Most Americans have the Pledge of Allegiance memorized, thanks to years of reciting it in public school, and know all the words to the national anthem. Recently, there have been people (ranging from NFL players to your average Joe) taking a kneel during the National Anthem. They show no respect for our "rotten" country.
Everyday I am surrounded by middle class Americans who complain about how terrible our country has become. Boy, have I got some news for you:you don't know a damn thing about living in a terrible country.
To state the obvious, the United States is a first world country. We don't have to worry about how we are going to get water every day, even the homeless have access to water (thanks to public water fountains and free water cups at fast food restaurants ). We don't worry about catching deadly disease because we take preventative measures from birth. I have never gone to bed hungry, and I have good faith that I will never wake up hungry. I don't think the people around me realize how good we have it; sometimes even I take it for granted.
Our political situation doesn't matter. It doesn't--end of story. The world won't end if Clinton is elected, and it certainly won't end if Trump is elected. In all reality, your local government is going to have a greater impact on your life than the federal government.
Did you know that Somalia has been ruined by war, poverty, and famine? They largely rely on their pirates to commandeer foreign ships at sea for resources. There was a 20-year period where Somalia didn't have a federal government. Based off of what I've just told you, I think it's fair to say that having a government--even a "shitty" one--is a heck of a lot better than not having a government. I mean, can you imagine what would happen if we didn't have a government?
Francis Fukuyama, a political scientist, said
"America is in 'one of the most severe political crises I have experienced.' I think this election year has suggested that maybe we were just lucky."
We are not in a political crisis. Not even close. We have independence. Our laws aren't outrageous. Yes, we are billions of dollars in debt, but we're okay. You can't pay off billions of dollars overnight, let alone over a presidential term, but we're getting there. We don't have to worry about being crucified for our religious beliefs or sexual orientation (much like gays are in the UK, at the hands of radical Islamists). Nobody has ever told me my religion is wrong or defamed my church. Women in Saudi Arabia cannot drive, bar taking children to school or a relative to the hospital. It isn't because of any official law, but it's deeply prohibited in their religion. Saudi Arabia even has a religious police force to apprehend women for driving. I can drive anywhere and everywhere I want; sometimes I go out for a long drive to clear my mind.
Americans are so privileged that we are spoiled. We don't know real hardship--we haven't had war on our grounds in our lifetime, we aren't being persecuted, and we certainly aren't a poor country. You don't know what it's like to live in a country where you, your wife, or your sister, cannot drive to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for dinner. You don't know what it's like to live through the bombings in Syria--they have it so, so, so much worse than we ever will. You don't know what the people in Egypt went through in their civil war. Saying that this country is "shit," is an insult to every man and woman who has ever fought to make this country what it is today.
If you want to make things like poverty and homelessness better in our country, then get off your behind and do something. Our political situation is doing nothing at the moment to fix those issues. Donate old clothes. Give a care package to a homeless person or offer to buy them a hot meal. Do something to contribute to the fight against poverty, because you're reading this on your computer, phone, or tablet, and if you have any of those, you're most likely not suffering from poverty.
Our country isn't in shambles. Quit being so melodramatic over the presidential election. Stop disrespecting our country. Don't kneel during the National Anthem; that's a knife in the back of every member of the armed forces. Grow up and show some respect.
If you aren't satisfied with your life in America and think you could have it better elsewhere, leave.
