Those were the days: when was America greatest? When was life in the US best?

@giujohn,

You can be selective in your choice of statistics, but the big picture is what counts for most reasonable people, because it affects everybody in this country. As a citizen of this country I fear violence from whites more than I do from other minorities.
We lived in Naperville, IL, in the sixties, and I used to walk on the South Side of Chicago where most blacks in Chicago live, because that's the location for the Museum of Science and Industry, one of my favorites in Chicago. I never feared for my safety.
When I did visit the Museum of Science and Industry, I used to walk in that neighborhood just out of curiosity. That's what I've done all my life as I traveled the world. I even visited Israel when family and friends told me I was nuts to go at a time there was violence in that country. I've been to Israel twice. I've been to 85 countries, and never feared for my safety.
Visited Egypt just months after the violence at one of the major sites where several German tourists got killed. What made that trip enjoyable was that the sites were not crowded. Even at Hatshipsut's Temple, the crowds were minimal, and I've visited there when there were thousands.

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@cicerone imposter,

Freedom of speech doesn't mean anyone has to listen to you.

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@izzythepush,

Of coarse not! You can even tell the speaker to go to ________.

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@cicerone imposter,

You know that, and I know that, but the likes of Gooey seem to think it doesn't apply to them.

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@cicerone imposter,

cicerone imposter wrote:

You can be selective in your choice of statistics, but the big picture is what counts for most reasonable people, because it affects everybody in this country. As a citizen of this country I fear violence from whites more than I do from other minorities.
We lived in Naperville, IL, in the sixties, and I used to walk on the South Side of Chicago where most blacks in Chicago live, because that's the location for the Museum of Science and Industry, one of my favorites in Chicago. I never feared for my safety.
When I did visit the Museum of Science and Industry, I used to walk in that neighborhood just out of curiosity. That's what I've done all my life as I traveled the world. I even visited Israel when family and friends told me I was nuts to go at a time there was violence in that country. I've been to Israel twice. I've been to 85 countries, and never feared for my safety.
Visited Egypt just months after the violence at one of the major sites where several German tourists got killed. What made that trip enjoyable was that the sites were not crowded. Even at Hatshipsut's Temple, the crowds were minimal, and I've visited there when there were thousands.

"There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps... then turn around and see somebody white and feel relieved."

Jesse Jackson

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@Real Music,

tRump claims he gives lots of money to the poor. But he wont define what lots is.

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@RABEL222,

It's like when jesus fed thousands with a loaf of bread and a fish. Nobody else seems to be aware of this historic event.

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@RABEL222,

Quote:

tRump claims he gives lots of money to the poor. But he wont define what lots is.

For Donald Chump, lots might equal to zero, not even a penny.
I seriously doubt that for someone who has a long history of not paying his bills, and stiffing people of what he owes them, give s a crap about donating money to the less fortunate.

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@nimh,

I would say the roaring twenties were the best because after that was the Great Depression, WWII, then the Cold War.

Before that time was the Civil War and slavery. So, I presume that this small period would have been the best.

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@Real Music,

Some people already investigated charities in New York City, and they couldn't even find one where Trump donated to them. That's after he said he donated to a veteran's organization. Not one.
When he was challenged that no charity to a veteran's organization were found where he donated, he then gave $1 million.
He tries to cover his tracks, but liars like Trump can't keep up with the lies.

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@cicerone imposter,

Quote:

He tries to cover his tracks, but liars like Trump can't keep up with the lies.

The only time Donald Chump lies is when he opens his mouth and speak. So, if someone were to put a gag over his mouth, he would be unable to lie.

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@Real Music,

The facts about Trump's donation.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-claims-he-gave-1-million-to-veterans-charity/

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@nimh,

Well, I am 22 years old so I think I fall in the category of millennials. My opinion is I do not care about the long term future of myself or my money, because the short term seems so radical and forces me to think in a different sort of manner.

In this election it truly is unique. I believe many people are voting for trump because they despise Hillary, conversely, I think many are voting for Hillary because they despise Trump and see him as a new form of Hitler.

My point being that the election seems remarkable futile, because most people do not like either of the candidates.

We should unite, not under a party necessarily, but because this is serious and important election. We need to exercise our freedom of speech and we need to show that we do not approve of the current system.

But, that does not mean that the tyrannical nature of Trump is the solution. It is a difficult situation, but we need to unite under common principles. We need to redefine the form of government we currently live under. This is the only way.

But I may be a voice in the wilderness. I do not care. I think what I say resonates with many and we need to unite, because a united front can overcome anything; we must not fear.

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@saw038,

Yep, I'd classify you as millenial as a 22 yo.

I think one of the flaws in the American system is the idea you have to 'like' your leader - as opposed to think they will do a decent job leading it.

Saying 'we need to unite under common principles' is easy to say - but can you iterate what those common principles might be?

Also not sure what you mean by '"redefine" the form of government' - I maybe a pedant but redefining something doesn't change it.

I am genuinely interested - not trying to attack you, only to understand what you're trying to say.

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One is often faced with a choice which has nothing to do with liking the candidate. It is wrong to assume that this is a political value of Americans. Sometimes one just has to hold one's nose and make the best of a bad situation. I'm not either enamored of Clinton, nor do i trust her to genuinely have my interests at heart. The alternative, however, is unthinkable.

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@Real Music,

Real Music wrote:

For Donald Chump, lots might equal to zero, not even a penny.

You draw lots, and try to win the penny.

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@saw038,

Quote saw038:

Quote:

I would say the roaring twenties were the best because after that was the Great Depression, WWII, then the Cold War.

Before that time was the Civil War and slavery. So, I presume that this small period would have been the best.

I think the twenties were an exciting time culturally and probably were the best times in America compared to what went before,with one huge exception. Ellis Island was in full swing and tons of immigrants were pouring in, mostly from Europe, bringing in all kinds of new cultural influences. There seemed to be a cultural, scientific and intellectual blossoming underway anyway, aside from that. Cars were becoming more and more common. Air travel was becoming quite popular. Jazz-a departure from the strictly Western music tradition-was introduced on the scene, no doubt aided by invention of the phonograph.

Women had been given the right to vote and were achieving more, no longer bound to the home. Here's the big exception, though. Despite the progress with women's rights, there was nothing going on in the field of nonwhite rights. Not only that, the Ku Klux Klan was considered a respectable organization, even the president was a member. Lynchings and other activities were in full swing. So if you were white, (about 89% of the country was), the 1920's was a comparatively great time. If you were not white, you were in serious trouble-even your very life was in danger.

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@Blickers,

On the downside, polio was a constant fear and you could die from a small cut if it got infected. Extremely poor delivery practices resulted in very high maternal deaths during and after delivery. Infant deaths in the first year of life was a very real concern.

People really don't appreciate what we have now. Advances in medicine, communications, transportation and civil rights are all things we take for granted. Life was much harder and more dangerous even just a few decades ago.

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@engineer,

When I made the choice of the twenties, I took it on the basis of being good compared to what things were like before. Various advances in many fields make living in the present time better, probably 40% of the people today under 40 would suffer severe emotional and even physical difficulties if you took away their cell phone. Or even substituted an Android for an iPhone. So I interpreted "best" as meaning reaching dramatic new heights of betterment over how things were before.

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@hingehead,

By redefine I not mean change the definition, but rather change the current system we live. Politicians have merged with bureaucratic agendas.

One of the problems with Capitalism is it too successful in production. Consequently, it requires continually consuming. But when is it enough? When is one happy with the material objects they have and do not crave to buy new ones. Now, I speak many about luxuries such as fancy cars that may have some neat features, but my 2000 F150 performs the most basic task of a car: it gets me to where I am going.

So, I guess what I meant by uniting under common principles would be a large number of people coming together and agreeing that something needs to change within the system. I don't believe any president can do this because they can not go against the large corporations and their agendas which is purely making more money.

However, we has consumers could vote with our dollar. We could not fall for the psychological games implicit in advertising that seems to put forth the notion that newer is always better and I need the next new thing.

I think if a large number of people did this, we could change the system.

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Those were the days: when was America greatest? When was life in the US best?

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