so do tell, what do you think makes America "land of the free"?
Tell me what makes you be proud being an american living in the land of free? do you feel that we americans really have it all that well? How do you think America differs from 25 yrs ago? What do you think that other countries think of America? and does America protray itself as it really is? Note no one is right or wrong here.. just asking your thoughts on it all...

25 years ago ya could cruise the drag in a black Trans Am and smoke the ganja and nobody cared....

that is true in my eyes! now its way different..so for me i would say that is much more strict now.. for you go to jail for having a used pipe on hand... although it was illegal back then , as it is today...

America is great. But as far as the law go. There are no more warnings. Like they used to do when I was young.

what about america and taking care of its own senior citizens people? what is the future in that?.. how good are the jobs here in america? what is happening to ones who won their own businesses and doing everything correctly and not being counted as a human being because they can not get unemployment because they are not in the statistics? should they be less human than others who worked for large companies?

but the laws were the same.... basically however the ones they had in the past are still here mostly.. yet things have changed is what u are saying? for they are not as free as they used to be? for the same thing against the law 25 yrs ago called for a slap on the hand.. throw stuff away now its 5 yrs locked up? oh for others to pay for that havent broken the law.. <american citizens to pay for.. to raise the taxea..> on the same old stuff that werent taed for before? because it was a slap on the hand? for the poor mimium waged person that already cant put food on their table because electricity is so high? and they have to keep their baby warm so it doesnt get sick? etc?

I'd have to say this, Most of all small businesses are started out of desperation. If they never would have lost their job they would still be there. I got sick of being laid off or on strike. Thats why I do what I do now.

i wonder if its all a sales pitch? this is why i ask... is it like the $199 tv on sale at a store and u get there they are all gone? oh wait cause they ordered only 20 tvs to come in?

mark here they arent small businesses not all of them... sure some do because the open a company dont know how to run it.. etc.. but many many big companies too that have been around for yrs and been successful.. do u not think it is the economy? because all the others lose their jobs and can not buy?

A lot more nosey people today who think your business should be theirs.

More equal opportunity and workers rights.

The gap between classes was narrower.

Our standard of living compared to the rest of the world was much higher.

No illegal immigrants on the East Coast. Instead we had migrant workers.

Almost all cars on the road were American Made.

No cell phones.

No PlayStation's or X-Box.

No Internet.

Women were real.

Women my age had perkier breasts.

Baby Bush was an idiot. Oh wait that hasn't changed.

what about all the large companies who used to give health insurance for say 35 dollars a month... now charging employees 500 dollars a month and no raises to boot? and the cost of the visits have gone up and the coverage is much much less?

First of all, I think anyone who has been around a while could write a short story about this or maybe even a book. The freedom that our boys and myself have defended is so many things. (From the very small to some things that effect our everyday lives. Being able to work in whatever profession you want to practicing whatever religion you want. Saying what you feel and voicing your opinion...and the list goes on. I am proud to be an American cause I have pride in who I am and after serving in the Navy it something I can hardly explain being on a carrier and launching F-14s. You just have to be there to know the feeling. In the past 25 years some of our conservitive ideals have changed...And in this we are changed forever as it is always important not to look back but ahead. Some countries hate us and some thing we are great. Most of this is from overseas experience. It depends who you talk to. I think most still think we are still a Super power...But we are slipping fast and President Obama is being tested in so many ways.

Oh yeah,
Americans were innocent until proven guilty.

I here ya. I'm from Michigan the biggest loser in all this economy. And when they were pushing bailouts. They bought people out of their jobs, their unemployment. And the auto industry pushed everyones jobs. when the unemployment runs out. I dont know whats going to happen.

what does land of the free mean? free to have babies here because someone is here in the country.. illegaly? do they do that to a american who pays their taxes? or hasnt been on healthcare because they worked all their life is having a baby at age 40 and happened to pay for their 2 cars they already owned from working and paying taxes for the 22 yrs they worked? is taking away that second car fair? is this another example of land of the free?

Piss tests were an invasion of privacy.

You could still find a Virgin over the age of 12.

I still had all my hair.

Men were Men.

If you one of the many who are out on unemployment you should consider you options and do not be afraid to go outside you trade. Many skills that people have are transferable...I could go on but after being unemployed for once in my life now I had to make a change and it is working...and for sure it is a survival thing but it is what we must all do to take care of our families.

i definately am not degrading any armed services to do what they are sent to do... and i feel u are much stronger than any government! sure americans can choose but doesnt that take money? if i so much chose to be a chef does that make me one? do i not need the 42 thousand dollars to go to school to be one? is that free? or does my cost only come from my hopes? also because i chose to do that does that mean i would get that one job in 2,000 allpying for the job?

Companies hired you based on your skill and experience, instead of who you know.