Latest Lists

is the united states the land of the free of just a shining example of hypocrasy?

the US prides itself on being founded for freedom from imperial rule, all men being created equal and so on, we all know it has taken a while for those ideals to take root and some still have yet to do so. i was wondering is the US really as free as it claims, when in the past it has demonstated to only cherish democracy when it was favourable. im refering mainly to the us manipulation of foreign governments particularly in south america. An example being the attempted coup against Hugo Chavez in venezuala in 2002 (worth noting he is a socialist, very popular with the poor and not so fond of american business) and the removal of the democratically elected government of chilie in the 70's to be replaced by a facist military junta under the now infamous augusto pinochet. The list goes on, so what does this say about the land of the free? Has the classical conquering imperialism of the last millenium been replaced by a far more sophisticated method of control?

Public Comments

1. The USA is ruled by the wealthy elite. There's little hope for the common folk anymore.
2. A little bit of both is true. Yes, America is more free than most of the nations of the world, but there are a few that possess types of liberties that we no longer do here. Several rank higher in terms of economic freedom, and a number are known to be more socially tolerant. The main problem here in the United States is that the American people have allowed their government to get out of control and to create an identity for itself apart from its constitutional purpose and authorization. American government was supposed to be a servant of the people; that is no longer the case. Our politicians now believe that they have the right to tell everyone what to do, and the power to force them to do it. It's a logical extension of the Manifest Destiny ideal, and now it is being carried out on a global stage. General Robert E. Lee once predicted that the North's victory in the War Between the States would lead to this, because the Lincoln ideal was based upon force, not right, and those who employ force to get what they want seldom stop with one objective. Read over the following quote and see if this is not the position we're in today: "I can only say that while I have considered the preservation of the constitutional power of the General Government to be the foundation of our peace and safety at home and abroad, I yet believe that the maintenance of the rights and authority reserved to the states and to the people, not only essential to the adjustment and balance of the general system, but the safeguard to the continuance of a free government. I consider it as the chief source of stability to our political system, whereas the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded it."