One good thing about being an American is...

[Kimber Scott]

You know, sometimes, I get pretty overwhelmed with "white guilt" and now since reading Chomsky and DU, "American guilt," but I really want my country to be what I was taught it was while I was growing up. Now, I know there is no Santa Claus and America isn't perfect, but you know what, there has to be some pretty good things about the U.S.A and I thought it might be nice for us to list them. Kind of like an Oprah's "Grateful List."

One good thing about being an American is...

1. I can have, or not have, as many children as I wish and I can keep them whether, or not, they are girls, I am married, and no matter what color they are, or I can take birth control, or get an abortion (so far), if I want to.

(Hopefully, some of your ideas will spur more ideas for me.)

[phillybri]

1. This is the greatest nation in the world...

...unfortunately, that sometimes seems like being the valedictorian in summer school...

[DuctapeFatwa]

3. I guess if you measure greatness in weapns sold and people killed...

[WillyBrandt]

32. And what are your particular plans and suggestions to

help change the situation?

[DuctapeFatwa]

33. Cease aggression and disarm. Do that, then we'll talk about step 2

[grannylib]

2. We have incredible diversity of ethnic groups, races, religions, opinions,

gifts and talents...now if only we would tap into all of that instead of trying to suppress that which is not white/"Christian"/blahblahblah

[sweetheart]

4. we have a totally kick ass military

that rules the world and has kicked the ass of all other countries
and non-american races to prove that america is the best.

We are also like totally also the smartest country in the hole world.

;-)

[tjwash]

19. Or as George Carlin said...

..."can't educate our children, can't build a decent car worth a damn, but we can sure bomb the s**t out of brown people!"

[sweetheart]

28. yes yea... beavis....uuuuhhh...

That wuz cuuul. We got lots of cool guns and stuff! IRON MAIDEN
RULES!! Bombing other people and killing lots a middle eastern
people is totally, like, ...she said "middle"... Beavis, that
was cool. Butthead, We're cool cuz we're americans, and cuz we
ROCK!! :-)

<bad beavis and buddhead

[eissa]

5. I have issues with our country's foreign policies, but

I am more than grateful for this country and the opportunities it has given to millions. I love that we are so incredibly diverse, yet have little of the problems that plague nations with more homogeneous populations. I love that we strive for tolerance. I love our dissenters. I love the fact that I can call our "president" a fucking sob and not get arrested for it (yet!). How's that?

[Kimber Scott]

6. That's the best part!

Being able, (so far), to call the president a lying, crooked bastard and living long enough to do it again!

[RShady]

16. Express yourself..............

Being able to having a site like this one
and participating in a petition to getting
the Senate on voting to start procedures
towards impeaching the prick:

http://www.impeachbush.org/

And forwarding the above site to as many people as possible.

[newyawker99]

17. Hi RShady!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Kimber Scott]

24. Already signed it, but WELCOME to DU!

:bounce:

[Jane Austin]

10. Yes

That is the best thing, and it's the reason we have to stay vigilant regarding things like the PATRIOT Act and who gets appointed to judgeships.

[camero]

7. The best part.. .. the land

It's a beautiful country. I try not to think about the people too much. Too depressing.

[Kimber Scott]

8. We aren't all that bad

and I think that's a point I'm trying to get to within myself. Sure, there are a lot of "bad" people running around here and running things around here, but there are a lot of "good" people, too. I think more good than bad. I have to admit, I get a little offended when people here on DU, and elsewhere, call Americans "morons" and other such expletives. I AM an American. Blanketing Americans in such a manner is no better than blanketing other nationalities and cultural/racial groups with stereotypical labels. It's real easy for us to defend the other guy while continually beating on ourselves. Why is this?

[camero]

9. There are great people here

But every four to eight years we seem to go on the every person for themselves kick. Finding the really great people is like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. No culture can grow without criticism.

The Europeans I think seem to understand this more than we do.

[Kimber Scott]

12. That's a great point.

n/t

[sweetheart]

18. Yes the land is it

The people? My favorite people are the navaho indians in kayenta
where i really feel real american people... filled with the land and
a good heart. The white folks and their slave constitution have
not been of much use. Though i'm one of the bastards, i can't but
feel culturally alienated by the flag-cult.

[noiretextatique]

11. you can live in california

easpecially the bay area. that's about it.

[proud patriot]

13. The people ...Man I love the People

When sept 11th , struck at our hearts , Americans
Everywhere rallied to each others aid .

That was beautiful .

the republicans like to credit bush with
pulling the country together , but I think
the credit goes to each American Collectively.

The true American Spirit of Generousity and Caring
is what pulled this country together .

whether it is a celebration or Rallying to the aid
of each other during a crises ..The American Spirit of
Community and Caring is the core of this Country .

I may not like the Usurper Criminal in the W.H.
but I'm proud to be American .

As far as our Foriegn policy goes the American
people are kept in the dark by many means of
distraction , like having to spend 3 hrs commuting
to work everyday to feed your family .

Many Americans travel the world and spread goodwill
they should be honored in their fights to protect
rainforests , Gorrila's , fishing habitat's , sustainable
farming and Well digging ...We are a great people .

I just wish we would show up to vote ...

Can you just imagine if we had a 70 or 80% turnout ?

What would this country look like if that happened ?

[Kimber Scott]

21. What would this country look like

if we all voted? What a lovely thought. I can just imagine it. Then, we would really be free.

[Aristus]

14. I love the ethnic diversity.

Every nation, culture and belief system is represented. That's cool. Makes for an interesting country.

[RichM]

15. Actually, America is a lousy product dressed up by brilliant marketing.

The truth has almost never been too good. The country's whole official "history" is a laughable fairy tale where all the unpleasant stuff has been airbrushed out of the picture. The culture is unbelievably crass, deluded, and violent.

Oh, you wanted "good" things. Well, for example, you are allowed to read dissidents like Chomsky. You can buy his books or even find them at many libraries. (Of course, you can't often find him on TV -- too "controversial." Doesn't have the right opinions. And most "mainstream" print media won't carry him -- by definition of the word "mainstream.)

Of course, the REASON they don't censor Chomsky entirely is because it HELPS them, on balance, to allow harmless little bits of liberty. It justifies their claim that it's a "free" country. They only do it because they know that less than 1% of the population will read Chomsky, anyway -- so they figure they gain on the tradeoff. These guys don't miss a trick.

[tjwash]

20. less than 1% of the population...

...is incapable of reading a book cover to cover anymore, unless it's a biography of a reality tv contestant, much less read something as cerebral and concentration sapping such as Noam Chomsky.

[RichM]

23. Very true. I stand corrected. n/t

[info being]

22. What's the point?

[noiretextatique]

25. apparently, the poster is overwhlemed with "american guilt"

:shrug:

[enki23]

26. you get to live in the country with the *richest* assholes in history

you can still see partway down into the grand canyon.

you've only been under authoritarian rule for a little more than three years.

you're never on the receiving end of an invasion

hamburgers are pretty cheap

infant mortality rates somewhat comparable to those in cuba

superbowl halftime shows

you can shop even when it's raining

you get to choose between forty-seven brands of laundry detergent

you only have to keep track of two political parties

you probably won't get malaria, or plague

you can get above-average health care, so long as you can afford it

you can worship jesus in almost any way you like

freedom fries taste better than they do in france. or belgium.

your taxes go to fun things like missiles and attack helicopters, and on average you spend less on foreign development aid than anyone else in the industrialized world

you can visit texas without a passport, and witness some of their interesting customs. for instance: they show no cultural preference for which lane they choose to occupy on the highway, regardless of the speed at which they are travelling. they also put a lot of prisoners to death, wear interesting footwear, and affect a swagger unlike that seen anywhere else in the world.

your marriage here is safe from the encroachments of gay couples

and many, many more.

[Kimber Scott]

27. And...

Americans have a great sense of humor. (Even when it hurts to laugh.) Good post. Thanks!

[Zookeeper]

29. American Music...

The diversity of our country has created Rock and Roll, Jazz, Blues, Soul, etc.

The relative "newness" of America has its downside (suburban architecture), but, I believe, leaves space to create new art forms.

[lostnfound]

30. Less likely to be the target of U.S. bombing??

Okay, more seriously..
1. We are relatively free to read and write whatever we want.
2. Women can wear shorts in public.

[youngred]

31. Beautiful land

wonderful people
tremendous rights and freedoms (albeit with the chance of curtailment)
good movies (some of them)
good music (some of it)
the charity of the people

I could well go on, for all the bad things there is much good in this country and I love it so much that I don't want to see it go the wrong way any longer