Compared to the rest of the world, the United States ranks surprisingly low when it comes to “social justice” metrics.
Those watching or participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement would only disagree with the surprise-aspect of the graphic. They’re aware of the problems facing Americans today.
Still, it’s amazing to see some of the countries ranked better than the US on these metrics.
What happened to “the Land of the Free”?
Here is the graphic. So now you can all feel as badly as I do.
I can tell you one thing, country's do not improve by constantly referring to themselves as "the greatest nation on earth." If we want to truly be the best, we have to be honest with ourselves and stop bullshitting our people about how the world perceives us.
It's plain to see how exceptional we are isn't it?
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. And Christians do what my high school English teacher was always reminding us "show it, don't tell it." These chest-beaters are the opposite of what they tell us they are...they are anti-Constitution, anti-states' rights, anti-women, anti-peace, anti-everything. And the people on the right eat it up like pie..."ohhh, Clyde, that cute and smart Mrs. Bachmann is such a good Christian. And that Rick Perry, why, isn't he good looking? He must be a great gov'ner, why, he isn't afraid to fry those people down there when they break the law. And Mr. Cain..why, he ran a pizza company...I don't believe those charges against him. Just look at him...he couldn't have done what they say he did."
ReplyDeleteA group of elected officials who think it's fine to gut social programs are neither Christian, patriotic, moral, nor advocates for the people. No matter what they say in the next debate.
How about the Republican meme that we need to constantly be told and tell that we are an "Exceptional" nation and people?
ReplyDeleteWith Heath's/Palin's, Bachmann's, Cain's and Perry's exemplifying the cream of their conservative crop, I know of hundreds of thousands of remote villages in Africa and the Middle East where extremely poor and prejudiced against little girls make them pale in comparison in terms of enduring adversity, weathering sexism and violent sexual assaults and penalized for menstruating - but still manage to learn to read and do as much learning as they can.
We are lazy and take things for granted.
Gingrich may derisively say that OWS protestors ought to take a bath and get a job (asshat) but it takes guts, vision and determination to do what these 1%'ers are doing, even if they aren't funded by astro-turf conservative shell groups.
The Repubs/conservatives stronghold on the US, is why we are so low on that list.
ReplyDeleteSocial injustice and bigotry go hand in head, of which the US is king. Bigotry against the poor, and those who are not white.
Maybe we need more Tiger Mom's after all, not just for academic prowess, but for life-coaching on all the benefits of a humanist society.
ReplyDeleteSocial justice? Ha ha.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen what happens at GOP events? Head-stomping, throwing dollar bills, spit and curses at the opposition, screams or applause for death?
Governor Perry is proud of his record executing people sentenced with reasonable doubt, and he wants to lead the free world.
We are no longer the greatest nation on earth. We are fast becoming a third-world country at best and it is frightening.
ReplyDeleteThe US is fast becoming a non-Christian nation. AThesist are on the rise. Our education system sucks as does our health care when compared to other nations.
People pay attention - stand up - fight and vote. The Repubs are bringing us down on the national, state and local levels.
The Steven J. Baum law firm is closing down. I guess the pictures of them making fun of homeless people (many of them kicked out of their homes because of these scumbags) wasn't good for business. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteHere's the GOP version of social justice:
ReplyDeleteNewt Gingrich said child labor laws "are truly stupid" and Newt wants to put poor children to work as school janitors, under the supervision of one "Master Janitor".
Now THAT'S truly stupid & despicable too!
Your last paragraph is gold!
ReplyDeleteThe true test of a good governement is how it treats the weakest of it's citizens.
America is a truly exceptional, except for 99 percent of it's people, but that's going to change.
LOD is FANTASTIC tonight! The failure of the super committee, and Obama's promise to veto shows how he rendered the do nothing congress impotent. Must See when it becomes available!
Notice how poorly we do in education and childhood poverty. Both of which go hand in hand I might mention.
ReplyDeletePlease consider signing this white house petition. It won't do anything for poverty but will help with education:
http://tinyurl.com/librarypetition
One of your French readers here, trying to educate herself. It's been forever strange to me to hear in movies that the American President was "the leader of the free world". I have never heard in any other country's movies of a "free world". Western world yes, third and fourth worlds ok, but free world ?
ReplyDeleteYou've all been told, as part of your education, that the USA was exceptionnal and "the land of the free".
As an European I wasn't. Just after having graduated in France, I came in a US high school as a 12th grade exchange student in 1990, and I had a pretty confusing moment when a fellow high schooler asked me if I was there for "the American dream" - Er, the American what ? The melting pot I knew, the New Deal, the Great Depression, the Cold War, but I wasn't aware of any dream. I'm not a 19th century European. The story of the rich american uncle without heirs did reach me during my early childhood, but I haven't heard of that meme again for more than 20 years.
So, where does this "land of the Free" come from ? From the Independance ? So many countries were independant back then, nothing very out of the ordinary. The end of slavery ? Other countries ended slavery before the US - or never had any, like Switzerland. Or does it come from WWII, with the non-free people being the ones in countries dominated by the USSR ? At that time the USA practiced racial segregation. Or in the 60s ? I've been taught about the witch hunts of the Mc Carthy era...
If today, the USA is not anymore the "land of the Free", when do you consider it was, last ?
And please accept that I'm not trying to teach anyone a lesson here, as us French are often accused of doing - I'm trying to understand. My country is now in the hands the right wing, who doesn't bother itself with the "fraternity" in our official motto when they charter poor Romanian people back to Romania - though they are EU citizen. So I don't feel one ounce of moral superiority. Besides, being "not proud" of one's country is a truly typical French opinion.
"The US is fast becoming a non-Christian nation. AThesist are on the rise."
ReplyDeleteSo ? In what respect is it a decline ? I don't see your point here. Social freedom includes freedom of having or not a religion, right ?