Ditto, when the US is referred to as a world power there are other ways to understand its context besides defensive strengths, many other countries do not begin to have the liberties that we take for granted.

But if you do decide to live in another country, take that Baldwin guy with you - PLEASE. Moral of that - as my ole' professor said "put your mind in gear before your lips start moving".

Want to know how accurate your history books are? Ask a native american

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Chin Up Ryan - you still live in the best country in the world. I'd give my eye teeth to live there but can't get a green card. Being Canadian - we are barred from the green card lottery. I have two sisters who are Americans and can sponsor me - but I am 54 and the waiting list for sponsorship approval is 10 years. It is tough living in a leftist socialist country and thinking like a right wing American. Every country has their problems, including the USA, no doubt, but if you feel that America has gone to the dogs - visit another country for a while - you'll kiss the ground when you return. You have freedoms that other people can only dream of. America may not be perfect - but you don't know how lucky you are to live there. Here in Canada if some one breaks into your house and threatens you with a gun and you kill him - you go to jail for murder. If you hurt the guy the police will charge you with assault - no lie! You are only allow to use reasonable force to detain the intruder until the police arrive - anything stronger is a crime - and if you hurt the guy - even though He broke into YOUR house - he can sue you. Your home is NOT your castle. Police also have the right to enter your home without a search warrant if they suspect you have an unregistered gun. If some one breaks into your home and steals your gun that has a trigger lock on it (required by law) - you go to jail for not storing it properly in a manner that prevents it's theft.
Every year I drive my Mercedes down to the USA to visit my sister and recharge my soul for two weeks and it gives me the strength to make it through another year. Don't get me wrong, if you believe in socialism - Canada is a great place to live - unfortunately I am an individual who believes in himself and doesn't require other people to tell me how to live my life while they pick my pocket for higher taxes so they can help me more.
Feeling down on America??? - look around the world and after taking a deep breath pray to God and say God Bless America!
Signed:
Not lucky enough to live in the best country in the world.

Ted - one of my prized possessions is a small cloth American Flag. I flew to Washington for the Bush Inauguration and was on the parade route across from a scary mob called, I think, Black Panthers?. The police were fully armed and had tear gas on foot and horseback - got some great pictures and made sure I had an escape route planned if required. I was standing beside an older woman(looked to be in her seventy's) and some younger boisterous guys in their teens who started swearing and yelling. She was waving this flag at the time waiting for the President to come by. When they started swearing - she lashed into them fiercely about demeaning the occasion and not showing her respect for her years. I was stunned. But you know what? They APOLOGIZED to her and me for their language and attitude and slowly moved away. I told this lady she had spunk - she replied that she only did what any citizen should do. She asked me where I was from and I told her I came from Canada to witness the occasion. She said the flag was in her family a long time and they always used it on the 4th of July. She then gave it to me as a souvenir and asked that I cherish it as much as her family had. You want to know what makes America great? People like that.
Our Prime Minister of Canada was in Africa a few weeks ago and the following made the air waves up here:
The advance people of the entourage went to a village before the Prime Minister's group and the TV cameras and passed out small paper Canada flags to all the children to wave as the Prime Minister walked through the village. The kids (who had nothing - living in poverty) cherished the flags and were very excited to get such a nice gift. When the Prime Minister's entourage left the village - the advance group went in and started taking back the 2 cent paper flags from the kids until an American cameraman started taking pictures of the tearful kids - at which point they gave them the flags back.
Crazy world Huh?

A bunch of mean and nasty tatooed gang-bangers terrorized, attacked, and robbed (or tryed) an old lady. She showed them her tatoo, a number on her arm, and she told them there was nothing they could dream of that would even make her blink.

God Bless America.

As an Immigrant, I can say this is still the only country in the world where I want to live. You can earn a living without it being confiscated by the government.
In the last few years The Catholic church has been rocked by scandals in England and in Ureland. Also in Canada. Keep in mind that many countries still do not regard pedophilia as a crime, areas like eastern Europe, the middle east and Africa come to mind.

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92 500e, 85k, silver/gray,all stock.
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97 320 SL 50k
1980 BMW e21 323 Baur conv.
1990 300GE 99k

A trip down PP' OD memory lane. Here's one of the first OD threads which discusses something along the lines of religion, politics, et cet.

Certainly more civil in tone.

WTF are you babbling about? Pedophilia is VERY MUCH a crime in most of Eastern Europe and has been for a long time. Age of consent may be lower in some countries, but keep in mind that some US states can be as low as 14!

Secondly, I breathe a breath of fresh air whenever I set foot on foreign soil and leave America. The stress level of people seems to fall by 50% in other countries. Places where 50 hour weeks aren't the norm. Which aren't poisoned by Anglo media reports of unusual crimes being played up as the norm. Etc.

Third, I see nothing wrong with high taxes, so long as I'm getting something in return, like health insurance, a decent safety net, and good infrastructure. I don't consider the murder of people in the Middle East and the propping up of terrorist states in the same region to be worth my money. Not while the country I live in crumbles and bickers.

Glad I was born with the right to choose whether to live in the US or not, unlike a lot of (unlucky) Americans.

Horse---t. What about the other political party who got us into two wars, paid for with borrowed Chinese money, while not having the testicular fortitude to raise taxes to pay for the wars?

I wonder if Ryan still feels the same way about the "false" allegations he was so incensed about?

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

All americans can choose to leave if they like. I am sure there are 100 people or more from other countries who will gladly take their place. This is still the land of opportunity.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

More and more people are choosing to immigrate to Australia, Canada, Germany, or other well-run, democratic countries with lots of opportunity. Sure, America is better than Zimbabwe or Honduras for the average resident, but it doesn't make it "best in the world" anymore. American exceptionalism is a nice fairy tale.

That's what I was wondering. I'm glad to have read the historical part of this thread. Interesting how nobody jumped down anybody's throat, opposing opinions were offered and considered, support was given. A discussion

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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
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1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
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Hey spdrun... you realize that the people you are responding to haven't been to this thread for 12 years, and to the site for about 5?

In many senses, I agree with your sentiments about other countries, but I think that you might be coloring in vast areas based upon experiences in selective locations.

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
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