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How Many Of You Hate America?
The common view of things is often different from the reality. They can be twisted, beautiful images that shield us from the truth. Sometimes people should think of it not as a shield, but as a blindfold. Because a world superpower is taking steps too far. By consuming more fossil fuels than is necessary, by standing still and making no military progression when it was needed, and by waging war on a country and attacking soldier and civilians over a mere dispute for oil. This “great” country, is America.
Many people look to America and sigh with envy at “the American Dream” . However, that dream cannot last long, while America is guzzling up precious resources left on a rapidly crowding planet. These figures speak for themselves about the evident greed of America:
Coal > Production
531,822,000 ton
Coal consumption
1,060,000,000
Commercial energy use
8,148.38
Electric power consumption > kWh
3,920,613,000,000 kWh
Electricity > Consumption
3,892,000,000,000 kWh
Gasoline prices
0.77
Geothermal power use
5,640
Natural gas > Consumption
652,900,000,000 cu m
Natural Gasoline > Production
12,275,000 ton
Nuclear electricity generation
780.1 terawatt-hours
Nuclear energy consumption
821.1 terawatt-hours
Nuclear reactors operable
104
Oil > Consumption
20,680,000 bbl/day
Oil > Exports
1,165,000 bbl/day
Oil > Production
8,457,000 bbl/day
Oil imports > Net
10,400,000 barrels per day
Oil reserves
22,450,000,000 barrels
Usage per person
8.35 TOE per person
Wall plugs > Voltage
110 V
Wind energy installation
6,740 MW
These crimes are forgivable, as other nations are guilty of many similar crimes, such as Brazilians chopping down the Amazon. But global warming is not the most important aspect that we can hold against America. America has extorted countries beyond the point of recovery. Equador, for example, was reduced to a poor scrabbling wreck once America dealt out loans to them. Now Equador only has 5% of its national budget to spend on public services, whilst the rest of the money goes into paying off foreign aid, almost all of which goes to America. Is this right? Is it fair that Americans can bully nations? Furthermore. America threatens, assasinates, and then goes to war with the presidents of countries who refused to run their countries as they like. The war with Iraq is a simple example. America wanted oil. Iran refused to give for no good reason. Why should we just let them do this to us? Us as a world?
Oh yes, because they have guns!
The U.S.A government is a trigger-happy collection of murderous power figures, They do so much to the world, and yet they have nuclear arms and their military to point at other nations, and say “give me your money!” They succeeded for so long due to pure fear, but now other countries have the chance to strike back. America doesn't have all the power anymore. A single grain of rice can tip a scale. Somehow, America has set in a system which everybody likes. A system where people don't think. Where they impulsively buy items that will break very soon. In America, only 10% of items bought for a house are kept for more than a month, and only 5% of those remain for 6 months. America designs products to be made so they break as soon as possible, but will still leave the client with faith in the product, enough so to buy themselves more.
But who benefits from this system?
The aristocrats do. Right up in their trees, lording over us. There are bankers who awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses whilst creating a recession that would cripple thousands of struggling individuals around the world. This doesn't cause stress for people living on government benefits, but for the people who are just above the poverty line. America makes those people struggle and work every day. It does so by enforcing a system where the elite (namely money-posessing) people take hold. Can nothing be done to create a fair and happy world?
Well, there is something you can do. You can be fair. You can be smart, and you can think before reaching for your credit card while watching an auction channel. You can PAUSE and WAIT before buying that “wonderful new shave”. We have to know our limitations, and stretch them. Whoever is reading this, YOU are the workforce. You are the people economically enslaved. There is hope. You can work together towards goals such as Project Venus, Save The Forests, Oil Conservation, and Fairtrade. These small lifestyle changes will help you sleep at night. How can we sleep after reading this, knowing that we are only here through the turmoil and suffering of potentially hundreds of other men, women and children.
When a child reaches to the future, who will have the heart to say, “we've used it up, son.”
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JOIN THE DISCUSSION
This article has 392 comments.
Okay, lets start over.
I do not think you are unpatriotic. I also agree that we should listen to other countries and get consrtuctive critisism. It just upsets me when they say they hate America, when they have plenty of problems of their own. America is not perfect, but I am proud of it. I just moved from Texas to California and I hate the way so many Americans seem to hate their country. I hope you are not one of those people. I know some things in America need to be changed, but I don't think the author of this piece was correct. And I don't like her saying she hates America when she doesn't even live here.
Yes, I am clearly unpatriotic because I respectfully listen to criticism from other countries.
I've always figured it MORE patriotic because from listening to such criticism we can endeavor to make our country better. By listening to others we can find perhaps previously unseen ways of making our nation stronger. I have a desire to live in a strong open-minded country intent on betterment, not one closed off and narcissistic like you seem to be advocating.
come on!!! the past is the past, now is now! don't get them mixed up! Today we have a different problem and we have to fix it, not try to figure out how things would have worked out. Now I agree that people shouldn't insult each other's countries, because it's useless anyway.
And just to remind you: no one acted when Germany marches into Rhineland, no one acted Austria was annexxed, no one acted when Hitler demanded a part of the Czech Republic. Not USA not Britain not France not USSR, the powers of the day. That was the reason for the second world war- inertness of the powers. They let Hitler get away with doing things and then they had to get rid of Hitler.
I cringed when I read your title. You knew that if you went there, you'd get a big bashing up, right?
Okay, you might have facts, strong imagery, a scapegoat- very persuasive? not really. because most people today are ready to say that they or their ancestors hold fault for doing something wrong and continuing today, but they also know that they're not the only ones to blame. USA is not the only country that uses fossil fuels and lends money to countries. We as a world have to help each other and not blame each other- it's stupid and unproductive.