you think you know america...
Apr 14th 2012, 11:06 pm
#16
Sursum corda
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Richmond Hill, GA USA
Posts: 38,860
Re: you think you know america...
So you think you America? Please explain it to me. I have lived here all my 53 years. Is it conservative as in Bush? Or is it Liberal as in Obama? Is it pro gun or is it gun control? Is it anti abortion or pro choice? Do immigrants do jobs no one else wants? or do they take jobs from unemployed workers? Is health care a right? or is health care a responsibility? Are public unions decimating local budgets for the unknown future or they something else to be cut? I do not pretend to be smart enough to know any answers that will please a majority. Hell Lincoln said he couldn't. This list could go on and on. Death penalty, Strip searches.... This IS NOT a pro America rant. I'm just pointing out what is OBVIOUS to most. No simple answers.
Apr 14th 2012, 11:09 pm
#17
Septic Sprout
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 7,993
Re: you think you know america...
This thread needs some serious sprout action....
Apr 14th 2012, 11:13 pm
#18
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Apr 14th 2012, 11:14 pm
#19
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,670
Re: you think you know america...
So you think you America? Please explain it to me. I have lived here all my 53 years. Is it conservative as in Bush? Or is it Liberal as in Obama? Is it pro gun or is it gun control? Is it anti abortion or pro choice? Do immigrants do jobs no one else wants? or do they take jobs from unemployed workers? Is health care a right? or is health care a responsibility? Are public unions decimating local budgets for the unknown future or they something else to be cut? I do not pretend to be smart enough to know any answers that will please a majority. Hell Lincoln said he couldn't. This list could go on and on. Death penalty, Strip searches.... This IS NOT a pro America rant. I'm just pointing out what is OBVIOUS to most. No simple answers.
Apr 15th 2012, 12:27 am
#20
Joined on April fools day
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: 30 miles from a decent grocery store.
Posts: 10,642
Apr 15th 2012, 12:29 am
#21
Joined on April fools day
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: 30 miles from a decent grocery store.
Posts: 10,642
Apr 15th 2012, 12:34 am
#22
Joined on April fools day
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: 30 miles from a decent grocery store.
Posts: 10,642
Apr 15th 2012, 2:39 am
#23
Boomshacalaca!!
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: South of the North Pole.......Colorado
Posts: 5,066
Re: you think you know america...
.... apparently hand-holding in Tennessee is becoming frowned upon
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012...ing/?mobile=nc
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012...ing/?mobile=nc
Apr 15th 2012, 3:20 pm
#24
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,847
Re: you think you know america...
Several people have asked me in the 18 months we've been here, what my perceptions are of the USA.
I quickly ventured that the way I find most useful to my understanding is to think of the USA as 50 different countries. They have the same currency and a smattering of identical laws (federal), but other than that, anything that can be different, probably is.
Oh, with one exception - the corruption of politics and business/big money. I am under the impression that this works the same in all 50 states.
Sorry - another exception - almost every American I have come across, either First Nation, naturally born, or immigrant citizen, has been genuinely nice, helpful, sincere - and I have travelled beyond my little part of Phoenix - Dallas, Boston, San Jose, Orlando, though hardly representative. This also includes those whose politics would normally cause me to kill them in a particularly painful manner... being digested over a 1000 years etc...
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Pit_of_Carkoon
I'm beginning the appreciate that constantly comparing everything around you with your own values system is unhelpful. It is what it is, and we choose to be here for our own selfish reasons - career opportunities, climate, new experiences, etc - if we really don't like it we can leave, but changing to remove these tensions is never going to happen, so it's either put up, or (mostly!) shut up.
There is an awful lot of great things about the land, the people, the culture. Same as back home, where there are plenty of idiots, and corruption in different ways.
On balance, and it didn't take long to figure out, I really like it here, and I'm pretty sure her in doors is the same - we do occasionally pinch ourselves and say to each other "hey, we're living in America!".
As Rowan Atkinson once remarked about the Devil - "Is he all bad?" - neither is America!
I quickly ventured that the way I find most useful to my understanding is to think of the USA as 50 different countries. They have the same currency and a smattering of identical laws (federal), but other than that, anything that can be different, probably is.
Oh, with one exception - the corruption of politics and business/big money. I am under the impression that this works the same in all 50 states.
Sorry - another exception - almost every American I have come across, either First Nation, naturally born, or immigrant citizen, has been genuinely nice, helpful, sincere - and I have travelled beyond my little part of Phoenix - Dallas, Boston, San Jose, Orlando, though hardly representative. This also includes those whose politics would normally cause me to kill them in a particularly painful manner... being digested over a 1000 years etc...
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Pit_of_Carkoon
I'm beginning the appreciate that constantly comparing everything around you with your own values system is unhelpful. It is what it is, and we choose to be here for our own selfish reasons - career opportunities, climate, new experiences, etc - if we really don't like it we can leave, but changing to remove these tensions is never going to happen, so it's either put up, or (mostly!) shut up.
There is an awful lot of great things about the land, the people, the culture. Same as back home, where there are plenty of idiots, and corruption in different ways.
On balance, and it didn't take long to figure out, I really like it here, and I'm pretty sure her in doors is the same - we do occasionally pinch ourselves and say to each other "hey, we're living in America!".
As Rowan Atkinson once remarked about the Devil - "Is he all bad?" - neither is America!
Apr 15th 2012, 10:35 pm
#26
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 572
Re: you think you know america...
Several people have asked me in the 18 months we've been here, what my perceptions are of the USA.
I quickly ventured that the way I find most useful to my understanding is to think of the USA as 50 different countries. They have the same currency and a smattering of identical laws (federal), but other than that, anything that can be different, probably is.
Oh, with one exception - the corruption of politics and business/big money. I am under the impression that this works the same in all 50 states.
Sorry - another exception - almost every American I have come across, either First Nation, naturally born, or immigrant citizen, has been genuinely nice, helpful, sincere - and I have travelled beyond my little part of Phoenix - Dallas, Boston, San Jose, Orlando, though hardly representative. This also includes those whose politics would normally cause me to kill them in a particularly painful manner... being digested over a 1000 years etc...
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__...50px-Mouth.jpg
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Pit_of_Carkoon
I'm beginning the appreciate that constantly comparing everything around you with your own values system is unhelpful. It is what it is, and we choose to be here for our own selfish reasons - career opportunities, climate, new experiences, etc - if we really don't like it we can leave, but changing to remove these tensions is never going to happen, so it's either put up, or (mostly!) shut up.
There is an awful lot of great things about the land, the people, the culture. Same as back home, where there are plenty of idiots, and corruption in different ways.
On balance, and it didn't take long to figure out, I really like it here, and I'm pretty sure her in doors is the same - we do occasionally pinch ourselves and say to each other "hey, we're living in America!".
As Rowan Atkinson once remarked about the Devil - "Is he all bad?" - neither is America!
I quickly ventured that the way I find most useful to my understanding is to think of the USA as 50 different countries. They have the same currency and a smattering of identical laws (federal), but other than that, anything that can be different, probably is.
Oh, with one exception - the corruption of politics and business/big money. I am under the impression that this works the same in all 50 states.
Sorry - another exception - almost every American I have come across, either First Nation, naturally born, or immigrant citizen, has been genuinely nice, helpful, sincere - and I have travelled beyond my little part of Phoenix - Dallas, Boston, San Jose, Orlando, though hardly representative. This also includes those whose politics would normally cause me to kill them in a particularly painful manner... being digested over a 1000 years etc...
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__...50px-Mouth.jpg
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Pit_of_Carkoon
I'm beginning the appreciate that constantly comparing everything around you with your own values system is unhelpful. It is what it is, and we choose to be here for our own selfish reasons - career opportunities, climate, new experiences, etc - if we really don't like it we can leave, but changing to remove these tensions is never going to happen, so it's either put up, or (mostly!) shut up.
There is an awful lot of great things about the land, the people, the culture. Same as back home, where there are plenty of idiots, and corruption in different ways.
On balance, and it didn't take long to figure out, I really like it here, and I'm pretty sure her in doors is the same - we do occasionally pinch ourselves and say to each other "hey, we're living in America!".
As Rowan Atkinson once remarked about the Devil - "Is he all bad?" - neither is America!
Apr 15th 2012, 11:30 pm
#27
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,847
Re: you think you know america...
Ta.
Me & She Who Must Be Obeyed are sat outside our favourite coffe shop, chilling out. it's relatively cold today, around 74'F (!), and I've just enjoyed the sight & sound of a lone motorcyclist on his Hog (Harley) out for a Sunday afternoon jaunt somewhere... It's a great day to be riding, I'm sure. And I couldn't help thinking how quintessentially American that was. I'd go so far as to say a slightly overweight guy, on a Hog, sunglasses, no helmet, wind in beard & slightly thinning hair, sun in sky, is a peace of living American art, and no, I'm not having a go at anything here...
Me & She Who Must Be Obeyed are sat outside our favourite coffe shop, chilling out. it's relatively cold today, around 74'F (!), and I've just enjoyed the sight & sound of a lone motorcyclist on his Hog (Harley) out for a Sunday afternoon jaunt somewhere... It's a great day to be riding, I'm sure. And I couldn't help thinking how quintessentially American that was. I'd go so far as to say a slightly overweight guy, on a Hog, sunglasses, no helmet, wind in beard & slightly thinning hair, sun in sky, is a peace of living American art, and no, I'm not having a go at anything here...
Apr 15th 2012, 11:36 pm
#28
Joined on April fools day
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: 30 miles from a decent grocery store.
Posts: 10,642
Apr 17th 2012, 12:39 am
#30
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
