^That makes sense. I still wouldn’t kill someone I wanted to be though, that would be weird. Why can’t we all just step back, and think for a minute, and decide that it’s possible that we can all get along? It’s not that simple though
I feel less safe, actually. I’m glad we found him, but I’m more frightened then before.
The anti-american comments annoy me as well. Sure, it has it’s problems, but doesn’t every country? America seems like a great place to live. I went on holiday to New York and Orlando, and I really enjoyed it.
Glad we have your support. The US is a fantastic place to live (besides our horrible health care system. But that’s another story).
All Anti American’s think were all fat stupid selfish people. Sure there are some, but not all. Though some people who are not too smart or overweight can be very nice.
Like Randy from ‘My Name is Earl’! Or Homer Simpson! 
But seriously, while most Americans are decent people trying to make a living, we have to remember there are extremist elements in every society.
Some of them are right-wingers, like those misguided ‘Tea Party’ supporters. The Tea Party is a well-known ‘astroturfing’ plot by millionaires and politicians, the same people who ripped you off during the GFC. If you don’t know what ‘astroturfing’ means, Google it. These are people who hate Obama, and think he should not be President simply because he has a Muslim name.
Then there are the left-wingers, like eco-terrorist groups such as ‘Earth Liberation Front’ or the ‘Sea Shephard Conservation Society’, who in the name of protecting the environment, attack civilian fishermen and farmers who are just trying to make a living. Instead of funding wildlife reserves, or running environmental education programs like normal, decent people.
We’ve got the anti-government anarchists. We’ve got the race supremacists (Black Panther, KKK, etc.). We’ve got the people who for no reason simply want to walk into a school with vengeance on their mind, anger in their heart, and a weapon in their hand.
And then we’ve got politicians. The people who sanctioned Guantanamo Bay. Or the soldiers who tortured the prisoners and humiliated them like animals. The generals who launch pre-emptive strikes in Vietnam and Iraq. Supply arms to Israel and Taiwan.
It is easy to see why people hate America.
But then we realise that every country has its faults too. Singapore might not have as many crazies or firearms-proliferation as America. But they have limited press freedom, and a one-party system. The same with China, North Korea, or Cuba, although to varying degrees.
And then we look at most Middle Eastern, South American and African countries. Torn by civil war and strife. Extreme poverty, and corrupted governments.
Europe, with its never-ending financial crisis and collapsing economic markets. Antarctica, devoid of human life save for a few scientists.
And then we realise that, America, with all its faults and flaws, has good intentions. That is had good, decent, and kind people, just like any other nation. That is has cruel, rude, and greedy people, just like any other nation. That it believes in freedom and justice for all, just like… most nations. Sure, it’s not perfect.
But what country is?
Don’t forget my arch enemies, PeTA!
Thanks so much for your post TDIT. I have to explain all the time to people not to bash on America so much. Yes, we have issues. What place doesn’t? And funny enough, most people who call Americans stupid and lazy are…Americans! I know a lot of friends who were born in other countries, and fled here because the USA isn’t a horrible place to live in. (Besides our horrible Health Care System. And restrictions on same-sex marriage).
I’m a very patriotic All American girl. But lots of times I do look back to our government, and shake my head. I’d be doing the same thing too if I lived somewhere else. My love outweighs the disapointment, and I hope someday our problems will be fixed.
I liked this picture.
[url]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTcpqc2V-IWTdFoViTmZrCJsNmuojK--PNJDrR_iYmyVlSgR2rg[/url]
OK, sorry, I just had to step in here. That is not what the Tea Party is. That is what a lot of the media portrayed Tea Party as. My parent’s actually went to a rally and said it was absolutely nothing like that; in reality, the tea party is just a group of people who think the parties (mostly the Republicans) are currently ineffectual and have serious qualms with Obama other than his name (I just asked my dad if he saw any racist signs at the rally, he said no). May there be racists there? Sure. There are crazies in every group. But they do not consume the movement.
But thanks for including liberal crazies, too. I like that you, unlike some people I know, don’t end their comments with “Conservatives are crazy…and that’s about it. Tata!” If you want a real crazy conservative, look up the Conservapedia guy and Jack Chick. Should give you a field day.
And PETA…grrr, I hate them!
I can understand some of the complaints about the USA, especially from people who are a little too “close to the action” in some of the warzones. But really, many of their qualms about us, like us being loud and obnoxious, can be chalked up mostly to cultural differences and media portrayals. Other than that, I believe that all people like to think that they’re better than everybody else. Its just in our nature.
Glad we share the same views on the woeful health care and discrimination against gays, EJE!
Rac_Rules: It is still a well-known (or at least, pretty certain) fact that the Tea Party is an astroturfing campaign by rich people who are interested in capitalist policies. There are some genuine, well-meaning people who believe in the movement, but the ones pulling the strings are the billionaires who stole many Americans’ money before the GFC.
And I know a few Conservatives and Republicans, and they’re not lunatics or racists. So yeah, I appreciate you noticing I tried to sit on the fence with this one here.
The biggest problem I have with some extremist right-wingers is that they have a problem with the president’s name. Because he has one letter different from an international terrorist or that it happens to be a ‘Muslim’ name.
I find these people’s argument to be quite silly, because I would take a presidential candidate who happens to share the same name as Hitler or Castro but is a good-hearted and strong leader, over a guy with a nice name (like I dunno, Zapp Braniggan or something), but is incompetent and corrupt.
Names don’t determine who you are. Your actions and beliefs do.
Of course, I’m not defending the stupid people. They just make the rest of us look bad.
Thank you! There actually have been many studies about how names affect a person’s life, and it’s actually much more then most think. Names do determine who we become.
But juts because someone’s name resembles a terrorist doesn’t make him a terrorist.
Look at my name. Mackenzie means “Son of the Handsome One”. But I’m a girl! Saying Osama is a Muslim fanatic is like comparing apples to oranges, or me being masculine. There is no connections in that sense.
I agree. There’s nutcases in every society! 
This reminds me of an interesting chapter in Freakanomics about bad names. I can’t believe some parents name their kids after swear words like “Sh*thead” (pronounced “Shuh-teed”), or after brands! I have a family friend named Camaro, and there are some crazy parents who name their kids “Millionaire”, “Malboro”, Dunhill", “Winning”, etc. How imaginative! 
Freakanomics is one of my favorite books!
Haha, winning is what Charlie Sheen would name his child.
My cousin has a friend named Sh*thead.
And hey, don’t forget “Destiny Hope Cyrus.” Subtle.
dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar … ad-60.html
A shame, sseing as how Grease is probably my all time favourite movie.
RIP
May he rest in peace.
Poor Dog 
the normal life span for a small dog is about…20 years so he was 5 years short. 
It depends on the breed. Most dogs live between 12. 20 is considered very old.
Wait, why was this bumped up? It’s sad, yes, but it’s two years old. 