When you say you're proud to be an American what exactly are you proud of?

[HEATHEN]

not much to be honest, if I could leave I would.

 

[sea manup]

not much to be honest, if I could leave I would.

why cant you? and where would you go?

 

[Mactastic4167]

Typical American mentality, thinking we are better and have it better to everyone else that is and will continue to be our downfall.

I am a proud American but I have also had the fortunate opportunities to travel the world and see just how people are living in other countries and to be honest, they may not have the technology or accessibility that we have but they are proud of who they are and where they came from. Maybe if more Americans would climb down off their high horses and not look down and judge everyone else, maybe our country wouldn't be so ****** up!

 

[celticsfan9783]

Homie said Healthcare, lololol...

Three lols. Cute. I don't know what you're laughing at though. We have the best medical facilities in the world. Most advanced. Best med schools right here in Boston. Best cancer care. We shouldn't be proud of that?

 

[Mactastic4167]

All I am going to say is that unless you have traveled to other countries and seen how the live, you are in no position to say we have it better or worse than anyone else.

Do we have 31,000,000+ foreign born immigrants here because they have it better than us in their nation of origin?

Like, do I really have to travel to Zimbabwe or North Korea or Somalia to acknowledge that their quality of life is trash compared to ours?

Relax bro, latest polls estimate the world population at 7 billion, 31 million is nothing, you make it seem like the rest of the world is busting down the gates to get to America. Believe it or not, there are far more people would want nothing to do with America than those who do.

 

[moe fab]

But we're the reigning, defending, back 2 back World War Champs!

 

[boogiexdown]

A lot of bitterness from posters that come or have family from poverty nations. ****. Proud to be American. Proud that our country continuously flex and bomb and pillage all these poverty nations. USA!

 

[deleted]

Did anyone even say that America was better than anywhere?

Celtics mentioned a totalitarian dictatorship and third-world countries.

 

[serotonins]

Rather live in the top 5 worst cities in the nation than any 3rd world country. Bleedat

 

[dipsetgeneral]

I was born in America but I identify myself as Ghanaian. So I don't apply to this thread.

 

[frostythepoptart]

Threads like this make me proud to be an American (dead *** srs).

Everybody in this country is entitled to their opinion, and if you don't like what someone says, guess what? You can voice yours. We are allowed to pick and choose what we watch, what we eat, what we wear, etc. We can voice disapproval of those in charge, or anyone else for that matter. No military battles have been fought on our land since the Civil War, no mandatory draft, no tyrants (may not seem that way to some). I love the freedoms we have, sure it's not perfect here, but you have the right to vote and run for office in order to make things better, and if that doesn't suit your fancy, you can move away if you'd like.

I am proud of the Constitution and more importantly the Bill of Rights. America is so far from perfect, but instead of complaining do something about it. Stop being stereotypical Americans concerned with only yourself and learn to pay it forward.

Ghandi and Voltaire said it best, "Be the change you want to see" & "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

But what do I know? I attended American public schools.

the constitution is nothing but a piece of toilet paper these days. do you enjoy being spied on your phones, emails, all of your personal information?
or the fact that you can be detained indefinitely and lose all american rights if you are deemed a "suspected terrorist" with no given timeline.

when bills like that get signed and we all sit and chill i become very fearful. and when I first heard news of Obama signing that I've never been more disappointed in my life.

Obama really opened my eyes to the corrupt powers, and the fact that the president aint really running ****. We are 100% going to war with syria regardless of the public's opinion for one.

 

[frostythepoptart]

Three lols. Cute. I don't know what you're laughing at though. We have the best medical facilities in the world. Most advanced. Best med schools right here in Boston. Best cancer care. We shouldn't be proud of that?

that's not healthcare.

Take it from someone who really has to decide how far back getting my necessary medicine will set me financially, even though I'm insured through my work and there are 0 alternatives with much better solutions. I've checked. Throw in some student loans.

Murica.

 

[moe fab]

 

Threads like this make me proud to be an American (dead *** srs).

Everybody in this country is entitled to their opinion, and if you don't like what someone says, guess what? You can voice yours. We are allowed to pick and choose what we watch, what we eat, what we wear, etc. We can voice disapproval of those in charge, or anyone else for that matter. No military battles have been fought on our land since the Civil War, no mandatory draft, no tyrants (may not seem that way to some). I love the freedoms we have, sure it's not perfect here, but you have the right to vote and run for office in order to make things better, and if that doesn't suit your fancy, you can move away if you'd like.

I am proud of the Constitution and more importantly the Bill of Rights. America is so far from perfect, but instead of complaining do something about it. Stop being stereotypical Americans concerned with only yourself and learn to pay it forward.

Ghandi and Voltaire said it best, "Be the change you want to see" & "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

But what do I know? I attended American public schools.

the constitution is nothing but a piece of toilet paper these days. do you enjoy being spied on your phones, emails, all of your personal information?
or the fact that you can be detained indefinitely and lose all american rights if you are deemed a "suspected terrorist" with no given timeline.

when bills like that get signed and we all sit and chill i become very fearful. and when I first heard news of Obama signing that I've never been more disappointed in my life.

Obama really opened my eyes to the corrupt powers, and the fact that the president aint really running ****. We are 100% going to war with syria regardless of the public's opinion for one.

I agree and I absolutely detest that ****. It hurts me to think of what my brother and nephew will have to put up with, but we as a people need to understand that there are consequences to our actions. Instead of just feeding into what the media tells us, why don't we go out and participate in local government, read about what those running for office are really about, or even take an even more active role and run for an office. I agree with you completely, but the question that was asked is, am I proud to be an American. I feel I answered that. Now if you want to converse on political stances and ideals I have no problem voicing my opinion and have even less a problem hearing what you have to say.

 

[mr marcus]

Proud of the "freedom" and diversity...

 

[dmbrhs]

Thread makes my head hurt.

 

[Coromanti]

 

It's weird for me.  I'm a Proud NYer but an apathetic American.
I've also noticed I don't get a lot of cultural references because I'm more surrounded by my culture than mainstream American culture.
I've noticed this is true for my Chinese-American and Indian-American friends as well.

I'm the same way. Proud Bay Area native, but couldn't care less about the US other than NYC and Vegas (and sports teams)

I don't like mainstream American culture AT ALL but I love living around all sorts of different ethnic groups here in the Bay. If I didn't live in such a diverse area I wouldve moved a long time ago. Technically I'm white but I don't relate to 98% of white people in the US. Too sheltered, too uncultured, etc.

Technically you're white?

Elaborate.

 

[aircommandermarsfiend]

I'll keep it simple:

I like having a some-what well paying job that gives me the freedom to do almost what I want with my money.

I like having a very diverse group of close friends who, although clash once in a great while, are still there for the group.

I like knowing my family came here from Sicily, moved to SF and had an opportunity to make more than they could have imagined in their home country.

I liked having relations with Mexican, Filipino, Chinese, Black and white women,

I love that, although my daughter is full white, she has Filipino/ black cousins/ relatives.

I like my current Native American girlfriend

I like the MLB, NFL, and NBA

I also like our cinema and comics/literature

And that's all I have to say about that.

 

[Coromanti]

 
I am proud of the fact that I can achieve my dreams with hard work and determination.  I am proud that I can criticize my government without having to worry about being persecuted for it. I am proud that I live in a land of plenty and get to interact with so many different individuals with different cultural backgrounds.

"Achieve my dreams with hard work and determination"

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/re... sawhill/02_economic_mobility_sawhill_ch3.pdf

"Criticise my government without having to worry about being persecuted for it. "

Bradley Manning?

Michael Hastings?

"live in land of plenty"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_inequality_in_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wealth_inequality_in_the_United_States

The last one I'd mostly agree with but I'll still take shots at it for arguments sake

"interact with so many different individuals with different cultural backgrounds"

http://gawker.com/four-in-ten-white-people-only-have-white-friends-1068264991

(If u wanna debate it, perhaps PM? or new thread?  Don't wanna clutter the thread unless ppl okay with it)

 

[zapatohead408]

We were once suppressed by the British, a country built by refugees fleeing from persecution. We stood up for what we believed and beat the most powerful country at the time, and a new nation known as America was born. At the time there was no other countries doing what we were doing. Many were still ran by cruel dictators. No need to be corrupt in other parts of the world, they were in control and gave their people no options. We built a democracy and made it a standard in the world. Later on in our history, the 19th century. American ingenuity and inventions lead us to be able to produce and create many inventions that would eventually change the world. We were now the most powerful country in the world, even if it was due to these evil monopolistic "monsters." By the time Teddy Roosevelt was done "Trust Busting" the influence of people such as Carnegie and Rockefeller influenced the world and put the US on top of the world.

America once produced the strongest and longest lasting everything. Whether it be Refrigerators, furniture, tools, textiles, or cars. We formed a government which didn't grant the gov't complete control, or give society too much power. America was once the best country in the world, we are now the most powerful. According to statistics, no longer the best. Due to the greed of certain present day monsters our economy is no longer as stable as it once was (blame people like Nixon and Reagan, idiots like Bush Sr, and W.) We built a society where today the government is afraid,whether they want to admit it or not, of angering the public, due to there being 88.8 guns per 100 people in the U.S.A.We built a society where one is allowed to speak his or her mind, where my parents were able to send me to school and receive a proper education in hope that I can someday live a better life than they did, and someday my kids a better life than mine. Not many other countries can say this, realistically.

I'm proud of being American and will NEVER hide that.

 

[moe fab]

We were once suppressed by the British, a country built by refugees fleeing from persecution. We stood up for what we believed and beat the most powerful country at the time, and a new nation known as America was born. At the time there was no other countries doing what we were doing. Many were still ran by cruel dictators. No need to be corrupt in other parts of the world, they were in control and gave their people no options. We built a democracy and made it a standard in the world. Later on in our history, the 19th century. American ingenuity and inventions lead us to be able to produce and create many inventions that would eventually change the world. We were now the most powerful country in the world, even if it was due to these evil monopolistic "monsters." By the time Teddy Roosevelt was done "Trust Busting" the influence of people such as Carnegie and Rockefeller influenced the world and put the US on top of the world.

America once produced the strongest and longest lasting everything. Whether it be Refrigerators, furniture, tools, textiles, or cars. We formed a government which didn't grant the gov't complete control, or give society too much power. America was once the best country in the world, we are now the most powerful. According to statistics, no longer the best. Due to the greed of certain present day monsters our economy is no longer as stable as it once was (blame people like Nixon and Reagan, idiots like Bush Sr, and W.) We built a society where today the government is afraid,whether they want to admit it or not, of angering the public, due to there being 88.8 guns per 100 people in the U.S.A.We built a society where one is allowed to speak his or her mind, where my parents were able to send me to school and receive a proper education in hope that I can someday live a better life than they did, and someday my kids a better life than mine. Not many other countries can say this, realistically.

I'm proud of being American and will NEVER hide that.

My dude!

 

[ksteezy]

Not sure if serious

The health care in this country will cause an average American to go bankrupt because of a broken leg.

Technology is literally the NSA's dream world.

American entertainment is brainwashing every little boy and girl in this country to believe that twerking with booty shorts with some bubble gum and camera is okay.

Just 60 years ago, we had segregated bathrooms and water fountains. Very diverse huh.

Those are your reasons to be proud, really?

Having been born outside the states, I can tell you this much, patient rights in another countries are practically nonexistent, here you can be a bum in the street, walk into any city hospitals ER and you will be taken care, by law they have to, walk into the ER of a hospital in a South American country and if you have no insurance, well you better start learning how to walk on a broken leg.

Entertainment and media is a global thing nowadays, the Internet is global and so is American film, alot Of American shows are viewed internationally through satellite, so you can't blame American pop culture more than you can blame bad parenting and censorship.

Not sure where you are going with the whole racism point as rebuttal to this country being diverse....I don't think ANYONE can name another city more diverse when it comes to cultures, race, nationality than NYC...I mean there is literally people from all over the world residing here....something I don't think you'll see anywhere else

 

[celticsfan9783]

that's not healthcare.

Health care (or healthcare) is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans.

Heatlh care encompasses more than just the "insurance" aspect. I don't know HOW people are getting that twisted.

Just like Marketing is more than just advertising, health care is a very broad term. Coverage makes up just one slice of the pie.

 

[celticsfan9783]

That's the most ignorant thing an American can say to another American.

Those are your reasons to be proud, really?

And this must be the 2nd most ignorant thing.

 

[jjs07]

I love America. Seriously.

Moe Fab summed up my thoughts perfectly.

 

[rillo561]

Gotta take the good with the bad, as I've gotten older I realized a lot of this stuff is just empty slogans. Some people eat it up others see it for what it is.