some truth.

But to answer the question, I love America. I nva traveled outside of here, and when I finally do it will be to Iraq. So i unno, America does have it's issues but doesnt every country?

At the same token, our freedom's and privileges greatly out-weigh the negative. And I tell you what, I wouldnt give no one my American life for nothing. I love it here, most people who dont live in America and saying things like this topic starter is saying is clearly envious.

reply to post by Lyrian


I suppose asking Americans how they feel about being American nowadays would be like asking a German what it is like being in a country that was ruled by Hitler?

Things will never get that bad for us! I am sure most of us Americans hope, anyway.

[edit on 15-2-2008 by Enthralled Fan]

I love being an American and love living in America. I have travelled outside of the US and still prefer to live here! There is absolute NOTHNG any other country can offer me, that I cant be offered here.

Anmerica must be great....do you know how many foreigners want to come here? Not only just come and visit, but move here? Hmmm. Yeah, thats what I would do if I hated a country - id move there! LOL


Also, I see absolutely nothing in your post that says you are ProAmerican. Nothing. Zilch.


[edit on 15-2-2008 by greeneyedleo]

My fathers family came from Germany to the Georgia coast via England in 1734. They loved America and so do I.

I have traveled in Germany and several other countries. I prefer the USA above any country I have visited.

How does it feel? It feels great.

Please do tell us what news you are privy to that we are not.

You are most welcome to visit our country. But be careful...you might not want to leave.

[edit on 15-2-2008 by dizziedame]

I just had to add to the mix that I also think it feels very good to be an American.

As another poster mentioned... did the German citizens during Hitler's reign support him? Just because our government is doing bad things doesn't mean that foreigners should hate the American people. What can we do about the things our government does to other countries?

It was not my intenion to incite any negative feelings, if I have angerd anyone on this, sorry.

I am not German, I am an Englishman living here in Germany.

I was hoping for some real info on what it's like to be a American in these troubeld times.

The refrences to Germany's past, I will not comment on, other to say, the Germans I have met are on the whole, decent law abiding people, who will never forget what a deluded Germany has done to the World.

Lyrian, I think some of the replies you have received (to what I thought was a very reasonable and gently-worded original post) do a lot to describe what is going on in middle America these days.

The conservatives in our country are moving closer every day toward a fanatical, us-or-them mentality which violently rejects new or foreign ideas. They believe, with disturbing wholeheartedness, that America is somehow seperate from the rest of the world, simultaneously able to ignore people and nations outside our borders, and to dictate to them what is right and wrong.

The cause of this fanaticism is Christianity, or evangelical fundamentalist Protestant Christianity to be specific. This culture of aggressive, frequently angry rejection of novel beliefs dates back to the first Puritan settlers of America, in the 1600s, well before the American revolution and the drafting of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Puritan culture has never truly died out here, and in fact has been in resurgence since the 1980s and the rise of fundamentalist televangelists.

The reason that bigoted thinkers who propagate fundamentalist ideals can so easily influence the American public is simple-- we have, as a people, become complacent. It has been the better part of a century since we have been called upon to stand up and fight for the ideals of freedom and egalitarianism upon which our nation was founded, and so it is easy for the ignorant (of which there are a dizzying number in America) to rest upon their philosophical laurels and declare this thing or that thing to be right or wrong, without having to weigh the values of differing ideas in the real world.

This problem has become so entrenched within our government that it is unlikely to change through peaceful means in the near future. There will be a second Revolution, but not until the freethinkers outnumber the ignorant, complacent and bigoted, or until we are so belabored with so-called "Christian" legislation and social oppression that we have no choice but to rise up and cast off the shackles of these oppressors through violent means. It could be decades until this happens, or a century, or more, but until it does, America will remain on the downward slope of its once-great legacy of individual freedoms.

I applaud you for having the courage to ask these questions, for having the courtesy to phrase them in such an inoffensive manner, and for having the dignity to shrug off the knee-jerk attacks of those who cannot see what you are trying to ask.

YES and to the Original poster of this thread it was taken from the Movie Slade in Flame, a story about the band released in the mid seventies, 75 i think, Remember those days, the ones that were carefree, and full of enjoyment, where oh where did this world go wrong, but good to see that the band still even today are still together, now that tells u something. peace

I was hoping for some real info on what it's like to be a American in these troubeld times.

For most.. "ignorance is bliss" sums it up. Everyone's too wrapped up in their ipods and designer labels, video games (woot call of duty!) and myspace, jet skis and snowboards to really care about any current or world affairs. Which leaves them no time to realize their deminishing status as citizens in this catch 22 as the rich get richer get richerer and the middies just keep doin their thing. Everyone thinks their safe living in picture-perfect, peaceful ol' America.

[edit on 15-2-2008 by NexGenRevolution]

[edit on 15-2-2008 by NexGenRevolution]

One of the most antagonistic threads I've seen in awhile. I believe the original poster should be censured in what ever way seen fit.

What part of the OP, specifically, was antagonistic?

'Your anthem seems to be a joke' is excrutiatingly antagonistic. Many noble and brave men have served this country well. Why take it out on the anthem? I'd like to make a comment here. It is 'exactly' these kinds of quotes that make regular humans go ballistic. It would be nice if some kind of karma filter was in place. Peace out.

[edit on 15-2-2008 by jpm1602]

reply to post by NexGenRevolution


I don't agree with your statement about why American people do not care any more. That might be YOUR situation but it doesn't fit the mold of every American citizen. You sound just a bit jealous. How many of those items do you have?

I'm a middle class American who doesn't have anything you listed as a means of distraction. Not a single one of those items.

That is an awful, and general picture to paint of an average American.

It feels GOOD ! We are the ONLY superpower ! (yeah yeah China but they cant conquer the world using bamboo sticks riding on bicycles) Only the scared and weak among our citizens care if the rest of the world likes us or not. It feels good to be on the top...the view from up here is amazing !
We will get our problems straightened out in due time...we always do.

Originally posted by RWPBR
It feels GOOD ! We are the ONLY superpower ! (yeah yeah China but they cant conquer the world using bamboo sticks riding on bicycles)

With comments like this coming from an American, it's no wonder we are not looked well upon by the rest of the world. I'm shaking my head at this comment, really it baffles me.