Sunday, February 4, 2007

Made In America: Spoiled Brats!

This was sent to me in my email the other day and as I feel it has some very valid points, I was curious as to what other people think about it.

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I starting thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year? Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved. Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, if necessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy. Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are: the most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig. So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did ... Insane! Stop buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

Thoughts?

7 comments:

egan said...

Unhappy with the direction of the country and unhappy with our personal lives are two very different things Amber. Don't get those confused.

Do you like the image of the U.S. in the world? Why is the media taking the blame for this? I don't get it. Please explain how it's the media's fault how people answered on this poll.

Granted, we do have a lot to be thankful for as you point out in your first few paragraphs. Keep in mind many other countries can say the same thing (France, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Japan... to name a few) about their country.

The discontent is because things aren't going well on many fronts. And despite suggestions to turn things around, our leader carries along as if he only represents himself.

Amber, have you traveled outside of our country much? Just have to ask.

P.S. I hope your move went well.

Amber said...

Egan: If you will note, I wrote as my very first sentence that this was sent to me in my email. I, personally, did not write this. I just thought it was an interesting observation and decided to post it to see what people thought.

As for my PERSONAL opinions, I agree with the principle as to why we went to war; but I have grave issues with the execution of it. I also have big issues with how our government is not coming together for the good of the country. I see no compromise happening and it worries me. Our country is divided and it needs healing.

There are many, many, issues that can be debated about America and politics. But I'm not really interested in a debate or a polite argument - I'm simply interested in other people's opinions and the reasons behind them.

By posting articles like these, I am hoping for feedback in order to understand differing points of view, clarify some points that I'm "back and forth" on, and basically learn. I'm fascinated with other people's thought patterns and how they come to certain conclusions and opinions.

Thanks for the good wishes regarding the move. I obtained a job, but am still looking for a place to live.

egan said...

I thought I shared my point of view as you had asked. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Congrats on the job.

Amber said...

Egan: There were certain parts that are definitely your opinion and helped make it more clear on where you are coming from and why. I most certainly appreciate that! Your comments are always welcome here.

I hope you didn't take my response the wrong way and I apologize if I upset you.

M said...

When you compare first world countries with 2nd and 3rd world countries - the sheer AMOUNT of stuff we have, not to mention the way we indulge ourselves at the expense of the environment and welfare of others is absolutely staggering and unnecessary. We embrace that (I do too), but it's disgusting. There is no downtrodden unless there are people to do the stamping!

Is it guilt we're feeling when we're *unhappy* with the way things are? If not, it probably should be. But no, I don't think that humans are that aware of how we're fucked things up monumentally.

So... in terms of *direction we're heading* I agree with Egan - quality of life is not the same as not liking something politically. Who would seriously be happy with going into a war there is no way of winning? Who is seriously happy in a western world which SINCE September 11 is constantly on terror alert. And while we have everything at our fingertips we are absolutely KILLING this planet. We all know this! When you know without a doubt that we have the technology to live and prosper while using renewable energy but that the corporations (oil, mining, drilling, cars, electricity - etc) won't EVER let that happen because of the money they'd lose then you realise that everything we have means something greater is lost. Unhappy? yeah, probably.. Is that 'being spoilt'? I dunno, maybe..

Unknown said...

You had to know this was coming. It's time for my reply to this.

Think back to right before Bush took office: Gas prices were under $1.50 . . . the gov't had an excess of several million dollars(something so rare, I can't think of the technical name of such an event). . . we had good relations with much of the rest of the world . . . schools were still competative with the rest of the world . . . people felt safe. Then ole Georgie came to town.

In the first days of office, he was warned of the implications of Al-Queda, but he mostly ignored them as liberal propoganda (source: the 9-11 commision report). Yes, he led us through, but he also could have prevented it if he had listened.

He had stated before he came to office that he wanted to go after Saddam, but just needed an excuse. So, instead of believing the independent U.N. inspectors, he decided to go ahead and invade a country that did not have the means to attack the U.S. Hell, their longest range missile only went 100 miles. Yes, the situation in Iraq was bad, but there weren't hundreds of people being killed every week by suicide bombers.

We have now been convinced that gas at $2.50 per gallon is cheap, by the simple means of letting the price get up to $3.00 and higher. We now have armed civilians along the borders of a country founded by immigrants (none of whom had green-cards issued by the Native Peoples). And I believe the recession was already over before ole-Bush-hole got into office. And those tax cuts? I don't really think giving the wealthiest 10% of people a tax cut really helps too much.

So, now we are in a war we shouldn't have gotten into because there was NO cause to go to war, we have no way of winning this war because there is nobody to surrender to us; people are paranoid, scared, and suspicious of anyone who isn't of Northern European descent; we still haven't found BinLaden because Afganistan is basically shadowed over by the Iraq debacle; we are despised by the world, to the point that students are told to sew a Canadian flag to their backpack when travelling in Europe; and we have a president who, despite supposing to be a "public servant" ignores the wishes of the majority of Americans to push forward his personal agenda.

Nothing would please me more than to see Bush in chains before an international tribunal at the end of his term.

Sarah said...

Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage.

I think that is a really ignorant statement. (I'm so relieved to know you didn't write that!) The writer of that e-mail views information as an evil. That people should just swallow what the White House says without any critical thinking.

Knowledge is our guide. It's important to learn both sides to the story and then to think for yourself.

I find it really disheartening that someone believes that information is bad and ignorance is bliss.