From Ariana Grande to Alec Baldwin, I can’t seem to understand why so many Americans hate America and hate Western culture. Patriotism is something that our country is seriously lacking. My grandmother is a Filipina woman who moved here when she married my grandfather at the age of 18, and she is the most patriotic person I know. Perhaps it’s because, unlike the spoiled millennials and the clueless celebrities, she knows struggle and knows that America gave her opportunities that she wouldn’t have been likely to receive had she stayed in the Philippines.
Just last semester I was asked to help a Chinese student in one of my classes. I asked him how he felt about leaving China to go to school in America. He had been in the country for two years and said, “I love living here. America is the best country, after all.” At first, I thought he was speaking sarcastically. I didn’t know what to say back because I never hear anyone say that they love America or that it’s the best country (besides my grandmother). Then I realized, that’s the problem. We as citizens should celebrate our country and should be proud to be a part of western civilization. Though the government has many problems it needs to address, like the trillions of dollars of debt we owe, we have freedoms unlike many other countries today. Freedom of press, religion, speech, and so on. No matter what your opinion is, you are free to express it, and that is by far the greatest part about living in Western society. With those freedoms also come protections, laws that prevent discrimination, and hate crimes to ensure the safety and the well-being of the citizens of the United States.
An example of Chinese media
China, on the other hand, is among the top countries with the toughest restrictions on media, especially investigative journalism. Freedom House states, “Article 35 of the constitution guarantees freedoms of speech, assembly, association, and publication, but such rights are subordinated to the discretion of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) and its status as the ruling power. Moreover, the constitution cannot, in most cases, be invoked in court as a legal basis for asserting individual rights. Judges are appointed by the CCP and generally follow its directives, particularly in politically sensitive cases.” (For more information on China’s restrictions on their media have a look at this link.)
That being said, no wonder my Chinese classmate was glad to be living in the United States. Our press ranges from the liberals on CNN to the conservatives on Fox News with everything in between. And, unlike in China, speaking out against the government’s actions won’t get you thrown in jail.
So why exactly do people hate America so much? We can have a look at some American celebrities for the answer. On July 4, 2012, comedian Chris Rock tweeted, “Happy white peoples independence day the slaves weren't free but I'm sure they enjoyed fireworks.” I in no way condone slavery. It is a dark mark on the history of our country. However, the Fourth of July is a celebration of America’s independence from a tyrannical government. As an American, you would think that celebrities like him who make a living in edgy comedy and frequently question and make fun of the government would be proud of the freedoms won for us by our forefathers on that day.
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Another more recent incident of celebrity hate on America came from Ariana Grande. Though she apologized after her donut fiasco, who can really forget her words: “I hate Americans. I hate America.” One can only assume she was commenting on the size of one of the donuts in the case because America is obviously a country where bigger means better. I do believe customers should be conscious of what foods they are putting in their bodies, but I do not believe it is her place to judge, especially since she was, in fact, a customer at said donut shop. Sadly, she is both a spoiled millennial and a clueless celebrity. I have no patience for American citizens who claim they hate America and continue to live in the country. There is an answer to your problems: Leave. It is as simple as that. No one is holding you here against your will, though the same can’t be promised to you if you live in another country.
These are not the only incidents of hate towards America spread by celebrities, but I would rather focus on the reasons why this country is great. I would rather spread patriotism than give ridiculous radical leftists the floor any longer.
First of all, Western society, especially countries like America, Great Britain, and France allow for multiculturalism. They also allow for intellectual freedom that gives me the ability to write articles like this and you the ability to read them. We are accepting of most other cultures and lifestyle decisions. One may ask, what about homosexuals, transgendered people, etc.? Though America just recently allowed gay marriage, the American government did not enforce the death penalty on open homosexuals before gay marriage was allowed. There are countries that do enforce a death penalty on homosexuals and do not allow homosexuals to marry, like Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has no laws protecting against the discrimination of homosexuals. (For more information on LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia, check out this link).
There are 195 official countries in the entire world. Though America was not the first, it was a major leader in the women’s suffrage movement as well as the abolition of slavery. Third-wave feminists argue about a gender pay gap and about an oppressive patriarchal society, forgetting that in places like Saudi Arabia women are unable to leave their homes without a chaperone, drive a car, go swimming, or even try on clothing while shopping. (This article has more information on what women are not allowed to do in Saudi Arabia). In fact, women are so much more oppressed in Saudi Arabian society that rape victims are punished worse than their rapist. India TV News reported, “A court in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia sentenced 200 lashes and a jail term to a woman who was raped by seven men.” What punishment did the seven men incur? India TV News states, “the rapists were sentenced to just five years in prison.” (The full story can be found through this link).
Even with all our liberties, some still feel like we should be ashamed of American patriotism and of American culture. In March of 2015, Fox News reported, “A group of university professors has signed a letter showing their solidarity with students who tried to ban the American flag at the University of California, Irvine—because they said Old Glory contributes to racism” (full article at Fox News). We are now living in a culture where we are expected to be ashamed of our own country’s flag.
However, we aren’t alone in this embarrassing struggle to force political correctness on an entire country under the guise of “not offending other cultures” and in the process erasing our own. Bristol, a city in Great Britain, refuses to celebrate St. George’s Day this year. St. George’s Day is a celebration much like the Fourth of July in America, and Bristol has taken it upon itself to decide that this national holiday is too offensive toward immigrants to celebrate. Italy is also guilty of hiding its culture when Iranian President Rouhani visited the country earlier this year. The Italian government ordered famous nude artworks be covered as not to offend the Muslim leader who was visiting one of the museums in Rome.
Museum in Rome covers famous nude statues.
While Western countries walk on eggshells as not to offend anyone, places like Iran are banning holidays like Valentine’s Day. Breitbart News coverage states, “Symbols of hearts, half-hearts, red roses, and any activities promoting this day are banned,” state media reported at the time. “Authorities will take legal action against those who ignore the ban” (to see the full Breitbart coverage check out this link). Even worse than the banning of western holidays is the fact that in Saudi Arabia, religious leaders are known to have made statements condoning the rape of young girls. “‘The ulema have agreed that it is permissible for fathers to marry off their small daughters, even if they are in the cradle,’ the edict declared. ‘But it is not permissible for their husbands to have sex with them unless they are capable of being placed beneath and bearing the weight of the men. And their capability in this regard varies based on their nature and capacity. Aisha was six when she married the prophet, but he had sex with her when she was nine, that is, when she was deemed capable.’ Fawzan said there is nothing in Islamic, or Shariah law, that sets a minimum age limit on marrying girls.” (Read more on Saudi Arabian religious leaders and their statements about marrying and having intercourse with children through this link)
I do not pretend that the U.S. is without flaw. Our country needs major reform in many areas of the government. However, I am glad I was fortunate enough to be born into a country that is accepting of other cultures, does not murder homosexuals or transgender members of society, and does not condone the marriage or the rape of young children. Western society is a shining star among other cultures. Watching any news source should make that abundantly clear. It it easy to take our civil liberties for granted. I urge you, the next time you feel the need to curse America or any other Western countries for that matter, take a good long minute to think about just how good you actually have it.
