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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.
Yes, I agree. You are correct, there are many many flaws in our country. But as a human race, everyone in the entire world has flaws. Some are more obvious than others, but they are still present.
Please don't blame America as a whole. Don't compare our government to the entire country like you compare one to tree to the entire forest. America is not bad as a whole. The people are not all bad. The reason why it looks so is because the government has been ignoring the will of it's citizens lately. I as an American adolescent have no control over what goes on in our government. I am very upset with what our leaders are doing with oil and other pollutants, but we are not the only ones. China and almost every other country is contributing too.
Until you have walked on American soil and seen some of the beautiful things we still hold on to here, do not judge us.
"The aristocrats do. Right up in their trees, lording over us."
I'm just wondering, at what point does one go from the "economically enslaved" to an "aristocrat" lording above? As Americans, we don't even have aristocrats... those bankers you are referring to are singular cases, not everyone who has money and is in a position of power in America abuses it.
America has many problems, I will give you that and our political system is indeed flawed, but who are you to criticize a country you don't even live in? Perhaps you should focus instead on your own country's problems, as I’m sure the UK is not perfect. I also don't really understand why exactly you wrote this article without having any firsthand knowledge of being American, or how you "hate" America so much. We are not the sole contributor to the pollution of the world nor is our political system the most flawed out of all the countries of the world. Concentrate on making a difference within your own country before you come moan about how America is the sole root of everything bad.
The statistics are interesting, but I’d like to know the source. Statistics are not always accurate and can be manipulated to show what one wants them to show.
What gives you the right to bad mouth America. America is one of Britain's largest allies and if it wasn't for America then you would probably be living under a Facsist regime right now. There is no possible way that the UK would have won WWII by themselves without the help of the US and the USSR, who didn't even fight for the better of the world, but for the better of themselves. So before you make ludacris statements and opinions you should see how intertwined the US and the UK are and how if it wasn't for the US then you would probably be living in a different England. Lastly, if you have never lived here then you have no right to bad talk America because we support the world in so many ways that making a list of it would be impossible. So before you bad talk something you should make sure that you look at history and you look at all of the positives that thing does.
As for our oppression of other regions of the planet... Honduras, Cuba, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, El Salvador, Ecuador, Argentina, La Republica Dominicana, Haiti, Jamaica, Granada, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine, etc. etc.... I don't feel like listing any more nations that have been politically opressed, economically demolished, and forcefully attacked by the United States.
You are indeed entitled to your opinion, and I hope mine entertains your thoughts for a time.
This is nothing but bad-mouthing America, a country you do not live in and probably have never experienced. Why don't you come visit and see the efforts we common people are making to go greener. About the war issue you discuss, the United States has never oppressed colonies, as Britain has, might I add, and is, in general, a beacon of freedom to the rest of the world. Perchance you might google the verse inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty? Anyways, you are entitled to your own opinion; I am merely stating mine. God bless America!
2) You live in the UK. Though I agree with many of your opinions, I truly believe you need to get the actual facts first before you point fingers (and cite them, please).
3) Double-check your grammar before you decide to submit.
...but although I disagree with it wholeheartedly, this piece was very well-written. Nicely done.
...no??