How Many Of You Hate America? | Teen Ink

How Many Of You Hate America?

August 21, 2009
By Eilina Sealtman SILVER, London, Other
Eilina Sealtman SILVER, London, Other
7 articles 0 photos 15 comments

The common view of things is often different from the reality. They can be twisted, beautiful images that shield us from the truth. Sometimes people should think of it not as a shield, but as a blindfold. Because a world superpower is taking steps too far. By consuming more fossil fuels than is necessary, by standing still and making no military progression when it was needed, and by waging war on a country and attacking soldier and civilians over a mere dispute for oil. This “great” country, is America.

Many people look to America and sigh with envy at “the American Dream” . However, that dream cannot last long, while America is guzzling up precious resources left on a rapidly crowding planet. These figures speak for themselves about the evident greed of America:



Coal > Production
531,822,000 ton


Coal consumption
1,060,000,000


Commercial energy use
8,148.38


Electric power consumption > kWh
3,920,613,000,000 kWh


Electricity > Consumption
3,892,000,000,000 kWh


Gasoline prices
0.77


Geothermal power use
5,640


Natural gas > Consumption
652,900,000,000 cu m


Natural Gasoline > Production
12,275,000 ton


Nuclear electricity generation
780.1 terawatt-hours


Nuclear energy consumption
821.1 terawatt-hours


Nuclear reactors operable
104


Oil > Consumption
20,680,000 bbl/day


Oil > Exports
1,165,000 bbl/day


Oil > Production
8,457,000 bbl/day


Oil imports > Net
10,400,000 barrels per day


Oil reserves
22,450,000,000 barrels


Usage per person
8.35 TOE per person


Wall plugs > Voltage
110 V


Wind energy installation
6,740 MW






These crimes are forgivable, as other nations are guilty of many similar crimes, such as Brazilians chopping down the Amazon. But global warming is not the most important aspect that we can hold against America. America has extorted countries beyond the point of recovery. Equador, for example, was reduced to a poor scrabbling wreck once America dealt out loans to them. Now Equador only has 5% of its national budget to spend on public services, whilst the rest of the money goes into paying off foreign aid, almost all of which goes to America. Is this right? Is it fair that Americans can bully nations? Furthermore. America threatens, assasinates, and then goes to war with the presidents of countries who refused to run their countries as they like. The war with Iraq is a simple example. America wanted oil. Iran refused to give for no good reason. Why should we just let them do this to us? Us as a world?
Oh yes, because they have guns!

The U.S.A government is a trigger-happy collection of murderous power figures, They do so much to the world, and yet they have nuclear arms and their military to point at other nations, and say “give me your money!” They succeeded for so long due to pure fear, but now other countries have the chance to strike back. America doesn't have all the power anymore. A single grain of rice can tip a scale. Somehow, America has set in a system which everybody likes. A system where people don't think. Where they impulsively buy items that will break very soon. In America, only 10% of items bought for a house are kept for more than a month, and only 5% of those remain for 6 months. America designs products to be made so they break as soon as possible, but will still leave the client with faith in the product, enough so to buy themselves more.

But who benefits from this system?

The aristocrats do. Right up in their trees, lording over us. There are bankers who awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses whilst creating a recession that would cripple thousands of struggling individuals around the world. This doesn't cause stress for people living on government benefits, but for the people who are just above the poverty line. America makes those people struggle and work every day. It does so by enforcing a system where the elite (namely money-posessing) people take hold. Can nothing be done to create a fair and happy world?

Well, there is something you can do. You can be fair. You can be smart, and you can think before reaching for your credit card while watching an auction channel. You can PAUSE and WAIT before buying that “wonderful new shave”. We have to know our limitations, and stretch them. Whoever is reading this, YOU are the workforce. You are the people economically enslaved. There is hope. You can work together towards goals such as Project Venus, Save The Forests, Oil Conservation, and Fairtrade. These small lifestyle changes will help you sleep at night. How can we sleep after reading this, knowing that we are only here through the turmoil and suffering of potentially hundreds of other men, women and children.

When a child reaches to the future, who will have the heart to say, “we've used it up, son.”


The author's comments:
Many of you will be enraged by this article. I mean no offence to any human being, merely a minority's actions. And if you can condemn a terrorist group, can you condemn a group of terrorist that don't use guns and use the American people to shield themselves?

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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 392 comments.


on Sep. 12 2011 at 7:02 pm
Rocinante SILVER, Wexford, Pennsylvania
7 articles 1 photo 386 comments
I agree we should save our resources and waste less. After all, we are one of the biggest coutries so with so many people using so much, well we can definitely do to cut back on our energy usage. But it's not nice to bash other people's countries.

M.W.M. BRONZE said...
on Sep. 9 2011 at 10:42 pm
M.W.M. BRONZE, Undisclosed, New Jersey
4 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Test everything. Hold on to the good." -Paul of Tarsus (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

yeah just forget about the fact that americans are some of the most charitable people on earth, and that the federal gov't spends hundreds of billions of dollars every year providing aid to other nations. just the last couple years millions were spont on haiti, japan, etc.  but dont criticize china which exploits its workers, murder its own people, and doesnt spend a fraction of what the us gov't doesn on international aid =P

on Sep. 4 2011 at 5:47 pm
Daydreambeliever57 SILVER, Brockport, New York
5 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
WWWWD? What Would Wonder Woman Do?

Women in America on average actually have less rights than most countries stereo-typed as extremely male-based.

on Sep. 4 2011 at 4:01 pm
Nijuly93 SILVER, Davis, California
5 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
"She folded up her fears like paper airplane's and lost them in the trees.." - Mineral

Didn't read the article, but as far as the title goes: I do! :)

on Aug. 19 2011 at 11:23 am
wedontshutup BRONZE, Jaipur, Other
1 article 11 photos 5 comments
btw Women in India got their rights in 1949. i suggest that you don't go by the stereotypes.

on Aug. 17 2011 at 11:27 am
Daydreambeliever57 SILVER, Brockport, New York
5 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
WWWWD? What Would Wonder Woman Do?

This aarticle is unfortunately mostly true, and as an american i am very ashamed. however, the only part i don't agree with is when you said that we went to war with Iraq over oil. though this didturn out to be true, when we first went to war with Iraq, America was told that Iraq had Nuclear bombs. so that is the only thing you can't really blame the majority for.

on Aug. 17 2011 at 10:47 am
Shade925 SILVER, Pinecrest, Florida
9 articles 2 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is not easy, it is what you do with it that makes you, you

Your absolutely right. I see the same things where I live, and though I believe the article is right your point of not hating all of America is true.

on Aug. 11 2011 at 9:55 pm
Texas_Horsegirl BRONZE, Windom, Texas
1 article 4 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
Love the life you live-live the life you love. ~Bob Marley

I am a 16 year old girl living in America. I'm happy with my freedom and our history. Do I have anything to do with the war or anything else you stated? No. I would live the american dream rather than being a woman with no rights in india. I am lucky to be where I am. Stop complianing and find somthing productive to do.

on Aug. 5 2011 at 3:33 pm
Sacrifice SILVER, Fostoria, Iowa
6 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"One life is all we have to live, and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without beleif, that is a fate worse than death" ~Joan of Arc

Okay, first of all, us Americans can bash our own country without you silly Europeans' help. Just sayin. :)

Second, why are you attacking America? What about China? What about EVERY OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRY (and plenty of undeveloped countries) IN THE WORLD?! We have a large country, with a large number of people, and we can't just hop a train or bus everywhere we want to go. Therefore, we use a lot of natural resources. And yeah, there are those who are greedy and selfish and take more than they need, and that's not right, but it is most certianly NOT uniqe to the U.S. of A.

Three, I read quite a few comments, and honnestly, most of you seem to see things in black-and-white terms. You're really no better than the people you hate on. There is so much more going on in the intricate picture that is our world than you seem to reallize. I mean, sure, it's easy to blame all the world's problems on a super-power like America, but even if you take America out of the equation, the world was still bound to deteriorate eventually.

In conclusion, it's easy to see the passion here, but most of y'all are focused on the wrong things. By placing blame and arguing with each other, you're only fuling the problem, not fixing it.


DerekW BRONZE said...
on Jul. 4 2011 at 11:57 pm
DerekW BRONZE, Weedsport, New York
3 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
favorite qoute is nobody has ever drowned in sweat by lou holtz

I STILL LOVE AMERICA

on Jun. 28 2011 at 2:59 am
kel_the_shell, Ronks, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We accept the love we think we deserve." - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I'm an American so I couldn't help but feel offended by this. I do think that we use way more than we need but not everything about Ameica is bad. Every county has it's Pre and cons. All I ever hear on the news is about our obesity epidemic and the bad economy, oil consumption, ect. This was not the original Ameican dream! When our country was founded it was on a basis of everyone having a say and being democratic and free. Not all Americans are oil guzzling foreign country abusing power maniacs. Some of us car very much about saving the enviromet, cutting back oil and coal usage, paying off th national debt, peaceful relations with other countries and helping other people.

on Jun. 26 2011 at 8:23 pm
abnormal PLATINUM, Jonesboro, Georgia
24 articles 8 photos 44 comments

Favorite Quote:
Truth is eternal. Knowledge is changeable. It is disastrous to confuse them. <br /> <br /> -Madeleine L&#039;Engle

P.S

I was talking to swcricket98 for the nicely put.


on Jun. 26 2011 at 8:22 pm
abnormal PLATINUM, Jonesboro, Georgia
24 articles 8 photos 44 comments

Favorite Quote:
Truth is eternal. Knowledge is changeable. It is disastrous to confuse them. <br /> <br /> -Madeleine L&#039;Engle

Nicely put!!

I think that America could do better with things like fossil fuels, but that's no reason to suddenly pin us as a terrible country.


on Jun. 26 2011 at 1:24 am
swcricket98 GOLD, Williamson, Georgia
13 articles 17 photos 102 comments

Favorite Quote:
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

I seriously want to bow down to you right now. Well said.

on Jun. 26 2011 at 1:21 am
swcricket98 GOLD, Williamson, Georgia
13 articles 17 photos 102 comments

Favorite Quote:
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

And what are these better places? Because last time I checked Americans are the ones who have freedoms. Who have shelter & food no matter what position. If you don't like America so much why don't you just move to one of those better places you were talking about?

on Jun. 26 2011 at 1:17 am
swcricket98 GOLD, Williamson, Georgia
13 articles 17 photos 102 comments

Favorite Quote:
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

As much as I'd love to join the 'I hate America!' party, this is just ridiculous. Honestly, maybe because you don't live in America, you don't understand the good things. We buy & use that much oil because there are that many people here. We need that much oil to run as a proper country. You have no understanding of what America is all about, and until you get off the computer and stop reading all of the bad news in the world and find out for yourself, I guess you never will.

Ilovemybubay said...
on Jun. 24 2011 at 10:28 pm
Ilovemybubay, Los Lunas, New Mexico
0 articles 0 photos 6 comments
No one said We are better even though we really are beacause we know what it feels like to be FREE, PROUD,INDEPENDENT and so many things. So you have no right to say that about the country that saved multipuk other countrys and we AMERICANS care about others besides ourselfs.Thanks and goodbye.

Fluffy2772 said...
on Jun. 24 2011 at 10:26 am
Fluffy2772, McDonough, Georgia
0 articles 0 photos 41 comments
Yeah, lets just keep killing the earth because we're americans and we are better than everyone else.

Ilovemybubay said...
on Jun. 22 2011 at 5:28 pm
Ilovemybubay, Los Lunas, New Mexico
0 articles 0 photos 6 comments
I agree with you. I dont know where you get the idea to say stuff about where I come from. So keep your mouth shut and dont talk like that about my home.

on Jun. 19 2011 at 12:42 am
I agree with much of what you said, even as an american. But don't hate the country, hate the people you mentioned! Right now I'm being affected by this "Recession." The place where my mom works just spent over $500,000 on a new phone system (That nobody uses) and they are cutting everyone's pay. Well, except the administrators, who do nothing but sit around and do nothing. And while they're cutting pay for many faculty members, they're giving the administrators a RAISE. Just another example of how screwed up our country is right now.