I am just wondering, we have people from all over the world on this site. Lots of the members here have opinions about how our politics, military, ecology, etc. should be handled.
Plenty of ideas on how wrong we are.
What about your own countries? Are they perfect?
Have you ever been here & really seen the US, experienced this country as it really is? If we are so bad,Why are so many willing to come here to live?

I hope this can be a real conversation, because I am very serious.

Sage, Australia is so devastatingly corrupted politically, and it appears to be compounding..

We sell our natural assets off to any bidder, with a whispy promise... This country's political leaders have turned their back on their own people's needs for the greater greed of the few.

The general mindset is money based, materialistic, and it is reflected in the health of the nation...Australia is way up there in obesity, and consumerism...our vast and very ancient land is raped and pillaged with little regard to it's fragility...

ai yai yai ...don't get me started..

I try to be mindful, that when I point with one finger at another, there are three pointing back at me, and mine..

Apologies, if you feel that I have been overly critical of your country.

I agree with you Old Sage. My parents just returned from the British Isles... approximately $8 a gallon for gas and $7 for a Beer!! My little 800 square foot house though high priced here in AZ would be TWICE the cost over there (approx $300,000). My boss moved here from Canada and though he loves the country he said that Socialized Medicine is NOT the answer. I love this country and am proud to be here and will do whatever it takes to protect it as long as I'm here.

Oh and I dont want anyone's feathers ruffled. I wasnt putting down anyone else's country... I'm just saying that we have it good over here and some just dont realize it.

Jess, hope you know, I never have a problem with your thoughts, because you state them that way.

I am just curious as to the matching problems, world round.
Are we the worst or is there worse places to be?

i love this country and i don't take any of it for granted but there are definitely problems here and i want this to be the best country there is. when i speak critically of the U.S. i only want the best to come from it.

I personally think that the U.S. is the one country that other people love to hate.

My own thoughts within these forums, is it it is a predominately US based membership, so the focus is almost always on the US and what is happening there...

To add a little weight to other posters utilising balance in their posts they make, that are from other countries...I have seen many examine, and offer examination for the forums, of their own political 'strangeness'...Belushi ,and Invisible are two that come instantly to mind.

They both temper the forums, with interesting articles, from their own countries, as well as others aside from the US....Kidatheart is another that often shares information from Canada...The LonelyWalker offers tid bits from his country of origin as well as others...

I see a little more balance, (than a sole negative veiw from international posters of the US)...that they bring to the table.

our country is screwed up. but its our country. its a hell of a lot better then whats left over. i too hate to see the crap that happens here and long for a day when it gets better but it wont be in my lifetime. maybe in 20 more years when its too late to fix people will get of there azzes and fix the crap that should of been fixedd years ago

No one so far has answered why so many want to come here?
Any REAL explanations of this?

i thought i did. its a hell of a lot better than whats left over!!!

I cant answer for others Sage, for me personally?

If I was to visit the US...it is for the Indigenous cultures...the historical interest, and the natural land...the deserts of Arizona, the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains...I wish to see the country side..

Sadly, the modern culture holds no fascination, for me personally, although there are a few people I would enjoy walking a while with.

Good question, Sage. I wonder that often too, especially when I think about the lack of family values in the U.S. I've been overseas a bunch of times over the years and each time I go there more and more commercialism has crept in. It's really sad how the U.S. has changed so many of the things that made Europe and Asia the novel cultures they are/were. But, with globalization and technology comes a culture that has to adapt and change with the times.

I think it's just really difficult to have one of these discussions over a thread because so much of a post can be misinterpreted.

I have an answer, because we inflict our beliefs on more of the world than other civilization since the Romans????

that is probably true but we are the first to help other out when needed also. when others turn away

"We inflict our beliefs" & this makes people risk their lives to come here. This makes people want to move 1/2 way around the world, TO FEEL SAFE.

"We inflict our beliefs?"

I think what nu2topcat is saying is that the U.S. exerts their power, wealth and status more than other countries do. And, as a result, the U.S. has created this global image that the U.S. is the place to be.

How did the conversation get to here?

I thought you were asking Sage about international posters to the forums beating up on the US.

Now we are talking legal and illegal immigration?

I am not sure of any, other than The LonelyWalker being in the US by his own choice, for study and work..that are international posters.

I am sure others would enjoy visiting your country..I haven't heard of any international posters risking their lives to move to the US....I could be wrong, but dont recall reading it, in the time I have been on this site.

no what i am saying is we help other countrys when they need it, if not for the usa, euorpe would be speaking german. a lot of other countrys wouldnt be speaking their native tounge if not for america. a few years back a list was published of all we have done for other countrys and money owed us, if we were paid back we would have no debt. any pissant country gets a hangnail they call us and our army mobilizes and bails them out. that is why we are hated so much because of our ability to fight and defend freedom, even other countrys freedom. people long to let there children grow up in a land like ours, the problem is the children do not appreaicate it, because they dont know or remember what there country was/is like

Jess, I am very sorry if I wasn't clear, will try again.

Why does everyone beat on the US, but so many of the world would die to be here? Legal, illegal, visa, students for education, all of these things. I realize this is very broad & general, but I really want to understand the "WHY".

I know what I think, but want to see through different eyes.