Welcome to America | Teen Ink

Welcome to America

April 1, 2010
By icefaerie10111 GOLD, Exeter, Rhode Island
icefaerie10111 GOLD, Exeter, Rhode Island
12 articles 8 photos 25 comments

Welcome to America: A land of opportunity
where a man on Welfare can make more than a public school teacher.
Welcome to America: A land paved in gold
where we are in trillions of dollars of debt.
Welcome to America: "Liberty and Justice for all":
where our pledge does not include minors or homosexuals;
where it is not applied to the oppressed and those in debt.
Welcome to America: A land for the people
where the cooperation is clearly a person as you and me, from a political aspect.
Welcome to America: ...and by the people
where you can buy legislative power from a governor in Illinois.
Welcome to America: A effort against the "Drug War"
where we can't even keep our police officers clean.
Welcome to America: Where people and legislature see eye to eye;
where a democracy and a republic clash heads.
Welcome to America: Separation of Church and State
where we have only had two non-Protestant Presidents.
Welcome to America: A land of freedom
where women no rights until 1848, and could not vote until 1920;
where African-Americans were isolated from society until the 1960s;
where American Citizens of the same nation had to kill each other to abolish slavery.
Welcome to America: A Nation of peace
where we are always at war.
Welcome to America: A Nation united
where states are divided.
Welcome to America: A Nation of tolerance
where "the people" see Islam in the government as more of a problem than economic reform.
Welcome to America: A Democracy
where we win votes by scandals and controversy, not political action or issues.
Welcome to America: Does the system work for you?
where fitting into the system is more important than improving it.
Welcome to America: Where several police officers were killed in a cafe a couple of weeks ago;
where no one noticed because they were too preoccupied with the fact that Tiger Woods cheated on his wife.
Welcome to America: Most politicians one were lawyers;
where it seems being a celebrity gives you power equal to that.

Welcome to America where many people who read this article never got past the second line because they would rather ignore the issues than resolve them.



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This article has 211 comments.


on May. 14 2014 at 8:59 am
Love2Read72 PLATINUM, Kentfield, California
24 articles 0 photos 105 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” — Taylor Swift

Thank you!

on May. 11 2014 at 11:32 pm
Starcatcher001 SILVER, Cypress, Texas
7 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
I had a rock garden. Last week, three of them died. -Richard Diran

This is such a powerful and compelling piece; I thank you for sharing it with the world. Your poem presents an opinion that many people including myself share in a fluid and comprehensive manner. Congratulations on your success with this piece! I hope you will keep writing such lovely poetry.

on May. 7 2014 at 9:12 am
bewareofbunnyrabbits SILVER, Winona, Minnesota
8 articles 0 photos 86 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Empty yourself and let the universe fill you." -Yogi Tea

EXACTLY!!!!!! You just said what needs to be said. Thank you for this.

annie123 said...
on May. 1 2014 at 10:55 am
I love how this applies to so many different groups of people

on Apr. 25 2014 at 5:08 pm
Mollybug16 BRONZE, Cleveland, Tennessee
4 articles 0 photos 120 comments

Favorite Quote:
Impossible is not a word, it's just a reason for someone not to try.

This is so true.  Great poem.      

HudaZav SILVER said...
on Apr. 9 2014 at 6:13 pm
HudaZav SILVER, Toronto, Other
8 articles 6 photos 390 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Nothing is impossible; the word itself says 'I'm possible'!" -Audrey Hepburn

I always show the students in my civics class this poem, since it is just so raw and true, and I am so glad someone spoke these words. I especially love the line "A land paved in gold where we are in trillions of dollars in debt". Amazing work and very very well written! 

Tente BRONZE said...
on Apr. 8 2014 at 6:43 pm
Tente BRONZE, Rumford, Rhode Island
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"All that we have to fear is fear itself."

This poem truly spoke to me! I loved how one line in it was about the sterotype that America has created and the other was the true America!

on Apr. 5 2014 at 9:42 pm
TakeAGuessKatara SILVER, Beltsville, Maryland
8 articles 0 photos 22 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Live for tomorrow, remember today, and smile because you survived yesterday," by Me

This poem was written very nicely and truly showed what America has to offer but, she only highlighted the negative. It only shows what's wrong with the country adn not the amazing things it has done. Nice writing and it did say the truth but not the whole truth

on Apr. 2 2014 at 8:44 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Unknown

I think sometimes further proving a point, like you said, really helps emphasize what the author is trying to portray. Plus, I've never seen anything about American written this way, so it hit home with me.

on Apr. 2 2014 at 8:42 pm
TaylorWintry DIAMOND, Carrollton, Texas
72 articles 0 photos 860 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Unknown

The beginning line really struck me, and as I continued to read it, it got more and more interesting as I went down the page. I like how you had one of America's titles, (like "A Nation United") and then added how it wasn't, or how that title was ironic ('where states are divided" or whatever it said). That was really cool, really cool. I enjoyed this a lot. It opened my eyes and honestly, it made me realize how messed up America is. If only we had a president who could fix it...

on Apr. 1 2014 at 7:45 am
Cindy152 SILVER, Medan, Other
8 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
I'm kinda over getting told to throw my hands up in the air. So there.

Genius poem! I love it! As a foreigner, you have truly opened my eyes to the fact that even super nations like the US have major flaws too--the ones us foreigners are oblivious to because you don't get to see the truths in movies and magazines ;) So now I appreciate my homeland more because it does not, in fact, completely suck. This just shows that every nation has its own flaws but we have to accept it anyway because it is, after all, home. 

Nadaa SILVER said...
on Mar. 31 2014 at 8:54 am
Nadaa SILVER, Bradenton, Florida
5 articles 0 photos 13 comments
I liked the idea of this poem, but that one line about how a man on welfare can get more then a public school teachwer isn't exactly right. It just feels like your negatively commenting on people who are on welfare.

on Mar. 26 2014 at 4:08 pm
Secluded_Savior GOLD, Omaha, Nebraska
14 articles 0 photos 6 comments
icefaerie10111 - I am a public speaker. I go around many different places and speak about rights and the difference between law and ethnicity, and I just wanted to ask you if it would be alright with you if I use this article of yours in my speeches. I promise, you will recieve full credit for the ariticle. :)

on Mar. 16 2014 at 4:35 pm
joannadi BRONZE, Falls Church, Virginia
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Everything must have an ending, except my love for you."

William- Everything you say is true, and trust me, I expected great criticism from people on this poem because it was saying bad things about America.  But, there is just as much bad in America as any other country, and maybe what some people are trying to say is that there is also tons of beauty.  Unique to America, and maybe only people who live hear and take advantage of this beauty are able to understand it.  Keep in mind, this country is full of problems, but no more or no less than any place in the world has.  Every time one problem is solved, a new one is created.  The fault is not America but in humanity in general.

on Mar. 12 2014 at 9:46 am
Mister_J PLATINUM, Colorado Springs, Colorado
42 articles 3 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Captain, I wish to report a mutiny. I can name fingers and point names." - Captain Jack Sparrow

I'm living in Europe right now (though I am American), and you will not believe how many Europeans would agree with you. It is known throughout the world that America is like the C-grade rich kid on the corner with all the fancy toys. I think the only people who would disagree with you are Americans. We truly are not "the land of the free, and the home of the brave". We're more like "the land of limited freedom, and the home of the arrogant war-interveners".

on Mar. 11 2014 at 11:46 am
Nella.Girl97 BRONZE, Ashland, Wisconsin
1 article 0 photos 437 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart."

WOw! i really liked this! So truthful! this shows how it really is! Great work!

on Mar. 1 2014 at 2:01 pm
Hunting_Gurl GOLD, Newport News, Virginia
11 articles 1 photo 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
"No matter how many quotes and song lyrics you post up, or however much you write your heart out, sometimes words just can't describe how you feel. You just have to feel it for yourself and that's all there is to it."

Wow, I really enjoyed reading this. It made me think about things you don't really realize about America.

on Feb. 20 2014 at 1:32 pm
jos10099 SILVER, Sunbury, Ohio
6 articles 0 photos 1 comment
I beleive it is up to a person to define what freedom is...dont just complain about issues do things to change them.

on Feb. 1 2014 at 5:14 pm
Bluetooth13 SILVER, A Town In, Texas
8 articles 0 photos 46 comments

Favorite Quote:
To play a wrong note is insignificant, to play without passion is inexcusable.

~ Ludwig van Beethoven

This is great! Check out my work?

Reydar SILVER said...
on Jan. 22 2014 at 12:39 pm
Reydar SILVER, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
7 articles 0 photos 22 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Every storm runs out of rain"

Pretty perfect, well written and accurate portrayal of the country, unfortunately