Does the world look to the United States as a beacon of freedom?

Question

Greetings. I asked a similar question on the U.S. site, I thought I'd ask here as well, hoping for the perspective of Australian nationals.

Do such issues as wire-tapping by Homeland Security or the U.S.'s policies at Guantanano Bay seem to be erosions of freedom, travesties of justice... or just necessary evils? Do you think the world looks to the U.S. as the best example of a free country?

I feel we have seen some freedoms erode, but that we still have many freedoms other countries do not. England and Denmark seem "free" to me, perhaps in ways my own country is not. How does Australia stack up? I consider it a free country, though I don't really know much about its government. Is it fair to say Australia is a democracy that still recognizes the British crown?

I believe in the United States and the vision the founding fathers had for it. I think it's seeing some hard times, and I'm concerned about the current direction we seem to be going.

Thank you for any answers. :)

Answer 1

Dude...take it form another colony of the crown...CANADA...the U.S are a pain in the ass. Yes they DID have the right vision when they started and were chivalrous while fighting for it, but there is nothing that represents a hint of respect for any other nation (including their own) now a days.



Yes I am proud to have them as a neighbour....dont get me wrong, but right now...the UK, Auzzies and Canada have it 100 times better becuase at least we respect other nations of the world.



I see the the US is (possibly) the strongest country in the world, but they are quite lucky that they have the U.K and their cousin countries such as yours and mine as allies, otherwise they would be up "sh!ts creek".



There is a growing resentment towards the U.S across the world, and I for one will stand to help fight for them (not like theres much Canadians can do, thanks to our almost comedic military), but I am waiting for the day when they finally piss off one of their few allies such as the crown and those who have ties to them such as your county and ours.



Life is like playing the board game "RISK" eventually they will want to take a 2nd look at you and start liking their lips, and at that point (I think) all hell will break loose.



As it stands (and many people dont realize this) Canada is the #1 supplier of oil to the U.S...its not the middle east like everyone thinks. If they were to consider forcing their way of "life" on us I would like to think that we would have the backing of MANY countires throughout the world suchs as yours, the U.K, Russia, Germany, France, Italy etc.



They pick their battles wisley right now making sure that they have the support of scared countries and also making sure that they pick on countires that hardly anyone cares about, but one day they will slip, and the world will respond.



So to answer your question, NOBODY looks at the U.S as the best example of freedom. Austrailia is a democracy but recognizes only the theory of the crown kinda like Canadians do by whats called the Governor General. In theory this person represents teh MONARCHY AND HAS ABSOLUTE veto power over anything the country decides, but would never do so because we are not like the states.



Now Im starting to go off on a rant so I wil stop there.

Answer 2

I think that the rest of the world is tired of the current arrogant U.S. administration trying to tell everyone else what to do - while they are violating the rights of their own citizens. We used to be a beacon of hope, but I am ashamed that there wasn't more of an outcry when we learned about the indignity and torture of POW's that was taking place in Abu Gharib and Gitmo. We wouldn't want our own citizens treated that way, so it stands to reason that we shouldn't torture others and that anything said is inadmissable in court anyway. There was no major outcry when we learned that the current corrupt administration is breaking the law and spying on it's own citizen without a warrant. The FISA court was designed to safeguard the rights of American citizens at the same time they are extremely lenient in granting warrants for wiretaps. The criminals in power are most likely spying on their enemies, the same way that Richard Nixon did, and he tried to justify it by saying it wasn't illegal if the president does it. Talk about history repeating itself! We are a democracy and George Bush is not a king, although he seems to believe otherwise. And there are people who don't seem to understand The President of the United States may be the Commander in Chief of the Armed Services, but he is not the Commander in Chief of Americans. He was elected to serve us, and Bush has done nothing but serve the rich corporations and his cronies while the most vulnerable among us suffer! How does that hold up as a beacon of hope when the rich get richer and the poor are ignored, like the people in New Orleans who are still struggling to rebuild almost a year after Hurrican Katrina? There has never been a time in the existence of our country that there was not some grave threat, and even if there is a grave threat facing us - no one is above the law. How can other countries look to the U.S. as a beacon when our highest official brags about breaking the law, and condones torture? This is not what our founders had envisioned and I am looking forward to having the rule of law restored when the current clueless president is impeached for violating our civil rights under the guise of hunting terrorists. There is no excuse!

Answer 3

No more my friend.



Freedom is just a nice sounding word.



I like nice sounding words like Liberty and Democracy.



Watching our leader using these words is music to my ears.



Ah freedom, the ability to do anything that I please without breaking the law. I can run my air conditioner higher in this heat and add to the heat outside...I'm free to do that, but I won't because the freedom of getting a high energy bill hurts my budget. so I do with fans while everyone is getting cooked up ouside just to keep their indoors safe and secure and cool.



Safe and secure...everyone is today, staying in their homes and never going outdoors...this is where we got ourseves today and it's a far reach from what the founding fathers anticipated.



Representation...voting into office people who will vote in our favor when we're not around...not getting to know who these people are...finding out they have their own interests that come before our interests...not what the founding fathers anticpated.



Rather, we all should be involved with our destiny and be participating in our government.



Hey, I won't ramble on any further, you get the point.

Answer 4

I feel our country was hijacked by the Bush team, the agenda, includes tax breaks and tak cuts for the top 30% of the wealthiest Americans, his doctrine to invade Iraq was a mistake, it's horrific what is happening to those innocent Iraqi people, there killing each other, about 100 per day,,,nearly 3,000 of our soldiers have died,, nearly 10,000 injured-and over 100,000 dead Iraqis,, and no end in sight,,,, the mess is so critical for the USA, Democrats will take back the house and senate soon and hopefully the hate for America will be a thing of the past.

Answer 5

Australia is more of a democracy than the US, owing to the influence of the military-industrial complex in the States. It seems only a multi-millionaire can run for President these days and the last two Presidential elections were 'stolen' thanks to disenfranchising people and having partisan officials destroy enrollments.

The USA used to be the beacon for liberty and democracy, now it seems to be on its way to a fascist military state which dictates that other countries follow its model of 'democracy'.

Answer 6

At this point who gives a hood what the rest of the world think about us. Just imagine other countries with the powers we possess, what they would do. Do you want me to name a few? Germany, France, Iran, Japan, China, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, North Corea, Egypt, Russia...do you want me to continue? God Bless America my friend! We are a beacon of freedom! Which other country in the history of the world ever established a precedent like we have done historically. we have made lots of mistakes, but we are a progressive people, bent to the protection of our way of life. Take a ride from Key West to Niagara Falls, from California to New York. Do you think this great nation of ours was build by weaklings and cowards. Read our history, and the people that created our country. I am proud to live in the same land with people, unlike any other people in the whole world. Just look around and then tell me, who do you find in this world like us, in spite of our shortcomings?

Answer 7

not at all, USA is not seen as a sign or a defender of freedom by 1.2 billion Muslim. by 400 million European, by 1.3 Billion Chinese, and by most of the third world countries.. and that's another 2 billions. What's left, it's Jews.. only Jews are the big supporters of USA.

USA helps Israel "the Jewish state" to commit atrocities and crimes against the Palestinians, the Lebanese.. and in the past against the Syrians, the Egyptians.....And the recent Qana massacre and the way USA dealt with it is a big proof that USA is driving its policies in the wrong direction.



I am Australian, originally a christian from the middle east, and I tell you that we didn't ever see USA as a sign of freedom... may be that was in the very past, like in the 19 century....



But after the Jewish power moved over to it, after the WW2, after Britain.. USA became the source of evil for us in the Middle East by supporting Israel.

Answer 8

I think America USED to be a great beacon of freedom. Our current administration has made a mockery of the consititution, our civil liberties, and questioned our patriotism at every turn. We attacked a country without any justification, and we have been loath to find any good out of our work in the middle east. Hopefully, America will come out of these dark days soon. As for our founding fathers, we give them too much credit. They were slave owning men , who were as human as the next of us.

Answer 9

Absolutely!

History will vindicate the United States and President Bush!

Answer 10

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Answer 11

The bottom line is YES...



We are not the lion in the jungle... we are more like an elephant that keep things in order.



Many nations attack the US, but when the true evil arises in the world, who has the strenght to fight that evil ?



If one thinks the US is the evil... well there's nothing more for me to say... that person is a moral fool.

Answer 12

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Answer 13

We've got more freedom than those in Europe, the government actually trusts us with guns that could be the end of any regime.

Answer 14

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Because most Americans are not mature and intelligent enough to handle the freedoms we have.

Answer 15

Because most Americans are not mature and intelligent enough to handle the freedoms we have.



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Answer 16

not the entire world,no. for some countries the US is a bloodsucking capitalist that preys on smaller and less powerful nations to gain access to their natural resources.

Answer 17

Unfortunantly, a lot of things have become acceptable due to the times we live in.

Answer 18

Thanks to Bu$h & Company the United States is hated around the entire world.

Answer 19

Not any more.