The things I hate about America.

Well,

Maybe a lot of things. Maybe those guys had some problems that were caused by others, maybe they had some problems within themselves, and maybe a series of unfortunate events added up in such a way that Columbine happened. I think that instead of hating something about America, you should perhaps instead be hating something about people. I don't think that blaming others for things that go wrong is an American thing, I think it's a people thing. I don't think that treading on those who need help is something specifc to America, it happens all over. The things you listed are all things to be upset about, but I'm not sure if you're hating the right thing.

It's really easy to hate something when you can just say it's America's fault, just like the news blamed a lot of it on Marilyn Manson.

^^ true that... sure america is a greedy resouce burning life destroying machine but dude it's just people i mean really goths are treated badly in canada but i'll not gonna write a post about how i hate it i'm sure it happens in england and france and spain and russia and japan and.... but dude ... ITS JUST STUPID PEOPLE

Deleted... Sorry.

~ I can admit that I do put a stereotype on goths. In fact, they scare me. I hate to say it, but it's the truth. I feel really bad that I discriminate against people because of the clothes that they choose to wear, and the people that they choose to surround themselves with.
I do, however, feel like whenever I go out in public, and there are gothic people anywhere around, that they are also discriminating and putting a stereotype on me. I feel like they look at me with disgust because of the fact that I am NOT wearing clothes like they are, I am NOT wearing heavy makeup, and I am NOT hanging out with the people that they are.....so I guess it goes the same both ways don't it???

Actually, your number for Russia is incorrect. Russia's violent crime rate is far above the United States', and is actually considered less than it should be because many crimes aren't registered.

"and everywhere else"
Try anywhere in Africa, most places in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Their crime rate per capita is higher than ours.

Suicides in Japan are higher per capita than in the USA too.

i dont think its america u really hate its just certain ppl and the media, yes handguns are bad and one of my BEST friend's dad was killed by a man with a handgun and i do hate ppl with hand guns but i dont hate america

My major thing i hate about american is

PRESIDENT BUSH!!!!!!!!!!

2nd : gas prices.. and theres a ton more..

well, though it was what I call the definitive act of our generation, Columbine was, um, like 7 years ago...

stop living in the past

there are plenty of new and greater problems facing America (and the world) right NOW

like the aforementioned gas prices

Gas prices will kill people on a much larger scale than Columbine did, think about the people who live in poverty and rely on gas (i.e. getting them to work) to stay in some kind of decent living condition.

Disposable Teen-

I don't think you're looking at numbers correctly, you should be looking at per capita averages. When doing so, the USA is #24 on the list, which still isn't good at all, but it certainly beats out Russia, most Eastern Bloc countries, African nations, and some other miscellaneous ones. I'm not denying that there are places with a much lower violent crime rate, including all countries in Eastern Europe and some countries in Asia. Check your facts online, the information is more up to date so long as you pick reputable sites.
http://www.nationmaster.com
will give you up to date information on all sorts of statistics per nation, along with graphs and such.

e.g.

murders per capita for Russia:
0.201534 per 1,000 people
murders per capita for USA:
0.042802 per 1,000 people

And like I said, that even includes underreporting on the Russian side due to intense intimidation tactics by large mob families.

In any case, the point is that you can't support the case that the USA is the most violent country in the world. Taking a single look at Sudan would change your mind instantly. Living in Moscow would make you realize how good life can be in the United States. That doesn't mean that there are severe social problems in the United States, I just think it means that our social problems are ones that we share with a majority of the world; ones that we should all collectively try to solve (if that is possible).

"and what about Jeff Weise?
that happened last year."

Like I said...
Definitive of our generation.

Iono who ^^ was directed towards, but I think you should watch out about using superlatives like 'nobody' and 'anybody'. Your personal experiences don't define America any more than my great experiences in High School. I have no troubling believe you when you say that there are schools where others physically and psychologically torture other people, but you should believe me if I were to say that I never experienced it, and I've made sure I wouldn't treat anyone that I've met that way.

~
GOTHS:
-Wear black--I don't care...
-Listen to Marylin Manson--I don't care...
-Wear all your dark eyeliner--I don't care...
-But please don't walk around like you hate the world because although the way you dress may scare a lot of people, and they may think bad about you (granted, it's really for no reason-sorry bout that one), but most of those people would never do anything to hurt you.

The way you talk about your friend's death, you totally saw it coming. You should have helped him instead of focusing on criticizing the people that criticized you...

I don't really think of America as a bad place; it's just the government that sucks right now. Bush is just not fit for America. He seems to like Iraq a lot better; he spends more money and time overseas than in the USA. He should either go to Iraq and stay there, or go back to Texas.

1. You're 100% right on the Manson thing. You can't blame Manson for making music(great music may I add) BEFORE THE SHOOTING, for kids killing people.

2. Goths--I really don't believe in stereotypes. I don't believe people should classify themselves as goths, or preps, or punks, etc. If someone says "I'm a punk." I say "No, but nice try."

3. I believe the killing was not right, but was provoked. If you're picked on all the time, and you sit there and take it....aren't you going to have some pent up anger.

Yeah, America may have its flaws but still we are the land of the free. I mean I love living here. Anywhere else would be such a difference. Look at how many oppurtunities (spelled wrong I know) we have here. I mean if there wasn't something great about America we wouldn't have so many people trying to get in ya know. (the whole border problem with mexico) Every country has its flaws but America would have to be the best place to live. Just my opinion.

I lived in your country and I have to say that it is a truly awesome place... as a foriegner though I'd like to point out that America is about the most zenophobic country I have ever visited. In general your knowledge of the rest of the world is poor at best.
I was asked where I came from on several occasions whilst there, the answer was London, more than once I was asked where London was, and one wag asked me, in all seriousness, if it was near Berlin! Sad!

As to the above, the land of the free, why don't you run a poll on what the natives of your country feel about that statement. Land of the free - pish!

i dont like imports... nothing here seems "natural" american. everything's from other countries! there IS no american culture. those holidays are from other places! i miss my mommy's country.

i remember i wore a large blk shirt into class and people stared at me weird. then zelly asked me, "Kristi, are you, like, goth?" grr... WAZZUP with stereotypes? they're all just words... labels... styles... everyone's a person...

ya. my rant :)

there's no open air here. almost everyone has asthma or allergies... or breathing problems... there is no CLEAN air...

and in other countries... you start highschool at 12... here, 14. college at 16. here, 18. that's so messed up.

and to make it worse, people are having culture wars. really, why should there be those kind of wars? we're all people.

and the war in iraq? bush has to realize that they have a reason to fight as well... many of THEM are terrorized by US americans... many innocent people die each day from that war.. and no one seems to think of them as people...

well, that's my opinion. *wooh* let it out ^^

Immigrant debate: for heaven's sakes... just force them all to get green cards and everything's fine!

Yeah, cheers for that Disposable, it is a great city... and Just Rain, you have an amazing amount of open space with clean air in your country, generally outside of the cities though...
And brilliant observation about the Iraqis and their need to fight for their rights and freedom, after all, just how much do two christain nations know about how Islamic nations run their people?

love and light

In 1996, handguns alone killed 15 people in Japan, 30 in Great Britain, 106 in Canada, and 9,390 in the United States

yo disposable 1996... like a DECADE ago?

damn man toronto has like 150 gunrelated deaths alone and considering canada has 33,098,932 people and the US has 298,444,215 (like TEN times more) its to be expected