What's good? I can get in my car anytime I wish and drive to the mountains and enjoy the most beautiful scenery on earth. I can choose where I want to work, if I want to work, or work at home. I can buy land, a home, a car. I can travel thousands of miles across country without needing a passport or being stopped at each state and asked for papers/identification. I have over two hundred channels on cable, I can watch what I want, when I want. I can own a gun. I can get a concealed permit to carry a gun. I can choose to go to any school of higher education I want, if I want. I can drive on roads that are constantly being improved. I can go to the store and buy a steak, or I can buy a side of beef for my freezer. I can buy the furniture "I" want, when I want and get it in any color I want. I can choose what media outlets I want to get my news from or I can choose alternatives. I can visit any website (barring legalities) that I choose, when I choose. I can determine my own future by the amount of effort I put into my own success. I can drink tap water, or I can buy bottled water. I can eat Mexican food, Indian, Chinese, Thai, American or whatever else I want, when I want. I can buy virtually any book I want, when I want, either at the local book store or online. I can start a business, when I want, doing what I want. Either a store front or a web based business. I can make as much money as I want, or as little money as I want. I could stop everything today, go back and enroll in Medical school if I want, and be a doctor in 4-6 years. Even at age 42. I can go to any car dealership I want and buy any kind of car I want, when I want, as long as I can afford it. I can get on a plane and fly to Boston one day, to Washington the next, to Arizona the next and virtually fly over most of America, when I want. I can go to Disney World with my family. I can save and prepare for my Grandson's college. I can swat these pesky flies that somehow think I'm the World Trade Center and kill them, for getting on my nerves. I can choose cell phone, cable phone, or traditional land line and use the phone of my choice and call who I want, when I want. Except for terrorists, but I don't associate with them anyway, so no loss. I can buy stocks, bonds, real estate. I can buy gold, silver and other precious metals and gems. I can go the Church I want, when I want. I can celebrate the 4th of July with family and cook up dead livestock with savory BBQ sauces of my choice. I can grow my hair long, I can keep it short, I can shave it off, if I want. I can grow a beard (if I didn't have so much Native America Indian in me that prevents such) and it isn't mandatory. I can grow a mustache, a goatee (yes, I have these!) I can paint my hair pink, if I'm feeling a bit low and need some attention. I can pierce my ear, my eyebrow, my nipple or other parts located in the netherlands. I can choose which mechanic works on my car. I can choose who mows my lawn, or if I do it myself. I have electricity to my home. I have natural gas to heat my home. I have running water and sewage (not everywhere has these things ). I can plant a tree in my yard if I want. I can go fishing on lakes or rivers. I can buy a boat if I want. A small one, or a big one. I can talk about how great America is on a forum where others ceaselessly attempt to tear her down for their own agenda. I can stand on a street corner with a sign that says "Jesus is coming" I can call my Senator's office and voice my concerns, or write a letter. I can vote for local, state and federal elections. I can shoot someone who comes on my property and attempts to steal or cause bodily harm, to protect myself and my family. I can call the President a moron if I want, and I can point out the hypocrisy of democrats when I want, without fear of reprisal. I can support who I want in elections and I can meet up with others who do as well, without fear or reprisal. Yes, there is much to love about America. The greatest place on earth
But, in some places you cannot grow your front lawn grass above 4" or paint your house any colour you want without the local gestapo citing you.
Though limited at times, we as Americans still enjoy more freedom than any other nation in the world. Growing up to be anything you want to be is priceless beyond anything. If you have the ambition and drive, anyone can be anything in this nation. I do not often agree with Gtech on all his political views (another freedom I have as an American) but on this one I will defer to his post to finish the rest of my answer.
Hey your American, arguments are allowed. LOL However, I do like to refer to it as debating not arguing. Arguments are when anger is involved, and though many in the political forum chooses the personal route, I choose to use logic and facts and I am always willing to learn something new and admit if I am wrong. With that said, I disagree with you. There are many restrictions on freedom in America but many restrictions are placed upon depending on what area of the nations you live. You have to freedom to move to area better suited to your need for freedom. If you have an example of nation that has more freedom than the United States as a whole, please do share and enlighten me.
Well I guess it depends on your definition of "freedom". But a few countries that are more freedom-loving than the US by my standards are... The Netherlands Canada Sweden Denmark Australia According to the US constitution, we should be the most freedom-loving...but it hasn't been working that way.
Some places have standards. You know these standards before moving, so YOU once again, have that choice. That's the great thing about choice! Some folks prefer to live around others that have standards and as such, some communities are built such. If one doesn't like that choice, they can buy some land in the country, put a double wide trailer on it, paint it pink and purple and grow the grass as tall as you want it to be. People that want to live like that have freedoms too
One thing I agree with you on is: "Well I guess it depends on your definition of "freedom". A lot of people think that freedom means that you are free to do as you please without responsibility or consequence. In that sense, no we do not have total freedom. You examples are good ones and I agree that they do offer some freedoms that we do not but they also have restrictions that we do not. I spend a lot of time in Canada since I live 38 miles from Ontario and I often hear Canadians bitch and moan about their lack of freedom, high taxes, and other complaints. To a lot of them, they would prefer to live in the Unites States. Others in Canada would disagree and think the opposite. I am sure that many of the other nations you speak of are the same. Honestly, there is most likely no place on earth that would please everyones definition of freedom and there are times I am pissed at the government over regulations and laws but I still stand by the fact that apple for apple we have more freedoms than any other nation in the world. Off topic a second, there is another thing I always wanted to say to you, " New York Pizza kicks Chicago pizza's ass." LOL
He forgot the pink flamingos though! BTW someone said we don't have history Remember it's quality not quantity As for what's good about America, simply way too much to list. I see Guerilla and Gtech already listed some very good lists IMO.
You might want to pick up anything on the order of "Island Hopping Campaign" - you know, walks in the park called Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Tarawa, New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Iwo Jima, Okanawa; a kind of afternoon tea, really. While you're at it, consider Omaha and Utah Beaches, Vierville, Ste. Mere Eglise, and their disgorged remnants, at Colleville-sur-Mer. Palermo, Monte Cassino, the liberation of Paris, Market Garden, Bastogne, Foy, Remagen: the blood you'll find is red, and it bled with the other brave people of your island. Amazing how many families were affected - my uncle, in Europe; my father, pacific theater. A former boss, lost an arm at the root and credits Patton with saving his life (they were encircled and Patton's 3rd pulled their ass out of the fire). America gave of itself, and it gave of itself in spades. The people of Europe and the Pacific suffered horribly, and endured for too many years a nightmare I hope is never repeated. But the contributions of America, and its place of honor, should not be diminished by such an ignorant statement.
This is more myth than reality. Not just anyone can be anything in this country or anywhere else in the world. So many things depend on factors completely out of your control. But, I do like being able to drive from coast-to-coast without a passport or any kind of checks/stops whatsoever except for food/gas/sleep and the occasional toll road.
The point was made that america saved our "ass", They didn't. You can claim to have saved these other people if you want, That's nothing to do with me, Don't claim you saved Britain because you didn't. It took america 3 years to join in, 3 years you were sitting back, And you probably would have continued sitting back if Japan hadn't bombed you. You can be proud of your participation, But don't make out that you played some kind of special role or that the sucess depended on america because that is simply not true.
As an American ex-pat for 8 of the 11 years since I finished university... I miss Yankee Stadium and the Cherry Blossoms in DC. Ever been to Blues Fest? Key West for a long weekend? Drive through New England in Fall? Taste of Chicago or a Cubbies game? Spend a summer weekend in Nantucket? South Beach when money is the last thing on your mind? Blah blah blah... The place is far from perfect with quite a few objectionable things. Who cares... Politicians are all blood suckers. Does it matter what flag they wave to enrich themselves or promote some half baked student thesis? One last thing- Canada sucks...