Thanks, Chess.com:)

Yes, I saw the Portugal game and I'd love to win one for them!

Here you go! I have, as you can see, petitioned for entry into the world league! (Doesn't that picture rock by the way!)

http://www.chess.com/groups/home/north-korea

I just signed up!

 You're one of the 95%.

Oh, please. I'm not remotely patriotic, but this is such tripe it's a joke.

Our government is "utterly corrupt"? You reveal how little you know about the rest of the world. First of all, yes, there is corruption, no doubt. But you will find corruption in every government. But would you like to see a government that's "utterly corrupt"? Look at Pakistan. My friend is from there. The entire police force is underpaid, so is basically a mercenary force. His brother was accused of the rape of a woman he had never met. He was arrested, and basically held ransom for a large sum of money. You'd think, ok, we have corrupt cops here too. But eventually, you can go to a higher power, and they'll sort out the mess, which does happen. There, you simply can't. The local judges are in on it too. And it keeps going, I don't know how far. And on a large scale.

Governments get harder to control as they get bigger, too. For the massive size of America, it's impressively free. I can make a blog this minute about how I'd like to tear America down, how I think all of our ideals are terrible, and how I'd actively like to commit treason (if I actually did, I don't). And not only could I make this blog without anyone having to let it go through, it would stay untouched, for as many people who wanted to to read it. China? FACEBOOK is banned. Facebook! I personally don't use or like the site, but that's a joke. Try making a much more mild blog than the one I just suggested, and you might get a visit to your house.

And the system is not "horribly broken". Of course you can find specific examples and anecdotal evidence of really terrible things. I'm not going to deny that people slip through the cracks. Bad things happen, and ocassionally people get completely screwed. But the difference between our government and a truly awful one is that here, those things are the outliers and exceptions, rather than the norm. What I recounted about my Pakistani friend is scarily common there, he tells me.

As for the "idiotic pap" you speak of...well, I don't know what to tell you. I don't watch most of the stuff that comes out of Hollywood. And I don't read "vapid rags". There will be crappy media, yes. But you're not forced to read/watch/listen to them. That's your fault if you do. There are intelligent alternatives to all of what you mentioned.

As for joining team Iran? And you say America is a bad country?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Iran

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Iran

Please. America isn't perfect. In fact, I don't think I'd live here if I had the choice. But it is better than SO many alternatives. Though there are still backward parts of the country, being gay isn't illegal. Our president doesn't deny the holocaust. We have a great amount of free speech. Capital punishment is very rare at this point, even in Texas.

The combination of your massive ignorance and outspokenness about this leads me to believe you're a 15 year old from the affluent suburbs who shops at Hot Topic, wears "anarchy" symbols, has a truly rebellious myspace, and parrots phrases that sound catchy and controversial.

Oh, and I should mention. I do have gripes with America. But they're not incredibly vague, pretentious, and poorly thought out.

You should know Spain is not Mexico. 

Well in U.S maps possibly...

I think they have little names of countries apart of U.S (wow), Canada, Mexico, Russia (former enemies), Cuba (evil communists), China (more evil communists), UK (best friends), Commonweath including Israel  and some insights in the places bombed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWR0ovZGu-M

Is there any country that isn't struggling in some way?

Switzerland

Allow me to rebutt...

Yes, our government is utterly corrupt. Congress is bought and paid for by large corporations and various special interests.

And yes, the system is utterly broken. Anyone who says otherwise has their head in the ground. Hell, our current President said as much when he was running for office.

Now, is America the worst country in the world? Hell no. Its a lot closer to the best than the worst. That is no reason to blindly close our eyes to its deep, and deepening, flaws. We might still be able to fix it.

But the day I start being happy with being "more free than Iran" and "less corrupt than Pakistan" is the day I turn in my passport and move to Europe.

Dude, take a joke. And I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that the reason people in Mexico call their language "Spanish" is that many years ago, they were settled by Spaniards. Kinda the same way we speak English, because we were at one time English. Get it?

As for the accuracy of U.S. Maps, I have two points...

1. I guarantee I'll take you in a geography test. Hell, we'll make it Europe only, I'll give you home court advantage.

2. We don't really worry to much about the accuracy of maps, as we can redraw them at our whim anyway. 

 Why so sure?

or joking?

Because congresspeople take "donations" when running for office isn't great, true. It's an awful part of the system. But they're not absolutely in the pockets of the corporations. The corporations have some sway, but not absolute say. The Tobacco Industry would love for cigarettes to be legal for 11 year olds, but that's not going to happen. What will happen is that they will sneak loopholes into the law and push some boundaries farther than they would be able to if they didn't lobby. But they won't get everything they want, which is what I would call "utterly corrupt". I'm not saying we're not corrupt, I'm just saying that we're not utterly corrupt, which is what he said.

I searched for Obama saying that the "system was broken". He seemed to have said something about the immigration system being broken, and I can imagine he also said something about the healthcare system. But the whole thing?

I also pointed out how much better we are than a place like Iran, not as a marker that that's what qualifies this as a good country, but because the OP said she doesn't identify herself with the US, yet joined team Iran.

Like I said, you can definitely find cases of injustice and such, but they're relatively rare. The fact that someone like that is notable here is proof that they are rare. You think every political prisoner or murdered activist in China, Pakistan, or Iran has a wikipedia page? No, because there are countless of them.

and...have I missed something? Does Obama not believe in the holocaust?

I don't know what you're on about, dec_Ian? Corruption in governments around the world are common. Police forces around the world help and hurt. This is understood by anyone. The U.S. is a unique case, as the blatant lies become exposed through continual investigation. The U.S. is trying to dominate whatever sovereign nations can be manipulated, and controlled. This is imperialism, with over 800 military bases world wide, over 30 nations invaded, governments overthrown, and peoples occupied just since the end of WW2. The number of people killed, and injured through these military and intelligence operations is staggeringly over 5 million and counting. It's a ceaseless attack on the world. All countries, and peoples of sovereign nations have been in danger and under continued threat of U.S. retribution if corporate and financial institutions here, are not given the influence demanded over country's economies and resources. The military of this nation is constantly fed by U.S. citizens through taxes. Up to 40, 50, 60 percent of U.S. taxes go to a military budget to a country that is not in danger of attack by any means, but a country that can't wait to go to war, loves war, bases the well being of the nation on war.
As for Iran. They haven't invaded a country for over 200 years. Their democratically elected government was overthrown by the U.S. and replaced with a monarchy that the people of that country wanted to be rid of. After over a quarter of a century of the people living under this U.S. instilled monarchy, the people revolted, overthrew the Shah and wanted a moral government, therefore turned to the Quaran, and the Ayatolla. It's their bloody country. If that's what they want they can have it. What the hell is the U.S. doing over there? The sick, twisted, greedy U.S. government, together with Israel want control of the region, and will lie, cheat, and murder to win support for this.
I don't know what you're on about getting all offended by the short way in which I explained my position to jesterville, but I read about U.S. foreign policy, U.S. history, and U.S. propaganda almost every day for years, and it sucks.

As far as Ahmadinejad "denying" the holocaust, I don't know where you get that except some Zionist press nonsense. Ahmadinejad questions why investigation of the holocaust is suppressed and banned in some European Countries. He is rightly suspicious of this, especially after one reads Finklestein's book, "The Holocaust Industry", where Finklestein points out organizations exploiting the holocaust in such an immoral way as to make just about anyone cautious of the Zionist agenda concerning one of history's horrific crimes.

Over/under on time this thread gets locked: 2200 GMT. I'm taking the under.

I had taken the joke. Well, I'll remember to put this 

in my following post

P.S : no way

I just want to say one thing before I stop posting in this thread.

I am an American. I love my country. I think at one time, America was a shining example to the world.

If I criticize my country, it is because I am disappointed in her. We can, and should, do better. America has lost its way, and needs to find it before it is too late. So please, those of you who take offense to my "bashing" of America, please understand... it is only because I still care.

Thanks!

Trysts, you express a hatred for America, its culture and most of its people that is greater than anything I've heard expressed by anyone about any country. This is not a "mood," you can't restrain yourself. This is your right.

I'm going to make a suggestion, and I'm not saying this to be mean or flippant. I'm not one of those "America, love it or leave it" types. Maybe you'd be happier living in another country. You're in Ann Arbor; why not check out Toronto? You could find a job there, maybe an ex - pat community that shares your views.

You value your freedom, and you are free to leave this country for one where you'll be happier.