The American way. The Right way. THE ONLY WAY!

OK, before anyone goes off on the OP or the title, read the thread first please.

As a Canadian and a concerned neighbor, I've seen some really frightening trends on the board lately from our southern brothers. Anything that is contrary to the status quo is politicized and "rights" are thrown around without thinking, "Hmm, maybe this would be an idea worth listening to." Even when the topic is about another country.

My country has been attacked of late for the following reasons:

Health Care
Free speech issues
Our economy
Social issues(abortion, Gay rights, etc)

Just to name the easy ones.

My question is this, if you take the politics and patriotism out of these issues, what's wrong with seeing another point of view? What sets you guys off on a shoot and destroy mission anything that it isn't OUR" way?

There are better ways of doing things. That's evolution of man. If you miss it isn't that a bad thing? You won't see it in your media. Be thankful for the Net and places like ATS. We're international, many different ideas. Start looking. Start thinking.

Star and flag for you!

I totally agree, but it is not only Americans who display misplaced patriotism and arrogance. There is a glut of "My way is the only way" and it extends to many nationalities and even religious groups. This site is predominantly attended by Americans and thus their faults show up more often, but one can find intolerance around the globe. NOt that I am trying to dismiss American misbehavior and intolerance of other ideas. Your point is quite valid indeed.

As a society ATS should endeavor to promote openminded and civil behavior. Actually it does this fairly well, but there is always room for improvement. Canada is a great neighbor to the US, and we could learn a good deal from her. Sure, Canada has faults, what's up with calling a slice of ham Bacon???, but every nation has faults. Mmmmm bacon.

Utopia does not exist, but we can work together towards a more harmonious future. We have to, as the alternative is not something anyone would care to experience.

Star and Flag!!!

[edit on 23/3/10 by Terapin]

I feel that a large amount of, what you see as arrogance, is actually arguments in defense of our way of life. I'll admit starting a thread, originally intended as such. Unfortunately, it turned ugly and I, ultimately, regretted opening that can of worms.

reply to post by intrepid


Your very correct but also other countries must know that America has a different way of doing things, mostly because of our history and culture.

Yes Americans can be very Ethnocentric a lot of the time, thinking that America is the only and right way. I want to thank you for this thread because it reminds me to keep that in check, especially because of this healthcare bill.

Also Americans culturally are conservative and very protective and suspicious of government. This has a lot to do with our history and the founders of the nation. It is very important to note that America did not become great by following everything other countries were doing. We tried new things.

One thing I must point out is that you said "There are better ways of doing things. That's evolution of man." In some cases that is very true, but I think with regards to politics and Government, there are many choices that usually work (some better than others). Right now it's Socialism vs Capitalism, in my opinion both work (but with downsides of course) however which is more suited with America's culture? That is the debate.

reply to post by WTFover


I was worried about that too. OK

CIVILITY ALERT

Park you nationalistic jargon at the door. That means EVERYONE!

Sorry OP, it is MY WAY or the HIGHWAY.

Okay, now that I have got my attitude out of the way, down to business.

Here is the thing, as of right now, I pay in the neighborhood of 50% of my earnings to the government.

What is your rate?

We pay over 30% of our country's income in Military spending. We pay for more military than the entire world. We are the police of the world. We are the despots of the world.

We also send money to over 150 countries of the world. We also send food to all kinds of countries of the world.

We also by ourselves, give more CHARITY to the world THAN ALL OTHER countries combined!


HERE IS THE THING, we are different than the world, we enjoy NOT being FORCED to doing something against our will.

Take away the FORCED policing, the FORCED donations of moneys, the FORCED food distribution and the US would be able to take care of everyone in the US and probably HALF the world. NOW, if you can stop our government involvement in CRAP that we want them to stop. MORE POWER TO YOU.

But for me and millions of other Americans, we have tried to stop them. You tell us how and we will get it done.

How bout that?

excellent post my canuck brother. americans think, no believe they are the center of the planet possibly the universe. there arrogance is there greatest weakness they will fail because they percieve themselves better than the rest of the world. they are in for a rude awakening, there empire will fall like all the others before them. they are allready bankrupt. they have 2 wars they cant afford there banks need bailouts there cars are crap. sorry to offend but anywhere you go on the planet they are hated. next will come CIVIL WAR. i just hope they dont invade canada

Look.

I love my country. I have lived in the USA for all my long years.

However, there is a culture of ignorance in this country.

From a young age I recognized it. I was fortunate enough to be well traveled, and have family who has lived around the world. Therefore I think I was able to identify this disease before it infected me.

In this country, particularly in the South (don't flame me, I live down here and if you've been down here you know it's true), there is an attitude that anything that isn't distinctly American is somehow wrong.

It is a jingoistic attitude that has somehow pervaded our populace to its' very core. I used to think it was a racial issue, but I quickly discovered that it is not. It is a universal problem that (forgive me ) seems to exist primarily amongst those of certain political leanings, but by no means is limited to any particular subset of the society.

One thing I can say for sure is, all of my friends from other countries have always made the same comment about Americans: We are ignorant.

It's sad but true. I have learned to live with it, and with the exception of the highly educated, it seems to be the norm around here.

You know, I may not agree with somebody from another country, but I always try to be respectful.

I defend our way, but I am not a fool in thinking it is the best way or the only way. It just happens to be the only way I am used to.

I brag about our way, but being from Texas what else would you expect? But I don't brag with the intention to offend or insult. It is merely my way of showing pride.

Yes, I love the American way just as much as others love their British, Canadian, or Australian ways. But in the end, I really enjoy learning about other cultures above all.

IMO, we can and have learned a lot from each other. Although I must admit, that sometimes when I see a thread concerning other countries, I am sometimes lost. But even when I am lost, I never stop from trying to learn what other countries have to offer.

Originally posted by endisnighe
Here is the thing, as of right now, I pay in the neighborhood of 50% of my earnings to the government.

What is your rate?

The highest rate would be for someone making over 125,000 per annum and it would be between 39% and 48%. Mind you, we have progressive taxation so you would only pay those percentage on any amount over the 125K.

In my province you pay roughly 25% on the first 35K, 22% on the second 35K, up to a max rate of 35% on any amount over 100K.

www.cra-arc.gc.ca...

Then there are provincial sales taxes ranging from 0% to 8% and a federal consumption tax of 7%.

It's really very comparable to the US, especially when you add any health insurance premiums the average American family might have.

I still wana know about Canadian Bacon???


Not ALL Americans are senseless self inflated idjuts. Some of them are nice rational folks. I even know a few. Given the political state of the US at the moment, the rhetoric has indeed increased it's negative influence, and that is a shame. It is quite profitable to be more openminded, and less arrogant. Sure America does great things, but it also does great harm. Two sides of a coin I guess.

Still, I like my ham on a sammich, and my American Bacon chewy, not crispy.

reply to post by drwizardphd


Your statement of highly edumacated, really pisses me off.

Sorry, I have partied with the high and mighty elite, and I have partied with the high and mighty learned.

Guess what, I would rather party with the average every day salt of the earth.

Why, because they have no preconception of what you should be.

Sorry, I have been to the south, to me it sounds like you have this preconceived notion that you are better than others. You know what, when I was in college, there were a couple of professors that felt that way. They were the ones that usually DID NOT get tenure.

Living in a BOX is what that attitude gets you. The all high and mighty arrogance. I have that flash of attitude now and then. I am glad people tell me to get off my high horse. I am telling you now, get off your high ALTAR.

That attitude will destroy your soul. You are no better than ANYONE. If you feel that you are, I pray for your soul.

Peace and God Bless.

It is the American way.

Out of curiousity, this being a homespun product, do any of you find this offensive?



-m0r

Originally posted by endisnighe


That attitude will destroy your soul. You are no better than ANYONE. If you feel that you are, I pray for your soul.

Peace and God Bless.

I'm sorry, but where did I say I was better than anyone, exactly?

This is exactly the ignorance I am referring to in my other post. Draw an assumption and run with it, but don't bother checking the facts because they might get in the way. Oh those pesky facts.

Do you honestly not believe that there is a general attitude in America that we are better than the rest of the world? Honestly?

I have seen enough of it to know that it is present, and indeed widespread. Your reactionary response to my post leads me to believe that you yourself might be guilty of this attitude.

reply to post by drwizardphd


I'm sorry, but that "I'm better than you" attitude can be found anywhere.
The British might think America is 'below' them, many others as well.
Circular logic and ignorance know no national borders.

Originally posted by Terapin
I still wana know about Canadian Bacon???

Still, I like my ham on a sammich, and my American Bacon chewy, not crispy.

I am Canadian. And I honestly don't understand that either. Seems a little thick to be bacon, but C'est la vie.(sp?)

Originally posted by Clearskies
reply to post by drwizardphd

 

I'm sorry, but that "I'm better than you" attitude can be found anywhere.
The British might think America is 'below' them, many others as well.
Circular logic and ignorance know no national borders.

This I would definitely agree with.

As I said, I have lived in the USA my entire life, so I cannot comment directly on the general attitudes in other countries. To do so without actually experiencing it would be the very definition of ignorance.

I can only say with absolute certainty that it does exist here in the US.

Originally posted by drwizardphd

Originally posted by endisnighe


That attitude will destroy your soul. You are no better than ANYONE. If you feel that you are, I pray for your soul.

Peace and God Bless.

I'm sorry, but where did I say I was better than anyone, exactly?

This is exactly the ignorance I am referring to in my other post. Draw an assumption and run with it, but don't bother checking the facts because they might get in the way. Oh those pesky facts.

Do you honestly not believe that there is a general attitude in America that we are better than the rest of the world? Honestly?

I have seen enough of it to know that it is present, and indeed widespread. Your reactionary response to my post leads me to believe that you yourself might be guilty of this attitude.

Just in your defense, that's how I read your post. You really didn't seem to have an elitist attitude about... well, anything. Just a well travelled opinion.

"What sets you guys off on a shoot and destroy mission anything that it isn't OUR" way?"

My opinion is once the rhetoric and infighting and petty squabbles are removed from the equation, there is really no viable alternative, for us, to 'our' way.

We, the US, realize we are hated, despised , resented, maligned. We also realize that a percentage of those opinions of us are warranted.

But down here, we know that our greatest strength is also the very thing that the rest of the world just can not--ever---seem to grasp:

At the end of the day and under the right circumstances, we can rise as one, rip away any silly political differences, toss aside any inner feuding and do what has to be done. We can lead by inspiration faster than by military might. We can lead by acts of charity faster than by bombings. We really can become united when we must.

So we stick by 'our' way because we all know damned well that, believe it or not, our way is STILL worth preserving.

Remember, this is an internet message board. And it is really only on here that some are burying America.