How Many Of You Hate America? | Teen Ink

How Many Of You Hate America?

August 21, 2009
By Eilina Sealtman SILVER, London, Other
Eilina Sealtman SILVER, London, Other
7 articles 0 photos 15 comments

The common view of things is often different from the reality. They can be twisted, beautiful images that shield us from the truth. Sometimes people should think of it not as a shield, but as a blindfold. Because a world superpower is taking steps too far. By consuming more fossil fuels than is necessary, by standing still and making no military progression when it was needed, and by waging war on a country and attacking soldier and civilians over a mere dispute for oil. This “great” country, is America.

Many people look to America and sigh with envy at “the American Dream” . However, that dream cannot last long, while America is guzzling up precious resources left on a rapidly crowding planet. These figures speak for themselves about the evident greed of America:



Coal > Production
531,822,000 ton


Coal consumption
1,060,000,000


Commercial energy use
8,148.38


Electric power consumption > kWh
3,920,613,000,000 kWh


Electricity > Consumption
3,892,000,000,000 kWh


Gasoline prices
0.77


Geothermal power use
5,640


Natural gas > Consumption
652,900,000,000 cu m


Natural Gasoline > Production
12,275,000 ton


Nuclear electricity generation
780.1 terawatt-hours


Nuclear energy consumption
821.1 terawatt-hours


Nuclear reactors operable
104


Oil > Consumption
20,680,000 bbl/day


Oil > Exports
1,165,000 bbl/day


Oil > Production
8,457,000 bbl/day


Oil imports > Net
10,400,000 barrels per day


Oil reserves
22,450,000,000 barrels


Usage per person
8.35 TOE per person


Wall plugs > Voltage
110 V


Wind energy installation
6,740 MW






These crimes are forgivable, as other nations are guilty of many similar crimes, such as Brazilians chopping down the Amazon. But global warming is not the most important aspect that we can hold against America. America has extorted countries beyond the point of recovery. Equador, for example, was reduced to a poor scrabbling wreck once America dealt out loans to them. Now Equador only has 5% of its national budget to spend on public services, whilst the rest of the money goes into paying off foreign aid, almost all of which goes to America. Is this right? Is it fair that Americans can bully nations? Furthermore. America threatens, assasinates, and then goes to war with the presidents of countries who refused to run their countries as they like. The war with Iraq is a simple example. America wanted oil. Iran refused to give for no good reason. Why should we just let them do this to us? Us as a world?
Oh yes, because they have guns!

The U.S.A government is a trigger-happy collection of murderous power figures, They do so much to the world, and yet they have nuclear arms and their military to point at other nations, and say “give me your money!” They succeeded for so long due to pure fear, but now other countries have the chance to strike back. America doesn't have all the power anymore. A single grain of rice can tip a scale. Somehow, America has set in a system which everybody likes. A system where people don't think. Where they impulsively buy items that will break very soon. In America, only 10% of items bought for a house are kept for more than a month, and only 5% of those remain for 6 months. America designs products to be made so they break as soon as possible, but will still leave the client with faith in the product, enough so to buy themselves more.

But who benefits from this system?

The aristocrats do. Right up in their trees, lording over us. There are bankers who awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses whilst creating a recession that would cripple thousands of struggling individuals around the world. This doesn't cause stress for people living on government benefits, but for the people who are just above the poverty line. America makes those people struggle and work every day. It does so by enforcing a system where the elite (namely money-posessing) people take hold. Can nothing be done to create a fair and happy world?

Well, there is something you can do. You can be fair. You can be smart, and you can think before reaching for your credit card while watching an auction channel. You can PAUSE and WAIT before buying that “wonderful new shave”. We have to know our limitations, and stretch them. Whoever is reading this, YOU are the workforce. You are the people economically enslaved. There is hope. You can work together towards goals such as Project Venus, Save The Forests, Oil Conservation, and Fairtrade. These small lifestyle changes will help you sleep at night. How can we sleep after reading this, knowing that we are only here through the turmoil and suffering of potentially hundreds of other men, women and children.

When a child reaches to the future, who will have the heart to say, “we've used it up, son.”


The author's comments:
Many of you will be enraged by this article. I mean no offence to any human being, merely a minority's actions. And if you can condemn a terrorist group, can you condemn a group of terrorist that don't use guns and use the American people to shield themselves?

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This article has 392 comments.


cornflake52 said...
on Aug. 5 2010 at 7:15 pm
cornflake52, Sanjose, California
0 articles 2 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;it&#039;s not the valleys in life i dread so much, as the little dips&quot;<br /> - garfeild

i love the headline! and its funny because you don't realize how messed up a place is if u live in it and seeing as even teens are realizing that america will collapse soon if we keep it up its probably worse then we think we know 

on Jul. 16 2010 at 1:28 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

WWII's a sore spot. yes very hypocritical of me. but if you read my rant you'll see that i'm trying to point out that world war two started because of a mess up in diplomacy rather than trying to defend any country here by saying that everyone owes that country.

on Jul. 15 2010 at 8:24 pm
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Right is a concept - nothing more.  Your wrong could be the authors right and visa versa.  Nothing can be right or wrong, it can just be.  So you don't agree with the title?  It's a title.  It's a name, albeit flamboyant, but a name nevertheless.  It is incapable of being right or wrong.  If we lived in a world of clearly defined boundaries and rules and regulations, it would be far less complicated.  But here we, no guide, no code.  Right and wrong don't exist because they are just imaginary.

on Jul. 15 2010 at 8:14 pm
MisplacedTexan14, Saratoga, California
0 articles 0 photos 106 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you can&#039;t stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.&quot;- a Bumper Sticker<br /> &quot;If Obama was the answer, it was a stupid question.&quot; - Another Bumper sticker

That still does not make it right.

on Jul. 15 2010 at 7:52 pm
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

I think the purpose of the title was to gain attention so that people would hear the message and the facts.  I do not believe it was a personal attack

on Jul. 15 2010 at 2:33 pm
MisplacedTexan14, Saratoga, California
0 articles 0 photos 106 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you can&#039;t stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.&quot;- a Bumper Sticker<br /> &quot;If Obama was the answer, it was a stupid question.&quot; - Another Bumper sticker

Okay, lets start over.

I do not think you are unpatriotic. I also agree that we should listen to other countries and get consrtuctive critisism. It just upsets me when they say they hate America, when they have plenty of problems of their own. America is not perfect, but I am proud of it. I just moved from Texas to California and I hate the way so many Americans seem to hate their country. I hope you are not one of those people. I know some things in America need to be changed, but I don't think the author of this piece was correct. And I don't like her saying she hates America when she doesn't even live here.


on Jul. 15 2010 at 12:00 am
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Yes, I am clearly unpatriotic because I respectfully listen to criticism from other countries.

I've always figured it MORE patriotic because from listening to such criticism we can endeavor to make our country better.  By listening to others we can find perhaps previously unseen ways of making our nation stronger.  I have a desire to live in a strong open-minded country intent on betterment, not one closed off and narcissistic like you seem to be advocating.


on Jul. 14 2010 at 11:18 pm
MisplacedTexan14, Saratoga, California
0 articles 0 photos 106 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you can&#039;t stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.&quot;- a Bumper Sticker<br /> &quot;If Obama was the answer, it was a stupid question.&quot; - Another Bumper sticker

WE as in my family, and the Americans who take offense at a foreigner critisizing their country. WE as in proud Americans, which you don't seem to be.

on Jul. 14 2010 at 8:16 pm
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

We????  Who's talking about a "we" here?  Because I care about what they think.  You're awfully presumptuous

on Jul. 14 2010 at 8:13 pm
MisplacedTexan14, Saratoga, California
0 articles 0 photos 106 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you can&#039;t stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.&quot;- a Bumper Sticker<br /> &quot;If Obama was the answer, it was a stupid question.&quot; - Another Bumper sticker

I will only respect the opinion of people from other countries if they give it respectfully, if they say I hate America, I'll say screw you we don't care what you think. This is our country, not theirs.

on Jul. 14 2010 at 2:54 pm
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

the past is the past and we should move on and then you begin ranting about a war that was 70 years ago?

on Jul. 14 2010 at 2:51 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

come on!!! the past is the past, now is now! don't get them mixed up! Today we have a different problem and we have to fix it, not try to figure out how things would have worked out. Now I agree that people shouldn't insult each other's countries, because it's useless anyway.

  And just to remind you: no one acted when Germany marches into Rhineland, no one acted Austria was annexxed, no one acted when Hitler demanded a part of the Czech Republic. Not USA not Britain not France not USSR, the powers of the day. That was the reason for the second world war- inertness of the powers. They let Hitler get away with doing things and then they had to get rid of Hitler.


on Jul. 14 2010 at 2:35 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

I cringed when I read your title. You knew that if you went there, you'd get a big bashing up, right?

   Okay, you might have facts, strong imagery, a scapegoat- very persuasive? not really. because most people today are ready to say that they or their ancestors hold fault for doing something wrong and continuing today, but they also know that they're not the only ones to blame. USA is not the only country that uses fossil fuels and lends money to countries. We as a world have to help each other and not blame each other- it's stupid and unproductive.


on Jul. 14 2010 at 12:30 am
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Stop kidding yourself.  We all know it was for oil.  The War on Terror is all a facade.  And if it was a terrorist attack in 2001, then why in the world did we invade Iraq?  And by the way, we should appreciate opinions from citizens of other countries as they have a different perspective.

on Jul. 14 2010 at 12:27 am
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

The point of this work was to convey a message, not to toy around with punctuation.  Sure it's nice, but it did not inhibit the reading process and is therefore not an issue.  And by the way, points 1 and 2 were rather redundant.

on Jul. 14 2010 at 12:22 am
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Stop playing the blame game.  At the end of the day, your whining won't make anyone more enthusiastic about doing their part and all you have to control are your actions.  So I think it's time to do your part

on Jul. 14 2010 at 12:19 am
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

This isn't so much a complaint as an informative piece

on Jul. 14 2010 at 12:19 am
AgnotTheOdd GOLD, Aptos, California
17 articles 0 photos 315 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The reason for your unreasonable treatment of my reason so enfeebles my reason that I have reason to complain of your reason&quot; ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Instead of saying "well other countries have problems too" perhaps we could get to a point where we decide to fix out problems.  Other countries have problems too, but why whine about problems or pass them off as trivial when we have an opportunity to do something about it.  Go out into the world and do your best to make it better.  In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."  Yes we can excuse ourselves for being imperfect, but that doesn't mean we stop striving for perfection and stop addressing problems so urgently.  Maybe I'm a bit of an idealist but I am sick and tired of people whining or excusing and not DOING.  Make the world a better place, the next generation of the world will thank you

on Jun. 22 2010 at 6:43 pm
Seabosking05 BRONZE, Upton, Massachusetts
2 articles 0 photos 16 comments
I also believe you left out that the UK is also a huge super country responsable for many worldd issues

on Jun. 22 2010 at 4:19 pm
h3yth3r3 BRONZE, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments
A agree with you all the way. This is exactly what I've been trying to tell people for forever now. It's jsut sad that very few of us realize these problems enough to actually think deep into them, and that very few is mostly the very few teens who aren't worried about getting intoxicated or texting. This world is going to s*** and honestly, when some astroid or some big stuff like that comes to destroy us, I will pity our race.