re: Are You Proud to be an American?

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As for me, I'd say grateful more than proud.

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That's pretty much how I feel. I have traveled enough to realize there are shittier places to live, but also how some countries do some things better than us too. I feel fortunate to have had the upbringing I have had, and the freedom to do most things I want. It's only recently that I feel like civil liberties have really gone downhill. The quote I always think of whenever I hear an "America is the greatest in the world" speech is from HBO's The Newsroom:

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There is absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we’re the greatest country in the world.  We’re seventh in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, 3rd in median household income, number four in labor force and number four in exports.  We lead the world in only three categories.  Number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real and defense spending, where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined.  Twenty-five of whom are allies.

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