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Why do you think america is great

MarineTpartier

MarineTpartier

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Everytime I really start getting down on my country, something always happens that revives the "American Exceptionalism" in me. Case in point:
I went to Bethesda, Maryland this weekend to visit a buddy at Walter Reed Military Hospital. He stepped on an IED in Afghanistan and lost his foot halfway up his shin and broke both femurs. Its was, to say the least, a sobering and upsetting thing to see.
Before I went to see him, I went to the National Mall for a run. I started at the Lincoln Memorial, to the Vietnam, WWII, Washington, Capital Building, Smithsonian row, the Korea, and back to the Lincoln. My run started bitter because the Vietnam War memorial always brings tears to my eyes. It reminds me so much of what we're doing now and how all of those men lost their lives for virtually nothing. However, something happened at the end of my run that totally refreshed me.
I stopped at the Korean War Memorial. I was looking at the statues when a huge group of South Korean tourists came up. I sat down on a bench in the background and just watched them. They were so excited to see this memorial that you would have thought it was Disney World. They were taking pictures of everything, chattering about the wall, etc. Then they laid a wreath that said "South Korean College of Commerce. Class of 1963. We will never forget what you did for us". All of the bitterness and anger totally washed away. I thought to myself, what if one day 40-50 years from now, a group of Iraqi tourists come to the War on Terror Memorial and do what these people did? I hope they do.
 
MarineTpartier said:
Everytime I really start getting down on my country, something always happens that revives the "American Exceptionalism" in me. Case in point:
I went to Bethesda, Maryland this weekend to visit a buddy at Walter Reed Military Hospital. He stepped on an IED in Afghanistan and lost his foot halfway up his shin and broke both femurs. Its was, to say the least, a sobering and upsetting thing to see.
Before I went to see him, I went to the National Mall for a run. I started at the Lincoln Memorial, to the Vietnam, WWII, Washington, Capital Building, Smithsonian row, the Korea, and back to the Lincoln. My run started bitter because the Vietnam War memorial always brings tears to my eyes. It reminds me so much of what we're doing now and how all of those men lost their lives for virtually nothing. However, something happened at the end of my run that totally refreshed me.
I stopped at the Korean War Memorial. I was looking at the statues when a huge group of South Korean tourists came up. I sat down on a bench in the background and just watched them. They were so excited to see this memorial that you would have thought it was Disney World. They were taking pictures of everything, chattering about the wall, etc. Then they laid a wreath that said "South Korean College of Commerce. Class of 1963. We will never forget what you did for us". All of the bitterness and anger totally washed away. I thought to myself, what if one day 40-50 years from now, a group of Iraqi tourists come to the War on Terror Memorial and do what these people did? I hope they do.
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The War on Terror Memorial?


That alone speaks of American exceptionalism.


lol I came to this thread thinking how nice, a thread about the good things in the US and you had me with you all the way until the very last sentence and then I went, huh? The War on Terror Memorial? You were joking, right? lol Iraqi's laying wreath's of gratitude also seems a bit of stretch. lol Though I must say the whole idea is quite exceptional to say the least.


One of my favorite things about our country is our National Park system and all the wide open spaces of the public lands. I like the cultural diversity of the many states because it's almost visiting another country with each state being so different. It amazes me how we all manage to get along in this Great American Experiment despite all of our differences and history.
 
Beer.


Anyone who says anything else is a communist!
 
When it comes time for me to retire from a career of service I will most likely settle down again in the USA. But that is just because it is the country that I feel the most at home in. While I think America used to be the best at so many things and we used to be the freest, other countries have caught up and surpassed us in many of those areas.But we still paved the way.

But I have lived on five continents and if I were going to be stuck in one country for the rest of my life it would be the US. There is just such a variety in cities, countrysides, ecosystems, and climates. Still one of my favorite things to do is to just hop in my car and take a road trip, and there is no place like the US for that. It can be easy to let the politics get to you, but if you just turn the news off for awhile and get the hell out of your house and office, it is a great place to be.

And let's not forget beer! I love the beers I had when I lived in Europe, but unless you are partial to pilsners and hefeweizens, America has the best microbreweries on the planet.
 
What makes me think America is great.

My great grand father, was a wealthy man, in his time.
The Depression came, all his wealth was vaporized.

His son, my grandfather, lived his entire life poor, started out as an adult living in a refurbished chicken house, but retired a wealthy man.

I started out, with no formal education, broke as hell and I too am making great strides.
America is pretty damn cool, because almost everyone, has the opportunity to make a great life for themselves.
 
I do not believe I would have been presented with the opportunities and advantages that have been afforded me if I lived in a country other than the United States. Some countries/societies/cultures demand that the socioeconomic class a person was born into must remain static. I have had to the chance to express myself, grow educationally/professionally/socially with the only resistance being my own limitations and abilities. On a historical and personal basis I have watched whole groups who were persecuted in another country become accepted, more embraced, by society in the United States. Upward mobility, lateral mobility, freedom of thought, speech and expression are a few of the reasons I think America is great. This does not come without a price and I have been asked, as I could, to pay into society, through: military service, taxation, voting and taking an active role in being a productive member of society; to give of myself, as I can, and that is an equally great privilege.
 
MarineTpartier said:
Everytime I really start getting down on my country, something always happens that revives the "American Exceptionalism" in me. Case in point:
I went to Bethesda, Maryland this weekend to visit a buddy at Walter Reed Military Hospital. He stepped on an IED in Afghanistan and lost his foot halfway up his shin and broke both femurs. Its was, to say the least, a sobering and upsetting thing to see.
Before I went to see him, I went to the National Mall for a run. I started at the Lincoln Memorial, to the Vietnam, WWII, Washington, Capital Building, Smithsonian row, the Korea, and back to the Lincoln. My run started bitter because the Vietnam War memorial always brings tears to my eyes. It reminds me so much of what we're doing now and how all of those men lost their lives for virtually nothing. However, something happened at the end of my run that totally refreshed me.
I stopped at the Korean War Memorial. I was looking at the statues when a huge group of South Korean tourists came up. I sat down on a bench in the background and just watched them. They were so excited to see this memorial that you would have thought it was Disney World. They were taking pictures of everything, chattering about the wall, etc. Then they laid a wreath that said "South Korean College of Commerce. Class of 1963. We will never forget what you did for us". All of the bitterness and anger totally washed away. I thought to myself, what if one day 40-50 years from now, a group of Iraqi tourists come to the War on Terror Memorial and do what these people did? I hope they do.
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Hit me up next time you're in the neighborhood yo.
 
And to answer the question, I believe that America is great because we are generally tolerant of many cultures, viewpoints, and belief systems, something that can't be said for many other countries.
 
america has a more different kind of freedom understanding than europe has and this is the most important characteristic of USA
 
Why do you think America is great?

....Comparison....
 
It's the best 'free for all' in human history.
 
Moot said:
I came to this thread thinking how nice, a thread about the good things in the US and you had me with you all the way until the very last sentence and then I went, huh? The War on Terror Memorial? You were joking, right? lol Iraqi's laying wreath's of gratitude also seems a bit of stretch. lol Though I must say the whole idea is quite exceptional to say the least.
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Why wouldn't there be a War on Terror Memorial? Not to turn this positive thread into a negative, but the War on Terror is the biggest event in the history of our country since the Vietnam War. It started with an event, 9/11, that I think could be considered THE biggest event in our country's history. If there is not a memorial I believe it will be an injustice to all of us who have given our lives, whether in death or dedication, to this country. Whether you believe the wars were right or not is irrelevant. They happened. And whether anyone wants to believe it or not, there are many Iraqi citizens who are thankful that we removed Saddam and they have the country they have. Sure, there may be terrorism over there still. However, they can fight the terrorism. They can stand up to Al Qaeda. They couldn't stand up to Saddam. The very authorities they should have expected protection from were the ones brutalizing them.
 
I think America is great because the only other country I have been to is Mexico. Canada is just a suburb of America.

Also, America has the Stanley Cup.
 
Moot said:
One of my favorite things about our country is our National Park system and all the wide open spaces of the public lands. I like the cultural diversity of the many states because it's almost visiting another country with each state being so different. It amazes me how we all manage to get along in this Great American Experiment despite all of our differences and history.
Click to expand...

I agree with you on this one. Our national parks are absolutely awesome. It doesn't matter what political lean you are, religion, race, etc. When you go to a National Park, it's fun to just enjoy the beauty with a fellow American and not worry about all that stuff. Good point.
 
Religious freedom, for one. We have Christians here, both the Catholic and Protestant varieties that don't get along in other parts of the world living in peace. We have Muslims here, both the Sunni and Shia varieties that don't get along in other parts of the world living here in peace. We have Hindus and Sikhs, who don't always get along so well in India, living here in peace. We have Buddhists, agnostics, atheists, you name it, none of whom are shooting each other because of religion.

Opportunity for another. I had a neighbor who had immigrated (I think legally) from Mexico who said it best: "This is really the land of opportunity. In Mexico, I couldn't even afford a bicycle. Here, I have whatever I want", and he did, from speedboats to wave runners, every toy imaginable, all paid for by a successful business.
 
I think America is great because of our constitution - despite some politicians attempting to sabotage our constitution, it is still firmly in place (has and always will be).... Our founding fathers did a damn good job of setting it up - we will always be protected from tyranny here in America.

I think America is great because of our military - we are the finest military in the world, despite some politicians' attempts to weaken THAT. Furthermore, because of the sacrifices of our brave men and women, we remain the freest country in the world. The US would not be a land of opportunity if not for our military - and we would all be living in slavery....

I think America is great because of our stellar system of checks and balances.... Because of that system, the American people still run this country, not the politicians....

I think America is great because, as someone with a mental disorder, I've been able to work hard and graduate from college. My future looks bright - in any other country, I may have wound up in an institution...

Lastly, I think America is great because everyone whom is born here is privileged and has the opportunity to live a great life with hard work, diligence and perseverance - don't know that one could say that about any other country....

Thanks to all our military heroes for making the USA what it truly is - the greatest country in the world!! :)
 
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MarineTpartier said:
Why wouldn't there be a War on Terror Memorial? Not to turn this positive thread into a negative, but the War on Terror is the biggest event in the history of our country since the Vietnam War. It started with an event, 9/11, that I think could be considered THE biggest event in our country's history. If there is not a memorial I believe it will be an injustice to all of us who have given our lives, whether in death or dedication, to this country. Whether you believe the wars were right or not is irrelevant. They happened. And whether anyone wants to believe it or not, there are many Iraqi citizens who are thankful that we removed Saddam and they have the country they have. Sure, there may be terrorism over there still. However, they can fight the terrorism. They can stand up to Al Qaeda. They couldn't stand up to Saddam. The very authorities they should have expected protection from were the ones brutalizing them.
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The War on Terror is a metaphor and it's new name is "Overseas Contingency Operations". The war in Iraq was an unneccessary war of choice and didn't have anything to do with 9/11. I don't believe Iraqis are grateful for the invasion of their sovereign country anymore than we would be if a foreign country invaded ours and left it in shambles. The memorial for 9/11 is in NYC. But you made some very good points and there probably should be a memorial to honor those who fought and died in Iraq and Afganistan, I just don't think it should be called the War on Terror memorial. That just sounds wrong, imo. Global Freedom Memorial, perhaps?


I like our countries US Constitutional protection of freedom and rights.
 
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MarineTpartier said:
Everytime I really start getting down on my country, something always happens that revives the "American Exceptionalism" in me. Case in point:
I went to Bethesda, Maryland this weekend to visit a buddy at Walter Reed Military Hospital. He stepped on an IED in Afghanistan and lost his foot halfway up his shin and broke both femurs. Its was, to say the least, a sobering and upsetting thing to see.
Before I went to see him, I went to the National Mall for a run. I started at the Lincoln Memorial, to the Vietnam, WWII, Washington, Capital Building, Smithsonian row, the Korea, and back to the Lincoln. My run started bitter because the Vietnam War memorial always brings tears to my eyes. It reminds me so much of what we're doing now and how all of those men lost their lives for virtually nothing. However, something happened at the end of my run that totally refreshed me.
I stopped at the Korean War Memorial. I was looking at the statues when a huge group of South Korean tourists came up. I sat down on a bench in the background and just watched them. They were so excited to see this memorial that you would have thought it was Disney World. They were taking pictures of everything, chattering about the wall, etc. Then they laid a wreath that said "South Korean College of Commerce. Class of 1963. We will never forget what you did for us". All of the bitterness and anger totally washed away. I thought to myself, what if one day 40-50 years from now, a group of Iraqi tourists come to the War on Terror Memorial and do what these people did? I hope they do.
Click to expand...

I would love to lay down a wreath in the Middle East to the monument for all the Middle Easterners killed as collateral damage from U.S. attacks or drone strikes.

I think that what would make the United States great is if its people finally owned up to how we're seriously ****ing over so many other innocent people in the world.

Taking responsibility for the actions of our government would, indeed, show how exceptional our nation and its people are.
 
Nightrider said:
I think America is great because of our constitution - despite some politicians attempting to sabotage our constitution, it is still firmly in place (has and always will be).... Our founding fathers did a damn good job of setting it up - we will always be protected from tyranny here in America.
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Always will be so long as we, the people, pay the price of eternal vigilance.
 
samsmart said:
I would love to lay down a wreath in the Middle East to the monument for all the Middle Easterners killed as collateral damage from U.S. attacks or drone strikes.

I think that what would make the United States great is if its people finally owned up to how we're seriously ****ing over so many other innocent people in the world.

Taking responsibility for the actions of our government would, indeed, show how exceptional our nation and its people are.
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The title of the thread is "Why do you think America is great?" not "What would make America great?". Your point merely distracts from the topic and will devolve this thread into more "America is a big bully" drivel. That wasn't the point of this. Please, stay on topic. Start your own "What America should do to be great" thread if you would like to debate this.
 
Moot said:
The War on Terror is a metaphor and it's new name is "Overseas Contingency Operations". The war in Iraq was an unneccessary war of choice and didn't have anything to do with 9/11. I don't believe Iraqis are grateful for the invasion of their sovereign country anymore than we would be if a foreign country invaded ours and left it in shambles. The memorial for 9/11 is in NYC. But you made some very good points and there probably should be a memorial to honor those who fought and died in Iraq and Afganistan, I just don't think it should be called the War on Terror memorial. That just sounds wrong, imo. Global Freedom Memorial, perhaps?
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I beg to differ about Iraqis. I know a lot of guys on this website have served in Iraq but not in the same scope that I have. I spent a year in Iraq and never once spent the night on an American base besides the first and last week I was there (in and out processing). I lived with, ate with, slept beside, and fought with Iraqi Army soldiers,"Sons of Iraq" or Concerned Local Citizens groups, and kind civilians as well. They are, for the most part, very grateful for the freedom they now enjoy. The ironic part is that they are going through what our country went through when it first started. They have had a civil war (which had FAR fewer deaths than ours did), they are having elections (with all of the conspiracy theories associated with our first few), and they still have occasional flare ups amongst the population (like ours did in the beginning). That doesn't mean it isn't working. Its going through the same growing pains our country did. The only difference is that everytime something remotely bad happens there, its in your face the moment it happened on the news. I agree with you that Iraq was a useless war. However, the results can't be denied. Those people are more free and are freed from a dictator.
Also, I think the War on Terror Memorial is totally appropriate. Thats what it was called after all. I don't see anything particularly offensive about the name. If you do, what do you think is offensive?
 
MarineTpartier said:
Also, I think the War on Terror Memorial is totally appropriate. Thats what it was called after all. I don't see anything particularly offensive about the name. If you do, what do you think is offensive?
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Wars aren't memorialized until they end.

With the drone strikes expanding from Afghanistan into Pakistan and Yemen, the "War on Terror" isn't over.

And that's just the way defense contractors and the Congressmen and Senators they lobby want it.
 
samsmart said:
Wars aren't memorialized until they end.

With the drone strikes expanding from Afghanistan into Pakistan and Yemen, the "War on Terror" isn't over.

And that's just the way defense contractors and the Congressmen and Senators they lobby want it.
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I never advocated for a timeframe for the memorial. I am fully aware that we can't put a memorial up before the war is over. At some point, there definitely should be one though.
The drone strikes are definitely troubling. Especially the way they are conducted with one man being the authority behind their launch. However, as I said before, lets keep it on topic. I'll gladly join you in a debate against members that approve of the drone strikes.:peace
 
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