Well, I guess I don't want to live in general, but the state of politics and society in the USA have really been bothering me these past few weeks. I'm getting so depressed that I'm having trouble writing clearly. I hope what follows makes sense.
First, I want to state that America does not have freedom of the press, freedom of speech, or freedom of assembly.
The press here, for various reasons, has become weak and purely entertaining. It is more concerned with profit and ratings than with truth. Investigative reports occur less frequently and less often. Government corruption is more easily covered up, as editors no longer want to pay a reporter to follow a story or to acquire credible sources. Because of this, the press can only recite what the government and the various corporations tell them upfront. This presidency has shown signs of various deep-rooted scandals for months, but every time one pops up, the press can't get any farther than the government wants them to. What's worse is, because of low salaries, some reporters are actually taking money from the government and corporations in exchange for praise or cover-up.
Censors have been choking various media's free speech for years; this is nothing new. What's worse in my mind is when everyday people try to silence someone with a different opinion. I've felt it myself and I've seen it happen to other people: the second you say anything questioning the actions of this country and government, you make a roomful of disdainful enemies who do not hesitate to gang up on you. From that point on, they will also try to silence you completely by ignoring you or by subtly belittling your views. This is such an understated infringement of the freedom of speech that most people don't think about it. The only reason I noticed it is because I asked myself a question: Why am I suddenly scared to express my opinion?
To make this country less hypocritical, the freedom of peaceful assembly should be removed from the Bill of Rights outright. The sixties and seventies showed us clearly that demonstrations and protests are not tolerated, that you can and will be killed/injured if you participate in one. If we ever had the right to assemble, it died by the mid-seventies. Don't get me wrong: we can still have parades, festivals, and "celebrations"; we can still protest in "protest pens" located a mile from what we're protesting. Passive resistance is welcome here, but active resistance will get you shot. People say that protests in the sixties often became riots. I respond that they only became riots when the police and National Guard intervened. If you don't believe me, here's a video on youtube that shows a recent anti-war demonstration in NYC being quickly dispersed. If any of you were wondering why Americans aren't protesting the war, the video will show you the reason:
http://www.youtube.com/v/0PfVjmnTmZA&hl=en
Here's another vid of a very recent "protest" that was allowed to continue more or less unhindered. See any differences between the two?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs6Tm-9uWXQ
Another thing that really bothers me is that this nation condones torture. I want to make this perfectly clear: sensory deprivation, extreme isolation, sleep and nutritional deprivation, over stimulation (bright lights and loud, constant noise), humiliation, kidnapping, and simulation of death (in other words, pretending to drown, suffocate, hang, shoot, or otherwise kill someone) are forms of torture. People got upset over waterboarding, but no one told us that the exact same effect can be achieved in another, even easier way (sorry, not posting how on a suicide forum). Besides torture being immoral, unethical, and barbaric, it is also ineffective. When a person finally breaks down under torture, he or she will say anything to stop the pain and please the interrogator. It’s beyond me as to why we believe broken men and women can only speak the truth. When I get in trouble, I lie if it is better to do so—for example, sometimes I apologize to the other person even though I feel no remorse. It is normal human behavior to avoid pain however we can, and pleasing lies often prevent such pain. The fact that most Americans are silent on the issue shows that we believe the ends justify the means. To put it succinctly:
The last thing I want to discuss is the upcoming election. I’m avoiding names because I don’t want this to pop up in a search engine somewhere and be idiotically mistaken for a threat. There are three candidates in the running, and I believe all of them are good choices. With two of them, however, the status quo will continue if s/he is elected, and that status quo is already unbearable for me. The third one is the only one with a good chance of changing things, but I’m worried that he will be killed before voting even starts. Even if he lives and is elected, we all know that the position will only make him more vulnerable. He’s a good guy, and good guys suffer in this country.
Other issues bother me as well about the US: the extreme patriotism/nationalism present everywhere; the complete lack of environmental concern; the shaky economy; the lack of appreciation for the arts and sciences; the prevalence and power of fundamentalist religion; and, of course, the stupid, meaningless war; but I’m getting tired now.
I want to leave this place. I know that there are worst places in the world to be, but I also know there are better places. Unfortunately, I have few skills and hardly any money. Becoming a citizen of another country is a far-off dream at best. I know this is an infinitely long shot, but I’m writing it anyway: if any of you could offer advice or a means to help me get out of here, I would owe you my life.
If you have any thoughts, feel free to post them, but know that I’m not trying to bring down this country or anything. Even if all the bad is made good again, I simply can’t be the person I want to be here.
Oh, and I’ll be very impressed if any of you actually read this thing through. :smile:
First, I want to state that America does not have freedom of the press, freedom of speech, or freedom of assembly.
The press here, for various reasons, has become weak and purely entertaining. It is more concerned with profit and ratings than with truth. Investigative reports occur less frequently and less often. Government corruption is more easily covered up, as editors no longer want to pay a reporter to follow a story or to acquire credible sources. Because of this, the press can only recite what the government and the various corporations tell them upfront. This presidency has shown signs of various deep-rooted scandals for months, but every time one pops up, the press can't get any farther than the government wants them to. What's worse is, because of low salaries, some reporters are actually taking money from the government and corporations in exchange for praise or cover-up.
Censors have been choking various media's free speech for years; this is nothing new. What's worse in my mind is when everyday people try to silence someone with a different opinion. I've felt it myself and I've seen it happen to other people: the second you say anything questioning the actions of this country and government, you make a roomful of disdainful enemies who do not hesitate to gang up on you. From that point on, they will also try to silence you completely by ignoring you or by subtly belittling your views. This is such an understated infringement of the freedom of speech that most people don't think about it. The only reason I noticed it is because I asked myself a question: Why am I suddenly scared to express my opinion?
To make this country less hypocritical, the freedom of peaceful assembly should be removed from the Bill of Rights outright. The sixties and seventies showed us clearly that demonstrations and protests are not tolerated, that you can and will be killed/injured if you participate in one. If we ever had the right to assemble, it died by the mid-seventies. Don't get me wrong: we can still have parades, festivals, and "celebrations"; we can still protest in "protest pens" located a mile from what we're protesting. Passive resistance is welcome here, but active resistance will get you shot. People say that protests in the sixties often became riots. I respond that they only became riots when the police and National Guard intervened. If you don't believe me, here's a video on youtube that shows a recent anti-war demonstration in NYC being quickly dispersed. If any of you were wondering why Americans aren't protesting the war, the video will show you the reason:
http://www.youtube.com/v/0PfVjmnTmZA&hl=en
Here's another vid of a very recent "protest" that was allowed to continue more or less unhindered. See any differences between the two?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs6Tm-9uWXQ
Another thing that really bothers me is that this nation condones torture. I want to make this perfectly clear: sensory deprivation, extreme isolation, sleep and nutritional deprivation, over stimulation (bright lights and loud, constant noise), humiliation, kidnapping, and simulation of death (in other words, pretending to drown, suffocate, hang, shoot, or otherwise kill someone) are forms of torture. People got upset over waterboarding, but no one told us that the exact same effect can be achieved in another, even easier way (sorry, not posting how on a suicide forum). Besides torture being immoral, unethical, and barbaric, it is also ineffective. When a person finally breaks down under torture, he or she will say anything to stop the pain and please the interrogator. It’s beyond me as to why we believe broken men and women can only speak the truth. When I get in trouble, I lie if it is better to do so—for example, sometimes I apologize to the other person even though I feel no remorse. It is normal human behavior to avoid pain however we can, and pleasing lies often prevent such pain. The fact that most Americans are silent on the issue shows that we believe the ends justify the means. To put it succinctly:
Torture is an international menace. Though it
may originate in a distant place, if we shut
our eyes to it, it may spread and affect us. To
know that torture exists somewhere and to
remain silent is to encourage the torturers.
–Dr. Alexander Esenin-Volpin
may originate in a distant place, if we shut
our eyes to it, it may spread and affect us. To
know that torture exists somewhere and to
remain silent is to encourage the torturers.
–Dr. Alexander Esenin-Volpin
The last thing I want to discuss is the upcoming election. I’m avoiding names because I don’t want this to pop up in a search engine somewhere and be idiotically mistaken for a threat. There are three candidates in the running, and I believe all of them are good choices. With two of them, however, the status quo will continue if s/he is elected, and that status quo is already unbearable for me. The third one is the only one with a good chance of changing things, but I’m worried that he will be killed before voting even starts. Even if he lives and is elected, we all know that the position will only make him more vulnerable. He’s a good guy, and good guys suffer in this country.
Other issues bother me as well about the US: the extreme patriotism/nationalism present everywhere; the complete lack of environmental concern; the shaky economy; the lack of appreciation for the arts and sciences; the prevalence and power of fundamentalist religion; and, of course, the stupid, meaningless war; but I’m getting tired now.
I want to leave this place. I know that there are worst places in the world to be, but I also know there are better places. Unfortunately, I have few skills and hardly any money. Becoming a citizen of another country is a far-off dream at best. I know this is an infinitely long shot, but I’m writing it anyway: if any of you could offer advice or a means to help me get out of here, I would owe you my life.
If you have any thoughts, feel free to post them, but know that I’m not trying to bring down this country or anything. Even if all the bad is made good again, I simply can’t be the person I want to be here.
Oh, and I’ll be very impressed if any of you actually read this thing through. :smile: