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February 03, 2005

Can't please everyone

Gerry, a commenter seems to think that I am being rather chauvinistic in my 100 Things About Me list:

It's a nice list, and enjoyable to read, but I must make a criticism. You are on the internet, a.k.a. the WorldWideWeb. People in other countries can read what you say.

When I read that line, I thought, oh, gee, I've insulted someone because I mentioned that my husband is hung like a horse or because I divulged the fact that I lost my virginity at age 19. But no, that was not his beef.

The last line of #100 is complete BS. You may be happy to be a US American, and that is fine. The USA is a fine country. But there are a LOT of other places in this world where "someone can work hard and get what he/she wants".

Just for reference's sake, this was #100:

100. My life is incredibly wonderful. I look at other people and I think about how fortunate I have been - how God has watched over me through thick and thin. I've been poor and now I'm rich (well, I'm rich to me, anyway - don't belong to a country club or anything, but I am richer than probably 99.9% of the rest of the people on earth). I have everything I ever dreamed of (except for a clean house on 100 acres!). Only in the United States of America can someone work hard and get what he/she wants.

I respectfully disagree with Gerry's comment. No other country allows individual citizens to have the freedom and opportunity that this country does. Nowhere else on Earth is there such an entrepreneurial spirit as there is here. Think about it - I have done many things - cleaned houses, managed a convenience store, been a social worker, sold jewelry, sold waterbeds, did retail management, been in a call center, help desk and now I am technical consultant. I stayed home with my son until he was seven, and I was still able to make a brand new career for myself when I had to go back to work because I was divorced. I have done more than I ever dreamed I could.

If Gerry is right, then why do people desperately want to come to the United States? Our economy is strong, our opportunities are nearly endless.

Gerry, show me another country where the poorest citezens still have television sets, stereos, automobiles and an obesity problem. Show me another country where people can decide to create a business and just do it without all kinds of government interference. Show me another country where home ownership is as common as in the United States. Show me another country where the freedom to worship as one chooses is as free as it is here.

There is no other country with the freedoms we have, with the opportunities we have - where an individual can grow up and do what he or she wants and succeed.

And by the way, I'm well aware of the fact that people from many other countries read my blog and my husband's blog. I may live in Kansas, but I am no rube.

Okay, okay, okay - UPDATE!!

Australia is pretty damn close - but we get to keep more of what we earn here in the USA and we get to have our guns here. I really want to visit Australia some day.

I do NOT want to lose Amanda as a reader - I love her blog!

And I'll have to send her some Ranch dressing.

Posted by Beth at February 3, 2005 06:29 AM