I regret that this has caused you some unhappiness, cithia.
While I concede that living in America as a native born citizen does give you superior understanding of the country, I still say that opinions from citizens of other developed countries have some merit. Particularly when we have Germans, British, Israelis, and Australians all with similar views.
A point I would make is that even in Australia different states are different. As a Queenslander I sometimes fail to connect with those from Victoria. I would imagine that your views are formed by your locality, upbringing, social set, age, and employment. I would well imagine that someone from a state on the other side of he country could answer quite differently in regard to being an American.
One reason that I engage in debate here is to try to understand different cultures. In my frequent trips to the UK I have come to know them quite well, and relish investigating the few points of difference between the British and Australians.
What I believe we outsiders have difficulty in understanding about some Americans are these points -
Resistance to universal national health care and welfare.
The gun lobby's fanatical insistence in retaining all access to guns for virtually everyone.
The view held by a significant minority that having the potential (no matter how theoretical) to violently over through an elected government is a good thing. Not treason or insurrection, as anyone outside would think.
Public espousal of Christianity, with often contradictory opinions.
Acceptance of political bias in the judiciary.
Devotion to your old Constitution.
You have every right to have these opinions and principles, and I accept that, but let us comment on how we find some to be strange.
An example was how you used examples of unregistered non citizens slipping through the insurance cracks. Not a problem for us with universal health care and worker's compensation.
