America is the Best, Most Free, and Most Prosperous Country on Earth: Change My Mind

[Aryeh Jay]

Perhaps the song is the sermon? (complete with dancing in the aisles)

OB

 

[Paidiske]

I have a few you can borrow; I was a Religious Lay Leader for 8 years in the Military.

Thanks; if I get desperate I'll bear that in mind.

Perhaps the song is the sermon? (complete with dancing in the aisles)

OB

If you'd seen the state of the parish's budget, it'd be pretty apt, actually. But while I am a woman of many talents, I'm afraid dancing is absolutely not one of them!

 

[Bobber]

Well the poster has stated America is the Best, Most Free, and Most Prosperous Country on Earth: Change My Mind.

Not sure one should try to do that for the reason why make you not as happy and content as you are now?

I will say though there are probably multiple ways of looking at it. Is the U.S.A. the best....or maybe the question can vary depending on what era you're referring to. What was life like for the average American in the 50's and 60's as compared to today. Has the standard of living stayed the same or has it greatly been reduced? There's also the psychological mental state of America right now. The nation seems to be so polarized in a way not seen since the civil war of 1850.

People have become even afraid to say or share what they believe almost about anything now fearing they'd cause a serious rift in family and friend relationships. It doesn't seem to be a nation at peace with itself which I'm not sure you see the same type of thing in many other countries. Having said this do I think the U.S. is a good and great country comparing it to other nations? Sure. And whatever nation one finds them self each one needs to work to make the good things of their nation even better that being a life time venture. Again if one happens to think their nation is the best well maybe continue to believe that. That's where one lives so they may as well be happy.

 

[John P. Alexander]

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be a Christian anywhere else.

 

[Halbhh]

As I was told this was a debatable topic, I figured I'd post here to let the debate ensue.

Definitions:

Best: most productive of good : offering or producing the greatest advantage, utility, or satisfaction

Free: enjoying personal freedom : not subject to the control or domination of another

Prosperous: marked by success or economic well-being

I love America.

And I like what you said.

About material wealth (though it's not the most important thing) we are at least as a whole (summing up everyone together as a group) in total the most rich nation -- that much at least is factually the case.

We do have a decent level of freedom.

I could not honestly claim we we're the most productive of genuine good, if you divide the total genuine good by the total number of people....but at least we are well up there high on the scale, instead of below average. There are many good things about America. Many. Not just a few.

Here's one of the most wonderful: of all nations on Earth we probably have the best overall blend of all peoples -- the best on Earth blending together of all of mankind, so that even though we have racism and prejudice and hatreds, we nevertheless on average, in most places have real love between people of different races and different backgrounds that adds up to such a large summed up total, that here in America we are at least rich in many places in what actually matters -- love between people that is real -- even though far from perfect.

 

[Occams Barber]

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be a Christian anywhere else.

We're just one word shy of total agreement:

I certainly wouldn't want to be a Christian anywhere ….
​

OB

 

[John P. Alexander]

We're just one word shy of total agreement:

I certainly wouldn't want to be a Christian anywhere ….
​

OB

A disaster of your own making but thankfully we live in free countries.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

A disaster of your own making but thankfully we live in free countries.

I am in agreement with Occams Barber. And because I am riding the speeding Trump Train off to who know where, I can only take on one disaster at a time.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Freedom is highly subjective, it's not the same for every person. Two things define freedom for me:

- Can I say what needs to be said.

- Can I own a gun without going through a bunch of bologna.

So your ideal of freedom is armed people mouthing off each other. No wonder there are so many corpses.

 

[JackRT]

Also wanted to add! Just think of all the other ways we could continue that example of how great we are! We could let anyone rise up to be a pilot, no need for a license! Let anyone be a surgeon! Medical school is overrated and (and super expensive in the US)!

Some years back a town here in Ontario Canada let an unqualified person run the water supply system. That was deadly and hugely expensive.

 

[98cwitr]

So your ideal of freedom is armed people mouthing off each other. No wonder there are so many corpses.

Isn't Sweden getting bombed right now by "domestic" terrorists? When was the last terrorist bomb detonated in the US?

Here's What to Know about a String of Bomb Blasts in Sweden

Number of bomb attacks in Sweden has surged this year

Sweden: Bombings and Explosions Up 45 Percent in 2019

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Isn't Sweden getting bombed right now by "domestic" terrorists? When was the last terrorist bomb detonated in the US?

Not to worry. Oklahoma will keep you up in death statistic by bombing for a long time. Think all those grenade attacks on Sweden have killed like one or two people while criminals use them when it is hard to get guns unlike some countries.

At least Sweden still gets full score on aforementioned

Freedom in the World 2019 Map

But US with score of 86/100 still is not bad so hurrah I guess.

 

[98cwitr]

Not to worry. Oklahoma will keep you up in death statistic by bombing for a long time. Think all those grenade attacks on Sweden have killed like one or two people while criminals use them when it is hard to get guns unlike some countries.

At least Sweden still gets full score on aforementioned

Freedom in the World 2019 Map

But US with score of 86/100 still is not bad so hurrah I guess.

If you've got to dig up an event from 24 years ago to attempt to make a valid argument, while ignoring what's happening in Sweden right now, I am not sure such rhetoric grants any validity to your argument. I will let the further readers decide though.

Sweden does not protect free speech, and Sweden does not acknowledge the right to self-defense as the US does. So no, Sweden does not provide the level of freedom that the US does, regardless of your sourced, dare I say biased, metric.

Hurrah indeed.

 

[Speedwell]

If you've got to dig up an event from 24 years ago to attempt to make a valid argument, while ignoring what's happening in Sweden right now, I am not sure such rhetoric grants any validity to your argument. I will let the further readers decide though.

Sweden does not provide free speech, and Sweden does not provide the right to self-defense as the US does. So no, Sweden does not provide the level of freedom that the US does, regardless of your sourced, dare I say biased, metric.

Hurrah indeed.

I'm beginning to sense a common theme here: that the measure of a country's "bestness" consists in how easy it is to acquire a gun and to say hateful things about others in public.

 

[durangodawood]

Yes, I agree America has National Parks with the best rocks : ) (Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc)

Actually, I do think the USA's vast public lands are one of our greatest assets. Not just materially, but spiritually, in that they are a domain of freedom of movement such that you cannot find where property is private.

 

[98cwitr]

how easy it is to acquire a gun and to say hateful things about others in public.

The right to defend myself and my family

The right to speak out in opposition to evil and falsehood of anyone including the government

Yes, those are two freedoms I will not be ashamed of, or guilted into squandering. The best part is that our founding document acknowledges these as inalienable rights, of which are granted and given by God (not men) and it is the duty of our government to protect and secure those rights without having the authority to remove or infringe upon them.

 

[durangodawood]

....it's spring here. Our seasons are upside-down, remember?

So you say. I suspect a ploy to boost tourism.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Sweden does not provide the level of freedom that the US does

In some places what you call freedom means you can shoot people if you are feeling scared whatever the threat is real or not. You define it as freedom. I would call it psychosis.

Cops shooting innocent people on their living rooms and yoga teachers in nightgowns because freedom ?

 

[Speedwell]

The right to defend myself and my family

The right to speak out in opposition to evil and falsehood of anyone including the government

Yes, those are two freedoms I will not be ashamed of, or guilted into squandering. The best part is that our founding document acknowledges these as inalienable rights, of which are granted and given by God (not men) and it is the duty of our government to protect and secure those rights without having the authority to remove or infringe upon them.

OK, I get the gun thing. But free speech? I am not aware that Sweden limits the "right to speak out in opposition to evil and falsehood of anyone including the government" in any way.

 

[durangodawood]

In some places what you call freedom means you can shoot people if you are feeling scared whatever the threat is real or not. You define it as freedom. I would call it psychosis.

Cops shooting innocent people on their living rooms and yoga teachers in nightgowns because freedom ?

Freedom isnt free.

Insane people running around with military weapons is the price we pay. Willingly.