Is America, Really as bad as people say? Options

[*CrackedRearView*]

I still don't think the war is justified.

Then neither is any reversed decision by any other president. Henceforth, neither is the United States presidency.

Our country just isn't a very justified place. It sure beats the hell out of most others, though.

Count on that.

[technicolour]

This country was SET UP UPON CHRISTIAN TERMS. Yes. There is a difference between Church and State but still. Our laws were written under CHristian Terms.

[*mipadi*]

This country was SET UP UPON CHRISTIAN TERMS. Yes. There is a difference between Church and State but still. Our laws were written under CHristian Terms.

Why is it so important to you that the government continue to focus on Christian morals and ethics? You're more than free to practice them yourself, and raise your kids according to them--no one is suggesting you stop doing so. But what makes it so important that everyone else adhere to Christian morals and ethics, too? Isn't religious freedom one of the greatest things about America?

[*CrackedRearView*]

Why is it so important to you that the government continue to focus on Christian morals and ethics? You're more than free to practice them yourself, and raise your kids according to them--no one is suggesting you stop doing so. But what makes it so important that everyone else adhere to Christian morals and ethics, too? Isn't religious freedom one of the greatest things about America?

As much as I agree with you on this subject, I'm still dissatisfied with 2005's left half.

It seems like this past election has fostered more unsubstantiated whining than ever before.

Ungracious losers just aren't appealing.

[Spirited Away]

This country was SET UP UPON CHRISTIAN TERMS. Yes. There is a difference between Church and State but still. Our laws were written under CHristian Terms.

... not exactly, more like deistic.

Christianity was the smaller picture. Religious freedom was, and still is, the bigger picture. Christianity was simply the faith of those who wished for religious freedom in America. They believed in Christianity but they SOUGHT FREEDOM of RELIGIOUS PRACTICE.

So to respond to your comment, the historical impact is not Christianity, it is the finding of religious freedom. Thus, our First Amendment does NOT say that we have freedom to practice Christianity, it says we simply have religious freedom.

[sadolakced acid]

This country's rules were set up on a religious view.

This country was SET UP UPON CHRISTIAN TERMS. Yes. There is a difference between Church and State but still. Our laws were written under CHristian Terms.

our laws are not written under christian terms. there are christians who wish it, and they happen to make laws. but the country was founded on a lack or religion.

[CrazayChristian]

If there was no threat, then why did we go into Iraq?
You just said that there was no threat. You're contradicting yourself. Besides, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Saddam Hussein had no say in the 9/11 attacks. Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. That is nowhere near Iraq.
Again, you contradict your first statement. Plus, there was no good proof that terrorists were hiding in Iraq.
Because they are terrorists.

I'm sorry, you misunderstood, I didn't say there was not threat over there. I'm saying that there was no threat to THEM before WE got there.
And if the terrorists weren't in Iraq, then why are we finding them there, and thier leaders?


And people, this is not about the war...


Our laws, aren't BASED on Christian religion. The laws fit virtually every religion, they just happen to fit very well into the christian religion. IF it was based on the christian religion, then we would all have no religious freedom because of the first commandment.
If there was a religion that said you had to kill who ever you saw, feel free to kill everyone you see. But, there is no way someone is going to accept this as religious freedom or make a law that allows such killings to take place under said excuse.
Laws aren't based on religion, religion just has set laws that are considered "morally correct" and we expand off that to make law.

[technicolour]

And people, this is not about the war...

People HATE America because of the war.
People HATE America case we stand for freedom.

--

And when I said Christian Terms, I really did mean to put RELIGIOUS views. I'm Christian so I put that. Sorry.

[demolished]

No, its not our fault. Its the president's choices. President increase the hatred and enmity of the countries against us.

I think the countries just want peace instead of choatic and killing.

[*xcaitlinx*]

THE WAR WAS BASED UPON THE FACT THAT IRAQ HAD WMD'S.  Getting the damn old bums known as terrorists were just a plus.
Someone is going to blame it on Bush. Hell. People over there have hated us for like ever. Sure. It's all Bush's fault. [sarcastic here.]

i find that so funny. if the whole war was on finding iraq's stash of WMDs, then how come the WAR IS STILL GOING ON? Bush wasn't man enough to admit that WMDs were NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. If that's what the whole war was revolving around, then how come it hasn't ended? hmmm??

America is hated by most European countries -- including Ireland and England. Why? Ask Bush. Reflect on our country's past actions. It baffles me that some people in this f**ked up country living in a bubble think that America is the #1 liked country in the world....and that it's a "kick-ass country". Please, get out more.

And yeah, the other countries want peace. But for some reason, Bush seems to think that destroying a country in a war will lead to peace. violence does NOT equal peace. damn straight.

[sadolakced acid]

And when I said Christian Terms, I really did mean to put RELIGIOUS views. I'm Christian so I put that. Sorry.

the only religion defined is the specific lack of religion.

[CrazayChristian]

America is hated by most European countries -- including Ireland and England. Why? Ask Bush. Reflect on our country's past actions. It baffles me that some people in this f**ked up country living in a bubble think that America is the #1 liked country in the world....and that it's a "kick-ass country". Please, get out more.

This is what I've asked, what has America done. Something as vague as "the war" doesn't cut the answer.

[JacksonLovejazz]

u gay...i should beat ur ass and send u to china and make u work like slavery back in the 40

[sadolakced acid]

This is what I've asked, what has America done. Something as vague as "the war" doesn't cut the answer.

we went against the UN. the europeans like thier red tape and inefficency of the UN.

[sadolakced acid]

...

[*Libertie*]

Why does America have such a bad reputation? We're a bunch of sheep. If the president tells us to be afraid, we're afraid. If he tells us we're in Iraq to retaliate, fight for freedom, help their country establish a democracy (or any of the other BS excuses he's given us), what do we do? We believe him. Why? He's the president.

For as long as I know, our country has gotten all upset for the slightest of events. Anyone remember 'freedom fries'? What did the French do to upset us so badly? Oh yeah.. They didn't agree with our decision to turn our backs on the UN and send troops to Iraq. What now? We leave the UN? You might be thinking, "Oh, that's ridiculous, who in their right mind would want to do that?" You'd be surprised.

There was a French exchange student this year at our school (I lived in Texas then). She was so miserable that she had to move to New Jersey to get away from all the French-haters, because she was ridiculed by them for being from a country that "doesn't support the US". She had always had a low opinion of Americans because of the things she had heard while in France, and you can only imagine how actually living in the US for a year affected that opinion. Needless to say, she clung to me the rest of her stay when she realized that I was the only liberal in our class (Literally - don't believe me? Hit up Hooks, Texas, and you'll find out).

Now. I've thrown in all this worthless jabber to make my point - we've portrayed ourselves as children to the rest of the world. And it won't get better until US citizens stop voting for the wrong reasons (you wouldn't believe how many people in my church voted for Bush because our pastor told them to) and become informed themselves without letting others influence their decisions. If we're such a diverse population, we need to start acting like it rather than acting like a flock of sheep.

[Spirited Away]

There was a French exchange student this year at our school (I lived in Texas then). She was so miserable that she had to move to New Jersey to get away from all the French-haters, because she was ridiculed by them for being from a country that "doesn't support the US". She had always had a low opinion of Americans because of the things she had heard while in France, and you can only imagine how actually living in the US for a year affected that opinion. Needless to say, she clung to me the rest of her stay when she realized that I was the only liberal in our class (Literally - don't believe me? Hit up Hooks, Texas, and you'll find out).

I live in Space City, Texas and things were never that bad We've got plenty of liberals! When I was in the southwest/Bellaire neigborhood areas during the '04 election, there were more Kerry/Edwards signs then Bush/Cheney. If you'd like, I can even tell you which streets as I frequent them enough. My own subdivision was the same.

My French professors, who lived in France most of their lives, may not agree with current American politics like so many other Americans, however, that doesn't mean they don't like Americans. If so, they wouldn't live in America...

It's ignorant to group Americans with the nation's government. Also, Sandra was attacked because there are people stupid enough to hate Americans simply because they live(d) in America! That's plain hate, and another dumb excuse to turn hate into violence.

[CrazayChristian]

I live in the austin area, and we never had that much of a problem with the French .

We're being fed diffrent information from a biased community. Someone who doesn't like Bush, is not going to admit that he did something right, they're going to extract every flaw they find and use it.

Someone who does like Bush however, will defend with as much information and contradict whatever is said against the case.

You can get your information from extremely liberal websites/shows/ect. But they will always be the opposite of conservative views. Each one will make thier case quite clear and supported. But, depending one which side you're on, you will instantly shoot either one down with a fact supported on your side.

We are separated because most Americans are stubborn and don't take both sides into effect. I'm guilty of this at certain times.

[sadolakced acid]

I live in Space City, Texas and things were never that bad We've got plenty of liberals!

space city's got NASA influence. apparently, NASA people are more likeley to be liberal.

also, colleges bring some liberal influence.

[Spirited Away]

space city's got NASA influence.  apparently, NASA people are more likeley to be liberal. 
also, colleges bring some liberal influence.

I live an hour or two away from NASA. I'm not sure what NASA has to do with influencing anyone's political decision let alone mine... But at any rate, not everyone from those neighborhoods goes to college. Since you don't know, the parts of Bellaire I was referring to is consider a pretty... wealthy neighborhood. Surprise, surprise, even the rich can be liberal. Oh, and I go to college and have been for the last three years, I don't consider myself very liberal either.

[sadolakced acid]

stastitically.

and, conservative presidents usually shift money away from NASA to the military, whereas liberal ones shift it to NASA more...

[Spirited Away]

stastitically. 
and, conservative presidents usually shift money away from NASA to the military, whereas liberal ones shift it to NASA more...

... but Mr. Acid, the only thing I said was "we got plenty of liberals". I didn't mean that we have more or less liberals, just that we have plenty. What I wanted to point out is that the person may have exaggerated the story a bit or that the French friend was a little... dramatic. at the word "dramatic". French and drama...

I'm sure more than half the people on this forum didn't know that fact about NASA and liberals. Actually, I'm sure that A LOT of liberals in the Houston area don't know that either. So, I don't think NASA has anything to do with it unless one is a fan of politics.

[ichigofan]

We loose about 20 soldiers a week in Iraq so pardon me when I can careless of what we are doing in friggin yugoslavia. We started this war on a false accusation which we now know it to be, Bush is nothing but a liar and a enemy against the consitution. This nation was founded on the idea that church and state were to be seperated but if you look at the laws that he is trying to pass if he has not yet done so, includes christian ideals. I cannot wait till mr bush is out of office and we have a actual president in charge.

[*Libertie*]

I suppose I should have mentioned that Hooks is rural Texas. Generally, urban Texas.. well, urban anywhere.. is quite a bit different. And really, I'm not trying to make any generalizations at all; I'm just making my point based on what town I lived in for two years. I simply meant that it's a shame that she had to be given THAT view of us. It's a shame that there were so many ignorant, closed-minded Americans in that particular town that she had to leave in order to avoid ridicule.

I can have a friendly political discussion with a conservative; it's when someone starts getting angry with me, shutting out my arguments, calling me anti-American, that I have a problem. I'm not by any means trying to call conservatives out for being stubborn, because I know that there are just as many intelligent conservatives as there are liberals, and just as many ignorant liberals as conservatives.

Anyway, CrazayChristian, you make the same point that I was trying to make - Americans should stop being biased by what they think is the 'right' side. One can be a liberal with some conservative views, or the other way around. Americans should gain personal belief by themselves, rather than depending on others to tell them what to believe.

[Spirited Away]

I suppose I should have mentioned that Hooks is rural Texas. Generally, urban Texas.. well, urban anywhere.. is quite a bit different. And really, I'm not trying to make any generalizations at all; I'm just making my point based on what town I lived in for two years. I simply meant that it's a shame that she had to be given THAT view of us. It's a shame that there were so many ignorant, closed-minded Americans in that particular town that she had to leave in order to avoid ridicule.

I see. I can definitely imagine what craziness the French student had to go through in rural TX. In small towns TX, there is a higher chance of folks being conservatives. It is a shame that she has to be subjected to that kind of treatment. However, it would be ignorant AND closed-minded of the French student to base her views on all Americans by the treatement she received in that small town. I'm sure her views on Americans in general are improved as she is in NJ now.

Sandra was attacked because she spoke English. The two guys who attacked her were stupid enough to think that everyone who speaks English must be American. Likewise, if the French student was ignorant enough to think that anyone American will be French-hating cowboys, then she wouldn't be any different from the two guys. I think she has more sense than that.