Has America fallen?

sparklinggrey:

Don't hate me for saying this. It's just my opinion. But if you are open minded, here's the opinion of a South African dude on America...

you guys simply do what your government tells you. ur being brainwashed to believe you live in the best country of the world (expecially movies and television shows) and kept unaware of the rest of the world (honestly, how much DO you guys know bout what other countries think of you). That way your government gets you to fight in a stupid war, making you think it's right when it's obviously not.

I know so many Americans who feel this way. I agree as well.
In Illinois, we just passed a bill FORCING public schools to have moments of silence for prayer. I though those freaky Puritans left Europe to destroy religious oppression byt the government.

AMERICA WON'T FALL (anytimesoon)

As long as we believe in freedom, and basic rights, we'll be all right.

Think about. Americans are hard ass people.

but then again i could be wrong.

^China. Just my guess. Or Russia, another very strong candidate.

I think that America hasn't fallen yet but we are getting close to it. This is because our war-mongering leaders are taking our rights away, forcing us to war (which is a whole different subject mind you) a war that's not needed and basically trying to control us.

I feel that America isn't quite down the toilet yet, but spinning closer and closer to the hole.

Just governmentally, not even getting me started on the cultural state of things here, we have things like DIE! DIE! DIE!'s dealie and the prayer moment in school and stuff. It's harder and harder to file bankruptcy (as i get evicted...), you can be randomly wiretapped, first-class mail can be opened without a warrant, email can be monitored without a warrant...sounds like we're creeping closer and closer to '1984' if you ask me.

But by putting a face on it, this whole terror-fighting agenda ego trip Bush is on, nobody will object because we're not TAKING PEOPLE'S RIGHTS, we're fighting TERROR!! An undefined threat that will remain as such so we can go to war with WHOEVER!! Invade for OIL! Invade for MONEY! Invade for POWER!

Every day I wake up in the morning and hear the latest news on the radio about what's going on with the United Auto Workers and the state Senate and our crashing economy here (s.e. michigan) and it scares the crap out of me.

And that's why our rights can be ripped away so easily now, because the whole country is scared. Scared of who knows what, nobody knows what, but scared nonetheless. Keep people terrified and they'll do whatever you want and let you do whatever you please.

I'm not one of those conspiracy-theorists, but this is what I believe. It's simple psychology twisted into the wrong hands.

i don't know about fallen, but i think that it's defiantely strayed away from it's founding purposes. seriously, a country founded on religious freedom shouldn't ban prayer in public institutions. When supposedly we're free to express ourselves as we choose, how is it that people are arrested for protesting or wearing certain messages on effing t-shirts? so... i guess when you look at it in that respect, yes, America has fallen...

see, but i get incredibly uptight when my teachers in a PUBLIC SCHOOL flunk me for refusing to pray in class with them.

i'm an atheist, i was raised pagan, i date an agnostic. it goes against my beliefs.

Rainbow Stylin:

i think America will decline, has anyone seen Children Of Men?

maybe not to that extent, but it will unfortunately decline.

but the question is which country will be the next superpower when America falls?

China will be, no doubt about it.
But I don't necessarily think that America will fall as such, I think they're just going to decline in power as other nation states uprise, and become more economically powerful. China is already starting to challenge America for the main world power title.

I'd say in the next 15-20 years America will steadily decline, but not completely fall from grace.

can someone define exactly what we mean by fallen here?
are we talking about international position? national issues? ideals?

if you mean decline internationally and not be the world superpower then i dont think it has happened yet but i think yes it will happen, this is inevitable. all nations rise and fall and no nation can stay in power indefinately. i think China is good guess for the next superpower given its emergence as a great economic power etc. but if we look in history the Chinese have always seemed to have imploded whenever the empire reaches a new height. it is said, history repeats itself. so maybe... i dunno im just putting it out there.

if we mean has america fallen as in nationally things have changed. i think maybe. im not american so i dont know everything about it, but i do know that after September 11 things did change and civil liberties were reduced to counter possible terrorist threats [the same thing happened here. now we have ASIO]. i think you have similar laws as we do here about being detained without charge etc. i think yes things have changed, as the inevitably do after a national scare [conservative politics rises] but i would not say america has fallen. there are still many great things about the nation and i do not think they are down in the dumps yet. as far as i know there is still decent employment rates, healthcare etc. i would say a nation has fallen when the people are suffering. for example like zimbabwe or Germany after WWI etc.

Plush Toy:

I'd say in the next 15-20 years America will steadily decline, but not completely fall from grace.

like england? they are no longer the biggest superpower but they still play a significant role in world affairs and are powerful.

VEGAN MUFFINS 4 ALL!:

see, but i get incredibly uptight when my teachers in a PUBLIC SCHOOL flunk me for refusing to pray in class with them.

i'm an atheist, i was raised pagan, i date an agnostic. it goes against my beliefs.

wow... i'm REALLY sorry that happened to you. i don't think that prayer should be forced upon anyone... that's definately wrong.

i myself am Catholic. so... i don't have a problem praying. but as a former atheist, i can definately undersatnd where you're coming from. i was simply trying to point out that a country that was fouded on the basis of relgious freedom is prohibiting those who want to pray in public to do so.

like i said... REALLY sorry that happened to you. i don't think anyone has a right to force their beliefs on anyone else...

XD they are doing something like that now in Illinois (like I said before)
Students are forced to observe a moment of silence for prayer after the pledge.
Where is our country going.

BTW Vegan..where do you live, Utah?

brokenwings:

Plush Toy:

I'd say in the next 15-20 years America will steadily decline, but not completely fall from grace.

like england? they are no longer the biggest superpower but they still play a significant role in world affairs and are powerful.

Yes, like England.
America will still be a key player in international politics, but probably won't be as powerful as it is now.

^^i don't think that a moment of silence is such a bad thing, but when you set aside the connotation that it's for prayer, that would be where some people are crossing the line. personally, i don't have a problem with it... but i can understand how some people would.

Well whats the 2nd most powerful country?

in the world today?