How Many Of You Hate America? | Teen Ink

How Many Of You Hate America?

August 21, 2009
By Eilina Sealtman SILVER, London, Other
Eilina Sealtman SILVER, London, Other
7 articles 0 photos 15 comments

The common view of things is often different from the reality. They can be twisted, beautiful images that shield us from the truth. Sometimes people should think of it not as a shield, but as a blindfold. Because a world superpower is taking steps too far. By consuming more fossil fuels than is necessary, by standing still and making no military progression when it was needed, and by waging war on a country and attacking soldier and civilians over a mere dispute for oil. This “great” country, is America.

Many people look to America and sigh with envy at “the American Dream” . However, that dream cannot last long, while America is guzzling up precious resources left on a rapidly crowding planet. These figures speak for themselves about the evident greed of America:



Coal > Production
531,822,000 ton


Coal consumption
1,060,000,000


Commercial energy use
8,148.38


Electric power consumption > kWh
3,920,613,000,000 kWh


Electricity > Consumption
3,892,000,000,000 kWh


Gasoline prices
0.77


Geothermal power use
5,640


Natural gas > Consumption
652,900,000,000 cu m


Natural Gasoline > Production
12,275,000 ton


Nuclear electricity generation
780.1 terawatt-hours


Nuclear energy consumption
821.1 terawatt-hours


Nuclear reactors operable
104


Oil > Consumption
20,680,000 bbl/day


Oil > Exports
1,165,000 bbl/day


Oil > Production
8,457,000 bbl/day


Oil imports > Net
10,400,000 barrels per day


Oil reserves
22,450,000,000 barrels


Usage per person
8.35 TOE per person


Wall plugs > Voltage
110 V


Wind energy installation
6,740 MW






These crimes are forgivable, as other nations are guilty of many similar crimes, such as Brazilians chopping down the Amazon. But global warming is not the most important aspect that we can hold against America. America has extorted countries beyond the point of recovery. Equador, for example, was reduced to a poor scrabbling wreck once America dealt out loans to them. Now Equador only has 5% of its national budget to spend on public services, whilst the rest of the money goes into paying off foreign aid, almost all of which goes to America. Is this right? Is it fair that Americans can bully nations? Furthermore. America threatens, assasinates, and then goes to war with the presidents of countries who refused to run their countries as they like. The war with Iraq is a simple example. America wanted oil. Iran refused to give for no good reason. Why should we just let them do this to us? Us as a world?
Oh yes, because they have guns!

The U.S.A government is a trigger-happy collection of murderous power figures, They do so much to the world, and yet they have nuclear arms and their military to point at other nations, and say “give me your money!” They succeeded for so long due to pure fear, but now other countries have the chance to strike back. America doesn't have all the power anymore. A single grain of rice can tip a scale. Somehow, America has set in a system which everybody likes. A system where people don't think. Where they impulsively buy items that will break very soon. In America, only 10% of items bought for a house are kept for more than a month, and only 5% of those remain for 6 months. America designs products to be made so they break as soon as possible, but will still leave the client with faith in the product, enough so to buy themselves more.

But who benefits from this system?

The aristocrats do. Right up in their trees, lording over us. There are bankers who awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses whilst creating a recession that would cripple thousands of struggling individuals around the world. This doesn't cause stress for people living on government benefits, but for the people who are just above the poverty line. America makes those people struggle and work every day. It does so by enforcing a system where the elite (namely money-posessing) people take hold. Can nothing be done to create a fair and happy world?

Well, there is something you can do. You can be fair. You can be smart, and you can think before reaching for your credit card while watching an auction channel. You can PAUSE and WAIT before buying that “wonderful new shave”. We have to know our limitations, and stretch them. Whoever is reading this, YOU are the workforce. You are the people economically enslaved. There is hope. You can work together towards goals such as Project Venus, Save The Forests, Oil Conservation, and Fairtrade. These small lifestyle changes will help you sleep at night. How can we sleep after reading this, knowing that we are only here through the turmoil and suffering of potentially hundreds of other men, women and children.

When a child reaches to the future, who will have the heart to say, “we've used it up, son.”


The author's comments:
Many of you will be enraged by this article. I mean no offence to any human being, merely a minority's actions. And if you can condemn a terrorist group, can you condemn a group of terrorist that don't use guns and use the American people to shield themselves?

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This article has 392 comments.


on Jun. 18 2011 at 2:27 pm
Trevor_Eakes GOLD, Dupont, Washington
13 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The Unexamined Life is not worth Living."

I think you have a great factual article here. You should take a look at my article America's Global standing-How Well Liked Are We and see what you think. As an American I can symathize. I wouldn't pay to much attention to the ranting antics of the dull sarcastic coments about ideology instead of reality you have recieved from this controversial article. As a country with 5% of the world population consuming 27% of the resources on this planet something must change. If you want change though just keep in mind that slapping people in the face is rarely the most successful route. 

on Jun. 12 2011 at 12:37 am
booksmaya SILVER, San Leandro, California
6 articles 1 photo 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There is a way to be good again."

I understand where you are coming from, but you do not have the right to judge a country, as generous as America, when you have a Queen that's only job is to sit around taking the taxpayers money. America is a nation based on the fundamental values of freedom, justice, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, so that means if we want to buy something that may not last we do it because it makes us happy. To address your other points, don't just sit there and act as if your country is better because as I can recall you are our biggest ally, so if you have a problem do something about it.

on Jun. 11 2011 at 9:07 pm
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason" ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

One british person has bad grammar, therefore there entire country is dumb?

AmericanBill said...
on Jun. 11 2011 at 6:06 pm
Welllllll, it is a writing website. And the fact is that if you want it to be a professional article... you gotta get simple stuff downpat... like puncuation. Maybe the British just aren't smart enough.

AmericanBill said...
on Jun. 11 2011 at 5:59 pm
Like anybody cares *cough* WelshSam *cough*

AmericanBill said...
on Jun. 11 2011 at 5:54 pm

I am American also (Nebraska), and I am frequently disgusted at the stupidity and close-mindedness of the average UK citizen. I also tend to turn my eyes away when the average UK citizen walks by because I am ashamed to look at their drooling, idiotic face. Why must we keep them on this planet? And furthermore, why should we listen to them insult us about our "immense ignorance" when they themselves are too closeminded to see the facts? I say, be rid of the UK.

(How does it feel?)


Hooray said...
on Jun. 11 2011 at 5:49 pm
-claps loudly-

Pwned said...
on Jun. 11 2011 at 5:49 pm
Well, yeah, we kind of do. We elect the people that make the bad decisions. So don't place the blame on others.

on Jun. 11 2011 at 5:48 pm

I mean, what about the American Revolution? wtf was that about?

And, I mean, why do they spend all that money on a queen who doesn't do anything?

And, I mean, what about that one guy who was from the UK who blew up that building? Oh! I guess all the English must be terrorists.

That's what this piece said to me, except, of course, about America with American ideaologies.

So.

How does it feel?


on Jun. 11 2011 at 5:38 pm
gogreen1 SILVER, Gretna, Nebraska
5 articles 0 photos 38 comments

First, I'll talk about your writing style. It's kind of strange that you went straight from "The U.S.A. government is a trigger-happy collection of murderous power figures" to "don't buy useless stuff!". But that's all I have to complain about regarding that.

Secondly, about the idea of this article. I HATE HATE HATE how you completely and utterly stereotype the American people!! I see this all the time. "Americans waste fossil fuels." "Americans throw away too much stuff." "Americans are awful because their government makes mistakes." Hello?!?! Us, the citizens, are NOT the government. Sure, we elect them. But what they say while campaigning and what they do in office are two completely different things, and we cannot be blamed for that. 

Also, how dare you accuse us of "bullying other countries" into giving us money? In fact, we give other countries more money than we probably should, putting us in the debt crisis we have. 

About the Equador bit - Equador didn't have to accept the loans. It's not like we pushed them on the country. They took them because they needed them, without the foresight to see the future. Are we to be blamed for this?

NO!

If Equador made the bad decision to take a loan from another country, and this country just so happened to be America, there's no reason Americans should be blamed. Imagine if it was from England and I posted that all the British were big bullies because Equador took a loan from them. Hello, you wouldn't be happy either.

Also, I was completely and utterly shocked when I read your comment. If you have the nerve to call us terrorists, you must be completely mentally insane. We're the only country taking steps to counter terrorism! I'm sorry if I'm totally off target, but I haven't seen any English support in the war against Al Qaeda and all that. It's all been America.

And may I say this. If you're trying to guilt-trip us because we're living "lavish lifestyles" while others in different countries aren't (because that's what I got from the last few paragraphs), look at YOUR country. You guys aren't too bad off, either. So stop blaming it all on America and own up to some stuff.

Blaming it on us doesn't make everything better.


Sythan BRONZE said...
on Jun. 5 2011 at 2:21 pm
Sythan BRONZE, Livermore, California
1 article 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Do not fear to blister if you live a life in flame"

The acts of the failing US government, who can magically fund a war, but cannot feed it's own starving people, does not represent the American public.

lkjhgfdsa said...
on Jun. 3 2011 at 2:19 pm
I totally agree

LaurenTaylor said...
on May. 23 2011 at 7:02 pm
Yeah, okay, America is horrible. So that's why in America, you have freedom of religion, welfare and food stamps to help you get by if you can't, homeless shelters, a military to protect you, good schools, and a beautiful landscape. Seriously, you think a bunch of numbers are going to prove anything? Pleaseee.

MacaroniMan said...
on May. 17 2011 at 7:53 pm
MacaroniMan, Lincoln University, Pennsylvania
0 articles 1 photo 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
The more you know about the past the better prepared you are for the future.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> -F.D.R.

I support the idealogy of soviet russia

 


on May. 17 2011 at 2:22 pm
The.King SILVER, Golden, Colorado
9 articles 1 photo 69 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;A story&#039;s beginning is a sudden event. The start, a happy accident; the end, the fate for which it&#039;s meant. A story that never ends is a sad fate.&quot;-Miss Edel

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it"

-Mark Twain

 

The Government and the people are two seperate entities, dont blame the country for its governments mistakes.


on May. 16 2011 at 1:49 am
lordhamstertron BRONZE, Silver Spring, Maryland
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;If you don&rsquo;t go out there an die for something, then I will kill you for nothing.&rdquo; <br /> ~Taz, Starship

First of all, we were always bound to run out of fossil fuels, that has always been inevitable.  There are people currently working to find alternatives.  Second, did you take into account that the US at leat 5 times more citizens than the UK?  This is a big factor into our energy consumption.  And how dare you compare the government to a terrotist organization.  Do you know the definition of a terrorist?  Someone who inflicts, oh, I don't know, terror, into others.  The government and the military has done everything to keep us safe, and I don't find that terrifying at all.

When writing an article, it's probably a good idea to be unbiased, because an article is to provide information for the reader to for his own opinion.  Not for an opinion to get thrown at them.  Also be sure to list your sources and the units you plan on using, because the internet is a vast place.


on May. 14 2011 at 2:11 am
Also, you should have given us your resources.

on May. 14 2011 at 2:04 am

Wow! Your article is one those that stand up to the test. Whether it passes or not is up to the opinion of the reader.

I'll have to say that this article has some truth interpreted differently.


on May. 10 2011 at 12:44 am
Ahbreejerae SILVER, Eagle Creek, Oregon
8 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world.&quot;<br /> -Marilyn Monroe

I completely agree with you, and by my comment was just saying that I don't agree with a lot of the comments on here. It came across to myself that many were making America to be this "amazing and superior" place, when in reality we are all equal.

on May. 9 2011 at 6:40 pm
calleysings BRONZE, Tyler, Texas
1 article 0 photos 4 comments
well, while i do believe that there is some corruption, there are these things going on everywhere. i don't think that "america is superior". i am against a lot of things that the government does. however, i think that to hate america is somewhat narrow minded. the people that run this country are not only chosen by us, but generally have the interests of the country in mind. so we should spend less time blaming america and more time trying to fix the problems that you guys are complaining about.