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I can't help but notice the lack of "feth yeah!" as a poll option.

I love America. It's where I keep all my stuff. Plus that time they gave me a machine gun...

America is the place I touched my first boob. It's pretty much awesome.

The USA is my home country. Sure it has it's problems and boy are those big problems but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. We've got the freedoms and standards of living of most "Western" countries along with some beautiful landscapes.

Besides that, we get good exchange rates when it comes to GW products and mass produced goods. Is nice. And I can legally own a Panther. Is also nice.

 TheCustomLime wrote:
Sure it has it's problems and boy are those big problems but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Yeah, but have you ever tried living somewhere else? Might change your mind. There is a big world out there.

 dusara217 wrote:
Are you kidding me? I'm divided between dislike and meh. I've contemplated moving to another country a million times. Our government is untrustworthy, not to mention murderous. Feminists hold way too much power (it's an outdated movement, and it has accomplished its stated intentions. Why won't it just go away and stop sounding like the Nazis for women?). Half the people in this country are idiots, 4 fifths of it are mediocre intelligence, and maybe a tenth are actually worth talking to. We argue over the most slowed things. The freedoms and food we get here are the redeeming qualities for so many things about this country that I dislike, and the food might be the only reason I don't move to a different country. Quite simply put: the US has the potential to be the best country in the world, it was once, and it could be again. However, it sucks right now, and, no matter how much I love the vision of America that I wish could come true, there is far too much wrong with this country for me to honestly say that I live in the best country in the world.

That’s a really weird kind of self-loathing nationalism. Half rah-rah America #1, and the other half a list of complaints.

Both sides of that show some really insular thinking. The problems you list are problems that exist everywhere*, and the strengths you give really aren’t. I liked the food in the US, but food is actually pretty great everywhere, except maybe China. Even they’re getting better, though.

And if you think moving away is a way to avoid stupid people, well I’d suggest travelling. Stupid people are everywhere.


*Well, if they’re actually problems at all. How a feminist might end up a nazi I have no idea.

 Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl wrote:

 TheCustomLime wrote:
Sure it has it's problems and boy are those big problems but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Yeah, but have you ever tried living somewhere else? Might change your mind. There is a big world out there.

I lived in Germany for years, and I will take America and being American any day of the week.

 Bromsy wrote:
I love America. It's where I keep all my stuff. Plus that time they gave me a machine gun...

You mean a crew serve weapon

Though I would like to have a autobahn style road system here in the US at times

What do you think about american medical service? From mass media it describes as crazy expencive and no one will help in hospital if you don't have insurance, except of some urgent life-saving treatment. Is it true or not?

Its partially true. Hospitals will take you no matter what if you show up, they legally have to in most of the country (maybe all of it now, not sure). The difference is you get stuck with the expensive bill that will follow you for years and affect your credit.

<---Federal Blue Cross/Blue Shield
<----VA Medical for service connected injuries sustain (found out my jump status contribute towards my PTSD being I suppress my fears; go figure eh)
<------Choice Program for VA Medical Benefits allowing me to see the same provider I see with my Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical Insurance

Oh also my Dental fall under Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Throw in Eye Care to

Damn near everyone going to be a bit different

 Freakazoitt wrote:
What do you think about american medical service? From mass media it describes as crazy expencive and no one will help in hospital if you don't have insurance, except of some urgent life-saving treatment. Is it true or not?

I love being able to get into my doctor when I need to and without needing to sit on a month long waiting list.

It is expensive if you don't have insurance.

Hospitals will absolutely help you. And many don't expect you to even pay for uninsured care. They're referred to as "safety net" hospitals and typically service larger portions of the uninsured; however, all hospitals allocate a certain % of their budget to uncompensated care.

 cincydooley wrote:

Hospitals will absolutely help you. And many don't expect you to even pay for uninsured care. They're referred to as "safety net" hospitals and typically service larger portions of the uninsured; however, all hospitals allocate a certain % of their budget to uncompensated care.

But sometimes those hospitals are a real pain since you have to constantly step over the bodies of dead and dying poor people while you listen to the laughter of the evil capitalist hospital staffers and doctors.

Oh wait, maybe that is just VA hospitals.

The only good thing about The USA's healthcare is that it allowed Breaking Bad to be made

 Dreadclaw69 wrote:

 Formosa wrote:
Yeah that makes sense, either way I'll find out for myself in October, off to work in pencilvania (sp?) for 6 months, should be educational

Enjoy. You'll be there in the autumn/Fall so the leaves changing colour should be impressive. Just remember that the US has 4 seasons I had to learn that when I moved here

Some places have 4 seasons.

Oklahoma has:

Ice Season
Spring Season
2nd Ice Season
Tornado Season
Inferno Season
One week of Fall
Surprise Tornado Season
Winter

 CptJake wrote:
.

Oh wait, maybe that is just VA hospitals.

Ugh. Don't get me started there. VA reform is a must. We owe our servicemen and women better.

 cincydooley wrote:

 CptJake wrote:
.

Oh wait, maybe that is just VA hospitals.

Ugh. Don't get me started there. VA reform is a must. We owe our servicemen and women better.

The Ranger Up cartoon 'The Damn Few' has a VA episode which is fantastic. Well worth the watch.



STRONG language warning!

It's quite hard to answer the question because the USA is so big and there are so many different kinds of people/culture. Even just here in VA, I would say I dearly love Richmond and the people here and "our ways" but I am not too fond of Northern Virginia (which is DC's suburbia FYI). That's not a North/South thing either; I also really love SE Michigan but cannot (for example) really stand Atlanta. I think the same way about countries I have visited. Do I love Germany, for example? Impossible to say: I know that I encountered wonderful people where I was (outside of Stuttgart).

It's cute that the Russians are critiquing US foreign policy.

Love my country. Probably about as much as you love yours.

 zgort wrote:
It's cute that the Russians are critiquing US foreign policy.

 d-usa wrote:
Some places have 4 seasons.

Oklahoma has:

Ice Season
Spring Season
2nd Ice Season
Tornado Season
Inferno Season
One week of Fall
Surprise Tornado Season
Winter

My wife assures me that we have four seasons. To date I have witnessed in an annual cycle;
Ice
Rain
Snow
Warmer rain
Thunderstorms
Power loss
Summer
How can anything live in this heat
Tornado watch
Rain
Football
Wet football
Frozen football
Winter
Blizzards

Coming from somewhere that shuts down if there's three inches of snow the novelty of snow hasn't worn off yet. Even if we do get 120 inches of it

fething love the States. You guys got some real good lads.




I mean feth! What's not to love!

 Dreadclaw69 wrote:

 d-usa wrote:
Some places have 4 seasons.

Oklahoma has:

Ice Season
Spring Season
2nd Ice Season
Tornado Season
Inferno Season
One week of Fall
Surprise Tornado Season
Winter

My wife assures me that we have four seasons. To date I have witnessed in an annual cycle;
Ice
Rain
Snow
Warmer rain
Thunderstorms
Power loss
Summer
How can anything live in this heat
Tornado watch
Rain
Football
Wet football
Frozen football
Winter
Blizzards

Coming from somewhere that shuts down if there's three inches of snow the novelty of snow hasn't worn off yet. Even if we do get 120 inches of it

Oh you poor fellas.

I think we have like 3 seasons over here in California land.

Its
Sunny
Rainy (Edit: Excuse me a very light amount of rain. we really need it right now :/)
then back to sunny.

 Dreadclaw69 wrote:

 d-usa wrote:
Some places have 4 seasons.

Oklahoma has:

Ice Season
Spring Season
2nd Ice Season
Tornado Season
Inferno Season
One week of Fall
Surprise Tornado Season
Winter

My wife assures me that we have four seasons. To date I have witnessed in an annual cycle;
Ice
Rain
Snow
Warmer rain
Thunderstorms
Power loss
Summer
How can anything live in this heat
Tornado watch
Rain
Football
Wet football
Frozen football
Winter
Blizzards

Coming from somewhere that shuts down if there's three inches of snow the novelty of snow hasn't worn off yet. Even if we do get 120 inches of it

PA has 4 seasons. Almost Winter, Winter, still Winter, and Road Construction. Guess which one we are in now...

 Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:
PA has 4 seasons. Almost Winter, Winter, still Winter, and Road Construction. Guess which one we are in now...

Construction! I forgot about construction!!It makes travelling to Chicago such a joy at this time of the year


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Desubot wrote:
Oh you poor fellas.

I think we have like 3 seasons over here in California land.

Its
Sunny
Rainy (Edit: Excuse me a very light amount of rain. we really need it right now :/)
then back to sunny.

I was used to;
Rain
Warm rain
Cold rain
Colder rain

Now I actually need clothes for every season, and not just a t-shirt and jeans, with optional hoodie for winter

On the whole I like america. It's got a lot of charming idealism and a sort of "We're the good guys!" attitude which is endearing, if a bit short sighted sometimes.

At the same time, there's a fairly robust culture of criticism of America, in America. So for every "MURICA! EFF YEAH!" guy, there's going to be a Jon Stewart or a Bill Hicks pointing out the crap, loudly. I appreciate that.

I think what stops me from saying "love" is that America is like most major powers. It lacks empathy for the weak, because it is so incredibly strong it cannot imagine what it is like to exist in such a position of weakness. I find this is where I tend to disagree with americans on all sorts of issues, but to be honest, that is not a trait limited to Americans but to all powerful nations. America is the most powerful, so I find it is more prevalent there.

I mean on these boards I have often read the sentiment that American lives are worth more than other lives, for example. I find that disgusting, and worrying.

But on the whole you guys are cool, and I'd love to visit some day.

 Da Boss wrote:

I think what stops me from saying "love" is that America is like most major powers. It lacks empathy for the weak, because it is so incredibly strong it cannot imagine what it is like to exist in such a position of weakness. I find this is where I tend to disagree with americans on all sorts of issues, but to be honest, that is not a trait limited to Americans but to all powerful nations. America is the most powerful, so I find it is more prevalent there.

I mean on these boards I have often read the sentiment that American lives are worth more than other lives, for example. I find that disgusting, and worrying.

Interesting comments. I would like to address them from my viewpoint. I don't agree with the US having no empathy for the weak. From Tsunami relief and other natural disaster relief (Haiti, plenty of places in South and Central America, Asia, Africa and so on) we send help both from a governmental perspective (generally Fed buy there have been states and even counties and municipalities that have sent material aid and people) and from a private organizational and even private citizen perspective. Our DoD even has a name for these types of missions, HA/DR (Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief) and we expend resources to train and equip for it.

Your other issue about us believing American lives worth more is also interesting. I've been a lot of places where very bluntly, human life is worth gak in many cases. When you see some places it becomes very clear not all human lives are worth the same. I believe it is perfectly normal for humans, not just Americans to value their society/customs/ways of life and yes their people (be it at the nation/tribe/sect/neighborhood/family or whatever level) over others. And honestly, I KNOW how much effort and how many resources we put into protecting others/minimizing civilian casualties and so on. And I am damned well sure not many nations (or non-state entities) do the same. Do we feth up? Yep. But from ROE to a lot of money spent to acquire non-lethal capabilities and develop TTPs that enable both mission accomplishment and protecting all human life, we try pretty damned hard compared to plenty of others I've seen.

I wasn't particularly talking in a military sense there, Jake, I know that american military ethics are pretty high and a lot of care is taken. Thanks for replying to what I said though, I appreciate it.

I think in terms of aid and supplying help, there is no doubt that Americans are really very generous, especially in disaster relief.

But I think in other ways, it is hard for Americans to understand for example, asymetrical warfare. Terrorism. I can sort of understand what would drive someone to attack like that, because I can recognise the feeling of powerlessness. My home country is laughably incapable militarily. We know we have to kow tow to America, and we're lucky that everyone pretty much likes us. But I can look at the likes of Palestine and sort of understand, if not condoning, horrible methods like suicide bombing and so on, because they are trying to fight a war from a position of absolute weakness. I hope you get what I'm saying and don't think that I'm being an apologist for violence, I simply mean that I can understand the perspective, and I've often been in discussions with Americans who expect these sorts of guys to "fight fair", as if there was ever anything fair about the richest, best equipped, best trained and most experienced military in the world going up against a bunch of half trained dudes with AK 47s.

As for "American lives are worth more", well, as someone from outside of america it is scary to think that you guys could literally wipe my home country off the map, and if it needed to happen it would, and we would not be "worth" as much in that equation as american lives. I'm not trying to be alarmist, I don't think it would ever happen or anything like that, but it gives me an uncomfortable feeling when I see that sentiment expressed.

I hope I'm expressing this clearly enough. It's a little difficult for me to verbalise it.

SGTPozy wrote:
I hate how many 'Muricans believe that they're superior to everyone else and they're from the greatest country in the world... Reminds me a bit of Nazi Germany...

Yes because a little bit of Patriotism = concentration camps and mass murder.....


Anyway. I love my country for the most part. We have plenty of personal freedoms, a good economy, and the people are generally friendly. I dislike how divided we have become regarding politics. It's to the point where we can't even come toghter to get anything major done. We'd rather see the other guy lose then see us win.