Why do you love America

[Citizen James]

Despite the rather trollish claims of a few, I think it's safe to say that most of the posters here love America.  Note, I say America, not a specific individual.  Disliking Bush doesn't mean someone hates America any more than disliking Clinton makes somebody an America hater.

Similarly, I'm not asking for reasons why you love Bush, or you love Clinton.  If you love individual politicians rather than America, you've got a lot of growing up to do.

So why do you love America?

I realize a true list would go on for pages, so I'll start with just a few examples close to my heart.

We are a nation which values individual rights.  The bill of rights is one of our most sacred documents.  These rights include such things as the right to voice your opinion, no matter what others may think.  Even America haters, and those that hate American ideals (like a few of the more ferverent Bush fanatics), are allowed to speak their minds.  And the rest of us are free to ridicule them. 

We are free to worship as we please.   If you want to partake in any religion, major or minor, you are free to do so.   You may follow the path set by Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, Budda, or even just venerate the shrubbery.

You can defend yourself against others, and even use lethal force if threatened with bodily harm.   You are entrusted with this right and expected to be responsible in it's use

You are considered innocent of all crimes until proven otherwise to a jury of your peers.    You cannot be imprisoned without due process, nor tortured under any circumstances.

During times of peace, you cannot be forced to use your house as barracks (the only one never challenged, if I recall correctly).

All rights not specifically given to the federal government belong to the people, and by extention the government of the states.

America is also a land of great Beauty.  We have a wealth of both natural and man-made wonders - The grand canyon, Carlsbad caverns, the redwood forests, the fall foliage of the northeast, the Statue of the empire state building, the St. Louis Arch, the space needle, and all that's barely the tip of the iceberg.

America is a land of a great and diverse people.  Much more, we hold the ideal that all people have something to offer.  For every background we have great excuses to party - St. Patty's day, Cinco de Mayo, the Chinese new year... for the most part we embrace and make our own the many cultures brought to our shores by the 'tired, poor, teaming masses yearning to be free'.

We are a land of great achievements.   We've been to the moon.  We invented airplanes and automobiles.  We created jazz.  We have spawned countless great artists, and numerous inventions.

We are a land of great ideals.  We haven't always been perfect, but we've always sought to re-evaluate ourselves set right that which goes wrong.  We not only allow but encourage open debate as to how to continually better ourselves.   We are not content to sit on our laurals for long, but are always striving to become, evermore, a more perfect union.

There is way more to add, but my fingers grow weary and I want others to have room to add their perspectives as well.

So, what say you?  Why do you love America?

[angus]

economic freedom, mostly.  this has largely been achieved a number of countries, as some posters will immediately point out, forgetting, or ignoring, that that condition was only realized through US funding and US intervention.  the ability for some white trash, second-generation american, non-WASP lowlife like myself to go to university for many years, to travel around the world, to have employment mobility is a big one, at least for me.

also, I really like the Brook Burke exercise video.

And wal-mart.

and New York City.  I love hanging around in new york.

And the Hardee's Thich Monsterburger.

and, of course, The Simpsons.

[phk]

San Francisco

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

San Francisco

Before the San Francisco bashing begins, I just want to point out that Goldwater was nominated there.

[angus]

Well I'm straight and republican.  And I can tell you I like SF as well.

But not as much as I like New York.

[Jake]

Freedom to make yourself practically whatever you desire.

The best economy in the world and the best living conditions in the world.

The history of the country that, for the most part, shows Americans to be strong, independent, and freedom loving people.

The fact that places as different as San Francisco and rural Texas can be in one nation.

[angus]

Oh, I do like rural Texas as well.  Good call.

anybody watching that Brooke Burke workout show just now?

[PBrunsel]

I love America because if you work hard enough you can accomplish anything you want.

[DanielX]

There are many reasons.

One is that, in America, patriotism trumps nationalism. Your ancestors might be German or Brazilian or Vietnamese, but you can still be an American - if you want to be. Whereas it is pretty nearly impossible to be Japanese, for example, unless you are born of Japanese descent. Same in most of the world. Only a few exceptions exist besides the US. I think Australia and Canada, having circumstances similar to the US (colonies where the vast majority of the population consists of immigrants, and have strong democratic traditions), almost constitute the entirety of it. Supposedly Guyana and Suriname are supposed to be fairly tolerant, from what I've heard - apparently due to a population consisting of a wide variety of immigrants.

Not that America doesn't have its intolerant types, but nations of immigrants are just cut out to be more accepting than 'native' lands of their fellow immigrants.

That's just one of many examples. 

[Rob]

In one word, freedom.

[W in 2004]

Well said, James42.  I have been to Europe and Canada, but I still love the good old USA the best.

[angus]

DanielX, you make an excellent point.  Unlike, say France or China, the United States isn't buildings, or land, or blood, but rather it's an idea.  And because it's an idea, it does not know skin color, religion, ethnicity, or even language.  We have borrowed all those things from others and made them our own.  One can make the exact same arguments about Canada, of course (but not australia!)  But the difference between us lies in our ideal:  one claims to be a Cultural Mosaic (but is actually somewhere between a cultural mosaic and a melting pot) and the other claims to be a Melting Pot (but is actually somewhere between a cultural mosaic and a melting pot).  Canada, ideologically, thus, runs a close second.  But then there's that damned climate.  USA wins out. 

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Every US citizen gets a lawyer except for people that Bush decides to call "enemy combatants".

[phk]

Every US citizen gets a lawyer except for people that Bush decides to call "enemy combatants".

Come on jfern, leave partisan politics out of this.

[Platypus]

And the Hardee's Thich Monsterburger.

Damn, Australia can never compete

[George W. Bush]

The fact that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can become anything you want with hard work and faith.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Violent video games are not banned
Porn is legal and freely available
There is no draft
We have cheap postage rates
It's really easy to find rare collector vinyl and indie film DVDs here

[Akno21]

The fact that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can become anything you want with hard work and faith.

What does faith have to do with anything?

I don't really buy into the whole you can do whatever you want if you work hard enough thing, but I do buy that we are a beacon to the rest of the world, and that living in America, you get the best in entertainment, sport, a pretty good political system, and a public education through grade 12.

[George W. Bush]

The fact that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can become anything you want with hard work and faith.

What does faith have to do with anything?

I don't really buy into the whole you can do whatever you want if you work hard enough thing, but I do buy that we are a beacon to the rest of the world, and that living in America, you get the best in entertainment, sport, a pretty good political system, and a public education through grade 12.

Faith has everything to do with it. Without faith I would be a Drug Addict, or dead right now.

If the best thing you can think of about america is entertainment, sports, and polotics, then i pitty you.

[Cashcow]

One must always love America, because here we have the freedom to hate America. That is the quintessence of liberty.

[Richard]

[opebo]

Violent video games are banned
Porn is legal and freely available
There is no draft
We have cheap postage rates
It's really easy to find rare collector vinyl and indie film DVDs here

Thank you, Nation of Ulysses - I was having trouble thinking of anything, but I agree with the above, particularly the Porn point.  That is probably America's most 'world beating' industry.

As for freedom, well, I don't find it terribly free.  Above average worldwide, perhaps, but far from the freeest. 

[dazzleman]

I love the ideals that America stands for.

The idea that every person is created equal.  This was a radical idea when first expressed, and still has not come fully to fruition, but it's a huge step to express this goal and work toward it.

The idea that freedom belongs to individuals, and individuals decide how much power to give to the government, rather than the other way around.

The way America has been a beacon of hope for miserable and oppressed people around the world.  Once again, we have not always been perfect in this regard, and America-hating liberals like to pick on individual examples without looking at the big picture, but the reality is that no country has even come close to doing what America has done to advance the ideas of personal liberty, the worth of individuals and individual rights.

I find it pathetic that the best certain people here can come up with is to talk about video games and vinyl records.   That shows a total lack of understanding and appreciation of what this country is all about and what it has meant to the world.  It is no surprise to me that such people are on the left side of the political spectrum.

[phk]

Violent video games are banned
Porn is legal and freely available
There is no draft
We have cheap postage rates
It's really easy to find rare collector vinyl and indie film DVDs here

Thank you, Nation of Ulysses - I was having trouble thinking of anything, but I agree with the above, particularly the Porn point.  That is probably America's most 'world beating' industry.

As for freedom, well, I don't find it terribly free.  Above average worldwide, perhaps, but far from the freeest. 

We should seriously consider applying what Nevada has done throughout the US.

[David S]

Despite the rather trollish claims of a few, I think it's safe to say that most of the posters here love America.  Note, I say America, not a specific individual.  Disliking Bush doesn't mean someone hates America any more than disliking Clinton makes somebody an America hater.

Similarly, I'm not asking for reasons why you love Bush, or you love Clinton.  If you love individual politicians rather than America, you've got a lot of growing up to do.

So why do you love America?

I realize a true list would go on for pages, so I'll start with just a few examples close to my heart.

We are a nation which values individual rights.  The bill of rights is one of our most sacred documents.  These rights include such things as the right to voice your opinion, no matter what others may think.  Even America haters, and those that hate American ideals (like a few of the more ferverent Bush fanatics), are allowed to speak their minds.  And the rest of us are free to ridicule them. 

We are free to worship as we please.   If you want to partake in any religion, major or minor, you are free to do so.   You may follow the path set by Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, Budda, or even just venerate the shrubbery.

You can defend yourself against others, and even use lethal force if threatened with bodily harm.   You are entrusted with this right and expected to be responsible in it's use

You are considered innocent of all crimes until proven otherwise to a jury of your peers.    You cannot be imprisoned without due process, nor tortured under any circumstances.

During times of peace, you cannot be forced to use your house as barracks (the only one never challenged, if I recall correctly).

All rights not specifically given to the federal government belong to the people, and by extention the government of the states.

America is also a land of great Beauty.  We have a wealth of both natural and man-made wonders - The grand canyon, Carlsbad caverns, the redwood forests, the fall foliage of the northeast, the Statue of the empire state building, the St. Louis Arch, the space needle, and all that's barely the tip of the iceberg.

America is a land of a great and diverse people.  Much more, we hold the ideal that all people have something to offer.  For every background we have great excuses to party - St. Patty's day, Cinco de Mayo, the Chinese new year... for the most part we embrace and make our own the many cultures brought to our shores by the 'tired, poor, teaming masses yearning to be free'.

We are a land of great achievements.   We've been to the moon.  We invented airplanes and automobiles.  We created jazz.  We have spawned countless great artists, and numerous inventions.

We are a land of great ideals.  We haven't always been perfect, but we've always sought to re-evaluate ourselves set right that which goes wrong.  We not only allow but encourage open debate as to how to continually better ourselves.   We are not content to sit on our laurals for long, but are always striving to become, evermore, a more perfect union.

There is way more to add, but my fingers grow weary and I want others to have room to add their perspectives as well.

So, what say you?  Why do you love America?

I agree with everything you said, but I would add the following:
1)Private property rights are protected.
2)Gun ownership is protected.
3)Of all the major governments in the world, America still seems to be the least inclined toward socialism.