Thursday 5 May 2011

what i like about america

after chewing out the yanks i'll try to fix my karma with a list of things i like about the great (not greatest) US of A
it's gonna be tough seeing as i havent been there but here goes




  • peanut butter cups


  • hollywood: i dont always love it but i love movies and without hollywood there would be many less choices


  • Coke


  • Greys anatomy


  • house


  • the simpsons


  • oreos


  • fried chicken


  • the Sartorialist


  • leah, megan, mike, snow, csi, bob, random, suze, debbie, putzy, marnie, bindi, mr shife, inner voices, cece and any other american who regards themselves as a friend


i bet theres more......

17 comments:

  1. I had to read the last post and the comments before I could say anything here.

    First in Detroit there was no great celebration, though there were people (Arabs) dancing in the streets of Dearborn, waving American flags which has the largest Arab population outside of the Middle East. This is where the Qu'ran burning preacher has spent his last two week ends stirring the pot and this is also where on 9/11/2001 people also danced in the streets.

    Detroit itself doesn't think of any death as noteworthy anymore and hasn't for about thirty years. We know death, and we know dead is dead nothing more, nothing less. We also know that if there is greatness in America it isn't here. We have our own problems and not much that anyone is willing to step out and do anything about. Including those of us who live here.

    I saw the jubilant celebrations in NYC and D.C. and other places on the TV and pretty much went to sleep.

    One has to define what greatness is and I personally don't define it as a peanut butter cup or the ability to project the worlds most technically advanced military might throughout the world. I also don't think it is found in nationalist pride often confused with patriotism.

    I don't think our greatness is found in having the worlds largest economy that every other nation on earth feeds from as greatness either. I don't think America's greatness is found much anymore in a physical tangible way.

    America is a fractured place of diversity full of both great ability to love and great capacity for hate among her own citizens.

    So what do the words the greatest nation on earth mean? I may not be sure because there is boldness and courage and weakness and strength and generosity found throughout every nation on earth.

    If one were to ask me why America is the greatest nation on earth it would have to be because we still at times seek ways to aid others even though we have no need to. We spend on other nations needs before we spend on our own and though we have stuck our nose in where it didn't belong too many times the times where we didn't want to but did anyway and lost millions of our citizens fighting alongside others in the name of their freedom, win lose or draw we went and we fight for the principles we still (for the time being) believe in.

    Until our invasion of Iraq we never invaded a sovereign nation for conquest or spoils. But the list where we did step in with the lives of our children when we could have sat it out is really to long to go into but history knows what makes America the greatest nation on earth. Our desire for men and women to simply be able to live and raise their families and stay on to a ripe old age in peace.

    And though there are other nations who want the same freedom not a one of them has as often as America stepped in harms way to attempt to secure that peace for people that often times hate us by the the time they are free to decide their own destiny. Then we pull back bury our dead, heal our wounded and pay the cost. When China or Japan or Europe or even Australia wants to step up and do what we do I for one will gladly relinquish the mantle of "Greatest Nation on Earth" to them.

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  2. Baseball, apple pie, and hot dogs

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  3. walking man,

    "When China or Japan or Europe or even Australia wants to step up and do what we do I for one will gladly relinquish the mantle of "Greatest Nation on Earth" to them."

    i'll pay that!


    bobster,
    especially apple pie :)

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  4. Walking Man, hear hear. I appreciate your thoughts and your eloquence, very much. Really, wow.

    I too like oreos. I like Coke. To me that isn't really America either though--America is Walt Whitman and Allen Ginsberg. If you want to understand America better, I suggest you begin with them.

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  5. What do I admire about the USA?

    The American Constitution (the UK has no written constitution)

    American culture: Mark Rothko, Richard Yates, Judy Chicago, Patti Smith and a thousand others.

    Its ethnic diversity.

    Its contribution to inventions, especially computers, the internet, email, pacemakers, solar cells and televisions.

    The American habit of being frank and honest and forthright, unlike the Brits and their mealy-mouthed over-politeness.

    And probably lots of other things that don't immediately come to mind.

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  6. Cool, I like all those things about America too Nick!

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  7. PEA nut bbbb UT T E R CUUUPPPS

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  8. The transistor was invented in the USA. This in turn over time led to integrated circuis and then all the the stuff that this allows eg small mobile or cell phones, small lap top computers etc How good is all that

    JAZZ comes fromt the USA too. Even if there was no other music isn't it great music.

    Europe, Japan and Australia have stepped up in many areas to help, alone, and as allies allover the world. Example:-
    To this day Australian and New Zealand soldiers are remembered from WW1 by the French people for their contribution in France in WW1 and after when they built schools.
    In Indonesia during and after the tsunami. Remember Australian troops in East Timor too. One could expand mightily on these examples for Australia and other nations.

    Finally America produced Bill Gates and Warren Buffet and their Foundations to help rid the earth of malaria. Brilliant!

    Finally there is no such thing as the greatest nation on earth. There is a line in the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers. Kingdoms rise and wane.

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  9. In Australia huge,fierce and uncontrolable bushfires rage especially in the Australian summer.
    Over the years a lot has been learnt in fire control, fire prevention and human survival in these conditions in Australia.

    Guess what? California state has used Aussie firefighters in their hour of need in the Californian forests.

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  10. Can't wait to see what you think after being there. Sounds like everything's bigger, better and cheaper than here for starters. Oh one of the best things about America? Awww he just went back there.

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  11. Sarge was just reminding me of how many important times Australia has been our ally.

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  12. Kia ora Kylie,
    As an expat American I hope I can be added to the like list.:) - I am very troubled by the actions of my country, mostly in invading a soveriegn nation we are not at war with and seeking out a person from a third nation to simply murder him. If China were to send elite military hit squads into the states to "silence" it's citizens there whom are protesting about human rights in Tibet or China, I am quite sure America would not appreciate it.
    I hope at times like this people do not simply generalize all Americans as the same, and recognize it is the government and the military, not the average American. Just my thoughts.
    Aroha,
    Robb

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  13. I must have misunderstood--you aren't equating Osama bin Laden with human rights protesters, are you?

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  14. robb,
    of course you make the "like" list!
    good to see you here.

    i certainly do not regard individuals the same way as the nation.

    and i dont hate america ( i said that for my benefit as much as yours)

    xo

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  15. Kylie all you have to do is love your American friends and it's all good! : D

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  16. The red sox, the redskins, the wizards (though not so much right now), snapple and DC

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  17. Fun.. We like you too! Zack

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