Have we turned into cruel citizens of the world? Not just this most

[yy4me]

horrible of wars, but in our everyday life.

We do not take care of our own citizens yet we send aid all over the world. Children here need food and we send aid to countries where aid is not needed.

We need medical care for all our citizens yet we send that care elsewhere and let our own people die from lack of same.

We need jobs so men and women can care for themselves and their families yet we have no jobs. We gave those jobs to third world countries so that some of us could live in better houses or drive better cars.

Couture clothing sale at our most fashionable stores, 20% off a $2000.00 skirt, while we have lines of people using their vouchers at the Salvation Army for a pair of affordable jeans.

In our workplaces, things go on that defy understanding, the old work ethic of
'-do-the-job, get paid' has turned into a case of 'do-as-little-as-you-can and get paid'.

Small transgressions are blown into lawsuits and large Enron type activities are overlooked or underplayed. The bigger your wallet, the better your lawyer, the better your chances.

Small human mistakes are turned into life shattering events while major things like the unacceptable goings-on in Washington continue as usual.

I feel that, at age 65, I am glad my generation does not have to face what you younger people do. I give you my best wishes and my sympathy at the same time.

[ixion]

1. people don't realize how much damage has been done in our name, with our tax-dollars

eventually, it will sink in fully and completely that we have screwed ourselves over for generations to come, at which point, of course, it will be too late.

[Echo In Light]

2. It's been going on for so long and hasn't sunk in yet, so don't hold your breath

...if ya follow.

[Wizard777]

3. At age 76 I'm starting to think I've lived too long.

But God I hope these aren't my last memories of this world. That would just kill me. :eyes: DUH, You know what I mean. lol

[acmavm]

4. 'WE'? No, it's not a matter of 'WE'. It is a matter of the wealthy

ensuring that they have an undereducated, underemployed, underprivileged workforce ready to do anything, including cutting each other's throats, for a pittance.

[KharmaTrain]

5. The Ugly American...

I'm sure DU ex-pats and those who have traveled abroad will have a far greater perspective on this...but the term "Ugly American" has never been more applicable than it has in the past 7 years. It's for some of the reasons you state, but also for a myopia that Americans have grown up with. Our televisions have long viewed world events in the "what does it mean to America" standpoint...waving flags where it means extra ratings points...with little context regarding the cultural or external political elements involved. "American values" are applied to everyone and if you don't measure up, you're "third world" or inferior.

I'm not far behind you in years (just a shade south of 50) and have seen a lot this country change over the years into one where selfishness is a virtue and preyed upon as a "norm" to fuel a consumer society. America's isolation and arrogance have bloomed in recent years, just as the rest of the world entered a global economy...and guess whose losing.

Cheers...

[tama]

6. USAns

Are not citizens of world but Citizens of Rome, a cruel empire based on exploitation of rest of the world in insane consumerism - the sooner it collapses the better and it won't be missed by rest of the world. Whining about sending "aid over the world" - ie more weapons to Israel, Colombia etc.; cheap subsidized monsanto garbage to destroy by unfair competition local food production in poor countries and drive people of their land for biofuel slave plantation so USAns could keep on driving and building more suburpia sprawl, etc. - is not even amusing. It's evil.