To you from me...

Its easy to bash a whole group of people becasue of what the few of its leaders in the spotlight do. I am glad you realized that not all of us are President Bush. And while I support Bush becasue he is our president doesn't mean I agree with what is going on. I think most of us are guilty of doing what you have done and it is forgivable!

I know I'm not perfect when it comes to what is going on in this world. I have my beliefs that I also think are right...but they fit my lifestyle and not everyone elses.

Sure, back when the second election was going on, I threatened to move to Canada if Bush was re-elected. When it happened I saw something I didn't see before: 1) an article in the newspaper saying that Canadian Immigration takes 2 years to complete and 2) Opportunity.

My reason for the second is that my Masters is currently dealing with securing computer information. If it weren't for 9/11, the establishment of Homeland Security and the formation of the program, I would have NO CLUE how else to have form this opportunity. So with that I do have to thank Bush.

Thank you for not judging Americans based on our president. I certainly didn't vote for him.

No president can please all the people all the time. Even if you voted for him, you might not like EVERY thing that he's done. He's human just like the rest of us.

A poll was taken (not sure where) but the question was asked - Given a choice, would you be President of the US or spend a month in jail. The majority of the people polled would spend it in jail rather then to take on one of the toughest (and least appreciated) jobs in America.

Before you complain, think about it Besides, we live in a country with a heck of alot more privledges then the rest of the world gets. We might have our problems but by God this is a wonderful country with wonderful people in it.

Stand up and be pround of America instead of being quick to put it down!



And thank you Aussie friend for your comments We do appreciate it, plus I love the aussie accent

I think that your posts are very well spoken, and I respect you and your views. I respect you for speaking what you feel. I don't think that an apology should be made. You have alot of good points. I agree with everything you have said

I appreciate your post! And I have often agreed with your posts, so no offense taken. Actually, I was raised to consider all opinions - I'm a minority on so many levels that the arrogance has (hopefully) been bred out of me. But I have seen the arrogance strike hard at social justice - being native Californian for centuries, from a culture that seeks strong connections with both ancestors and descendants, I am more and more convinced that the Devil may not wear Pravda, but he certainly wants to sell it, esp. here in urban Calif. (my way of saying that materialism has displaced love for the Creator and his Creation) and, yup, there's plenty wrong with that
For instance, how many Americans realize that due to drought, Arizonian ranchers have been forced to sell, on average, approx. 50% of their herds. Or that Australia is having a terrible go with their drought?? Or that California wants to cut off the underground seepage of the Colorado river that currently goes into Mexico, thereby literally destroying not only habitat but the livelihood of thousands and thousands of Mexican farmers (while the water that would be saved is anticipated not to ease California's current water shortages, but to expand development in east San Diego county destroying THAT habitat AND creating need for yet more infrastructure). And those displaced farmers, employees & their families - how will they survive???? They might as well try to cross illegally - a lot of them are gonna die anyway, as least they'll die trying (anyone ever see a feral mama-kitty crossing a busy city street with her kittens? - desperate, but she does it for her babies. Humans aren't any different, most anyway). sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now, but you see how I feel. Susan

First time on this site. I just became an adult yesterday. yeah!
I too was considering moving to Canada (except after the 1st election, by the 2nd one I had just given up). I don't think you have to thank Bush for your opportunity. Do you really think 911 wouldn't have happened if Gore had been elected? I think it would have happened, there would still be homeland security (without the illegal tapping of everyone's phones) but we wouldn't have invaded Iraq which had nothing to do with 911 anyway.

You know, I am often accused of being "un-american" and told that if I don't like Bush then I can leave... Often, I feel that I love our country more than the people saying that, because they don't even understand what it's about. I firmly believe in America, I just think alot of us are asleep at the wheel right now. And I don't mean that everyone should agree with me. I just wish people would vote, whoever for, and have an opinion, whichever way. It breaks my heart to see those idiots on TV who aren't sure what the president's name is.

Some of us don't even understand that Iraqi children are not Saddam Hussein (I don't think that's anyone here, but they're out there)... so we can't really fault others for seeing us as a leader we (sort-of) elected.

I thank you for not putting all U.S. citizens in the same camp as our leader. The great thing about the United States is that we can voice our opinion, even when that opinion is against our leadership. There are too many people outside of the U.S. that don't understand that concept, because they live in countries where that philosophy is not accepted. You can't always understand what you don't experience personally.

Great post, I feel the same way. I also support our President, and I did vote for him. I have always voted, and the way I feel is if you don't vote then you don't have a right to complain.

I would not want his job.

I am going to say something controversial. But first, I must explain that this does not apply to people on TCS, because you have all chosen to belong to a site which is very international and you expose yourseves to a great variety of opinion and most of the time understand that not all cultures are alike and we all have problems.
But I have lived in California and DC, and visited America many times, so far to 38 States. I have many friends and acquaintances there. And there is something about the size of the country, contrasted with the extreme local viewpoint of most of the media, that encourages a very narrow outlook among some Americans. Basically it is 'We're all right, we don't really want to know about anyone else. And we consider we are nice people, even though we don't think about the planet as a whole, or about other countries' problems, so why can't you all accept that we are lovely and tolerant and like us whatever happens?' It even happens domestically - it is well documented that until the Civil Rights Movement started in the 50s and 60s, the Northern States had no idea or concern about the problems in the South regarding segregation - their media never mentioned it and everyone thought that all was running smoothly. It all came as a terrible shock.
Ok, so I, a non-American, am criticising some aspects of a wonderful country and many wonderful people. I also criticise my own country, Britain, for other reasons, which is why I choose not to live there. There are at least two sides to every question.

Touche, salesman.

I have noticed that as well. Actually, you've been to more of America than I have (not by much...) My parents grew up during the 50s, and they have told stories of the first time they went South. My dad accidentally drank from the "wrong" drinking fountain, because he had no idea there was such a thing. Sometimes it feels like we all have our heads in the sand. But alot of life in America makes you feel anonymous, like a part of a larger community and not necessarily your own person. Like at my job... I work for a Fortune 500 company, and if I have an idea that would really work and makes sense, you can bet nothing's ever getting done about it because it would have to go through dozens of people at the "home office", mostly people who have never actually worked in one of the stores. As employees, we're expendable, and we know it. We're just pieces of the hands that do what corporate wants. And lots of people's jobs are like that.

It's not just the size of the country that's bigger-- everything is bigger. In some ways I think you've only recognized a symptom (apathy towards other country's problems) of a problem that affects much more than that. We don't even vote in our own country's elections, because we "don't have time" or "don't care". Some of us have never even met our next-door neighbors.

I know I've just made a lot of generalizations, and most people reading this won't recognize themselves anywhere in there... but these are observations of people I've known in my life, people who don't know if Pennsylvania is a city or a state and we live in Ohio, people whose entire outlook on life is that nobody richer or more powerful than them gives a about them.

And in some ways, I agree.