Just as those you love can annoy you more than anyone else, the U.S. annoys me. It is my country and, if I'm being honest, the only one that I truly care about. I may live in other countries, and appreciate things about them, but in the end, it doesn't really matter to me what happens in them- I'll be moving on, anyway. My heart is always back home, no matter where I am, or how long I've been gone. As I've expressed on some other threads, I feel the U.S. is spiraling downward. Whether it will collapse, in some sense of the word, remains to be seen, but the trend was established a long time ago. Dwight Eisenhower was the first to articulate what could happen. He didn't have the courage to say it clearly when he was president, but as he was leaving office, he warned the country in his farewell address to the nation of what could happen. Rarely has a human being been more accurate in a predication of the future. You can see what he said, in full, by clicking on the link, below. Like many who have thought thoughts ahead of others, his message is not easy to comprehend. There were many stages along the way- Kennedy's claim that there was a "missile gap" and the arms buildup that followed, the military thrust into Vietnam under President Johnson and the humiliating defeat that resulted. But, for me, the true turning point was the advent of the professional army, something that was more than just symbolic for a democratic nation. No longer were Americans burdened with fighting their wars: they could just send off those who were paid to do it. The days of the "citizen army" were over and with it, true concern about where and how many wars we were fighting. American Rhetoric: Dwight D. Eisenhower -- Farewell Address
Very insightful, V. I read recently that the U.S. spends 40 times that of China, the next largest spender on it's military. At the beginning of WWI, neither Canada nor the United States had an established army, but rather, a collection of militia. Canada entered the war early, in 1914, as part of the British Empire. America actually only fought the last 200 days of the war, though it's entrance was enough to tip the scales. At first there was a great deal of public resistance towards entering the war. When the decision to go to war was finally made it took a great deal of time to form an army and train and equip them. Likewise, America did not enter WWII until December 1941 with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Until then, the public did not want to go, believing it was a European problem. There has been a dramatic change in the public's attitude towards war since those days. Perhaps, as you suggest, a professional military and an immense arms industry contribute to this change.
Interesting how someone can find so much utopian peace and love in the Cancun jail and think the world--or at least the U.S. is on its way to armageddon in a handbasket. Must be flipping back and forth between the rose-colored glassed and the jaundiced eyes. Life sure seems better in jail than in the States. I have dual citizenship on paper and would like to consider myself a citizen of the world. I truly believe that home is where the heart is and my heart is wherever I am. I am not interested in renouncing any citizenship in any one country but would like to get more! There are good and bad everywhere and they are all "in the eye of the beholder." "Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Having citizenship means having rights and some amount of power in that country; it makes things simpler, easier and more convenient. Like Jim, I would like to be a citizen of more countries, and I would not consider giving up my US Citizenship.
I used to have Finnish citizenship as well, but chose to renounce it, mostly due to avoiding getting pulled into the Finnish army... Same goes for the Finnish: IF I ever want it back, it takes a couple of weeks to do so. Does anyone know if "regular people" can have more than two citizenship's at a time..? I think us mortals are limited to two, and even only one according to some countries.
I have 3: I am French originally, I got the Canadian one, after 3 years working there, then became Mexican before it was so hard to get it. I don't want to get the American one (to be a privileged American as some people claim), just the green card would make me very happy. I like it here. I would NEVER renounce my French citizenship. In fact, it is impossible, I have it by birth and ancestors.
jenleib: Haha, thats EXACTLY what the U.S tax office told my neighbor who recently moved back to USA: "Well, this is the privilege of being an American" Needless to say, my friend slammed the phone on the table and cursed like there was no tomorrow... Now I remember reading somewhere (a while ago...) that one can basically hold as many citizenship's as one desires, but certain countries have their own rules and regulations as to how many one can hold in that particular country. I think it was that "If you want citizenship in XX(who allows maximum 2), then you have to renounce one of the ones you already have, just to make space for the new". Then again: One can live in a country "for ever" without acquiring citizenship. Many friends that I have are doing so in Australia at the moment
I should note that when I travel (Europe, Canada) I travel with the Mexican passport. I seem to be treated better than when I use the U.S. passport.
Iraq I hadn't experienced hostility directed at me because I was an American until the invasion of Iraq: even then, it was more of a thinly veiled scepticism than hostility, suggesting that the level of trust in America/Americans had diminished.
