America isn't so bad...if you don't think.

After spending about two years abroad, my mind is thoroughly set...I am slashing a major notion. This notion is of course one that is brainwashed into our beings from birth and that is of course, that America is the greatest damn nation to ever exist. Bare in mind a few things if you decide to continue. I am coming at this from a feminist and children's rights perspective. Also, I am only comparing America to other developed countries. I am completely aware that where I come from isn't the worse place on earth or that I have been severely deprived. So here it goes Sarah's top reasons why America isn't so great 1. America is individualistic to the core. For instance, let's talk about raising children. Did you know that other countries such as holland, germany, and the UK give you a monthly allowance if you have children? No not welfare children but ALL children. This is an inconceivable notion as an American. But raising children is a social thing. Parents do not carry the entire weight of raising a child. But The society puts interest in children for the sake of producing productive people for the common good. 2. America promotes debt. Our own president even admitted to recently paying off his student loans. I think it says something that I can move 7,000 miles away to a prestigious international school to get a Master's degree and still be paying less than if I would have continued at OSU or UofO. Also, other countries have free university such as Denmark or they pay very very little to go. Worst case scenario; Europeans have loans for school but they never accrue interests AND you don't have to start paying until you make "X" amount of money. Whereas me being an American is accruing interest as we speak and will have to pay off massive loans even if I don't have a brilliant high paying job. Why aren't more people outraged?!?! 3. Entities for the common good don't exist. Universal healthcare (people are still fighting that) which is inconceivable to non-americans. Once again, this goes to individualism. We care about ourselves and if we can provide for our family. We don't think about other people. At all. Period. It is working for other places and if us Americans can get off our own highhorse and think about the common good...than this should not be an issue. Another point, why do we invest so little in our children? The law is 3 months unpaid maternity leave (this may be better if you have an awesome employer) but this is the general standard. Whereas many countries it's 6 months + and paid. Places like France have universal free childcare. In the U.S if you want to send your child to a decent pre-school or nursery you are shelling out heaps of money. 4. Our money is spent on war. The pentagon controls most of the money allocation. Our money is going overseas and not at home!!! What are we trying to even accomplish there, really? oil? If you look at the top countries who spend the most on war..we are #1 obviously but #2 still spends far far less. How are we okay with that? This all springs from.. learning about the United Nations Child's Rights Conventions. TWO countries didn't sign. Somalia and the U.S. Somalia doesn't have government. I think this is enough to make anyone question where America's priorities lie.