Nearly Half of Young Americans Believe US Is Racist and Not 'Greatest' Country, Survey Finds

[mrdeltoid]

For the same reason that someone would want the youth of America to believe that there is absolutely no racism in the US and/or that no other "system" is capable of providing what the existing American system provides - because they have a vested interest in having them think that.

Generally speaking the people who live in "developed countries" have a tendency to believe that their own country's system is "the best system available" (for them, and if taken as a whole). Very few of them believe that their own country's system is so perfect that it is akin to treason to even think about changing it.

In the US, it appears that the majority opinion is that

"If only the __Republicans/Democrats [pick ONE ONLY]__ had total power then the US would be perfect and if everyone in the whole world was identical to Americans then the world would be perfect. Anyone who disagrees with that is so unAmerican as to be totally ignored (if not locked up)."
​

- which is by way of being a majorly over generalized statement, but you get my drift.

I happen live in Canada and to be of the opinion that "The Canadian System" is (for me) superior to "The American System" and if I wasn't then I'd either [1] move to the US (the easy solution), or [2] attempt to change "The Canadian System" so that it was identical to "The American System" (the difficult solution), but, in any event I wouldn't whine about how crappy "The Canadian System" was and not do anything else about it (the stupid non-solution).

I have no issue with someone who lives in the US holding the opinion that "The American System" is the best system (for them).

If someone lives in the US is of the opinion that "The American System" is (for them) NOT "The Best System" then my advice to them is to either:

1. move out of the US to someplace that has a system that is better for them;
2. get off their butt and attempt to change "The American System" so that it is closer to what they think "The Best System" is, or
3. if they don't want to exercise Options 1 or 2 - shut up and quit whining about how crappy "The American System" is.

I can't argue with any of that. Just to clarify, the system, as I see it is the US constitution.

 

[mrdeltoid]

Our country is littered with the evidence of said racism, bigotry and sexism that some still deny. From the statues of Confederate traitors in our public parks to the halls of Congress full of old white men who desire to control and oppress women, we have a lurid heritage of hate and oppression. The progress we have made in the minds of citizens lags the progress we have made in our laws by a mile. That poll gives me hope for the future though. The first step in curing social ills is admitting you have a problem.

You say our country is littered with the evidence of said racism, bigotry and sexism that some still deny, and in the very next sentence you use the term "old white men". You do see the irony of that, don't you?

 

[JustHanging]

You say our country is littered with the evidence of said racism, bigotry and sexism that some still deny, and in the very next sentence you use the term "old white men". You do see the irony of that, don't you?

Actually, it's just a factual statement. The Senate is largely controlled by old white men. Heck, in the entire history of the Senate, over almost 250 years, there have only been 10 black senators.

African Americans:

Hiram R. Revels (R-Mississippi), 1870-71

Blanche K. Bruce (R-Mississippi), 1875-1881

Edward W. Brooke (R-Massachusetts), 1967-1979

Carol Moseley-Braun (D-Illinois), 1993-1999

Barack Obama (D-Illinois), 2005-2008

Roland Burris (D-Illinois), 2009-2010

Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), 2013-

William "Mo" Cowan (D-Massachusetts), 2013

Cory A. Booker (D-New Jersey), 2013-

Kamala Harris (D-California), 2017-

 

[mrdeltoid]

Actually, it's just a factual statement. The Senate is largely controlled by old white men. Heck, in the entire history of the Senate, over almost 250 years, there have only been 10 black senators.

African Americans:

Hiram R. Revels (R-Mississippi), 1870-71

Blanche K. Bruce (R-Mississippi), 1875-1881

Edward W. Brooke (R-Massachusetts), 1967-1979

Carol Moseley-Braun (D-Illinois), 1993-1999

Barack Obama (D-Illinois), 2005-2008

Roland Burris (D-Illinois), 2009-2010

Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), 2013-

William "Mo" Cowan (D-Massachusetts), 2013

Cory A. Booker (D-New Jersey), 2013-

Kamala Harris (D-California), 2017-

Congress is voted in, so whoever wins and loses, is what the people who vote decide. I don't see where consideration of a candidates race should factor in to ones decision on who to vote for. Isn't competency the main concern when voting ?

 

[prometeus]

Congress is voted in, so whoever wins and loses, is what the people who vote decide. I don't see where consideration of a candidates race should factor in to ones decision on who to vote for. Isn't competency the main concern when voting ?

Not for so called conservatives and evangelicals.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

I can't argue with any of that. Just to clarify, the system, as I see it is the US constitution.

There's nothing wrong with the US Constitution, just the way that it is implemented.

BTW, you do realize that other countries have more or less the same content to their constitutions, don't you. Of course they tend to implement that content slightly differently than the way that it is implemented in the US - because that's the way that they like to see their countries run.

PS - The strange thing about the superiority of the US constitution is that not a single country that the US has "helped" write their own constitution has adopted it verbatim. If the US constitution is so inherently "superior" to the constitutions of all other countries, don't you think that the US government would have "helped" those countries to adopt exactly the same constitution in exactly the same words?

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Congress is voted in, so whoever wins and loses, is what the people who vote decide.

That's the way it's supposed to be.

I don't see where consideration of a candidates race should factor in to ones decision on who to vote for.

Were you around when Mr. Obama was running for President?

Isn't competency the main concern when voting ?

If you change that to "Isn't competency SUPPOSED TO BE the main concern when voting?" I'll agree with you.

As things actually stands the "main concern" is whether the candidate has a "Big 'R'" or a "Big 'D'" after their name.

 

[mrdeltoid]

That's the way it's supposed to be.



Were you around when Mr. Obama was running for President?



If you change that to "Isn't competency SUPPOSED TO BE the main concern when voting?" I'll agree with you.

As things actually stands the "main concern" is whether the candidate has a "Big 'R'" or a "Big 'D'" after their name.

I was, and race wasn't much of a factor. I do agree though, that party is more important to most voters now days.

 

[mrdeltoid]

There's nothing wrong with the US Constitution, just the way that it is implemented.

BTW, you do realize that other countries have more or less the same content to their constitutions, don't you. Of course they tend to implement that content slightly differently than the way that it is implemented in the US - because that's the way that they like to see their countries run.

PS - The strange thing about the superiority of the US constitution is that not a single country that the US has "helped" write their own constitution has adopted it verbatim. If the US constitution is so inherently "superior" to the constitutions of all other countries, don't you think that the US government would have "helped" those countries to adopt exactly the same constitution in exactly the same words?

Superiority is subjective. I would guess most Americans feel that way, although I'm sure a lot of other countries feel the same way about theirs.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Superiority is subjective. I would guess most Americans feel that way, although I'm sure a lot of other countries feel the same way about theirs.

If you say to me "I think that the American Constitution is the best of all possible constitutions." then I will not argue with you.

If you say to me "The American Constitution IS the best of all possible constitutions." then I might well argue with you.

If you say to me "Not only is the American Constitution the best of all possible constitutions but there is nothing in it that could be improved." then I will argue with you.

Not only that, but if you try to tell me that the Founding Fathers anticipated every possible social change and that the American Constitution as originally written and implemented is exactly what is appropriate for today's world then I'll simply laugh.

AND, I would expect exactly the same reactions from you if I tried to tell you the same things about the Canadian Constitution.