Why the other countries think America is crazy

[Distind]

You didn't say "majority," you said, "people who typically don't vote." People who typically don't vote aren't necessarily the deciding factor in a majority.

Not to mention after subtracting in the under 18 and felon populations a majority of the country voting for someone is remarkably unlikely.

[Tolpuddle Martyr]

1) Our gun laws are quite lax compared to the rest of the world, but its as much an issue of wrangling with the 2nd Amendment as it is simple practicality.  America has a total landmass of ~9.83 million square kilometers.  For comparison, England has a landmass of 243,610 square kilometers.  We're over 40 times the size of England.  Policing that much area on a federal level is very difficult, logistically. 

Aussie here, we have gun laws that are arguably the strictest in the world. Much lower population density than you and 7,741,000 km².

[starseeker]

You didn't say "majority," you said, "people who typically don't vote." People who typically don't vote aren't necessarily the deciding factor in a majority.

Not to mention after subtracting in the under 18 and felon populations a majority of the country voting for someone is remarkably unlikely.

Do felons still not regain the vote after being let out of prison? Because that's kinda retarded if it is.

[TheReasonator]

You didn't say "majority," you said, "people who typically don't vote." People who typically don't vote aren't necessarily the deciding factor in a majority.

Not to mention after subtracting in the under 18 and felon populations a majority of the country voting for someone is remarkably unlikely.

Do felons still not regain the vote after being let out of prison? Because that's kinda retarded if it is.

It depends on the state. I think we should let felons vote from prison. Two states, Vermont and Maine allow felons to vote from prison and haven't suffered any serious problems from it.

[StallChaser]

It takes a lot of batshit crazy people for the Republican party to even remotely have a chance in politics.  The thing is, it's easy for the crazies to overrun everything when the media is under the control of manipulative assholes who use it for their own advantage.  The problem isn't that Americans are crazy, but that most people in general are crazy under the wrong circumstances, and and American politics are a good example of that.  And not even the perfect example (that would be the middle east).

[dietcokewithlemon]

Been to the US, have worked there and have worked with lots of Americans over here in the UK. Most of them are nice people, some of the kindest most educated people I have ever met, but....

In Europe we have certain rights such as free speech. We believe that you have the right to say whatever you want but are expected ( kind of unwritten rule ) to try not be be blatantly offensive. Obviously we have dicks over here but they are rightly confronted by the mainstream and marginalised. The debate on evolution pretty much ended when Life of Brian came out.

In America you have similar rights, however many Americans believe that if you have the right to something then YOU MUST DO IT. TO THE MAX. ITS YOUR RIGHT. Freedom of speech becomes a REQUIREMENT to be rude, confrontational and abusive. You get lawmakers making blatantly racists statements that in Europe would finish their career. To the American mindset calling Obama a "dirty brown communist" is not racist - its freedom of speech. Its my damn right to say whatever I want no matter how offensive or factually incorrect it is.
Allowed to own guns? Yeah I want a fucking machine gun. No I want five. And a flamethrower. Just because.
Like big cars? Yeah I want a fucking humv. Climate change is bull. I am going to burn even more gas.

America has this strange "its my right to be a fucking ignorant arsehole" attitude. It's everyone's right to be a dick, but in the US its something a lot of people aspire to. Being an offensive loudmouth who talks big, shouts loud, insults everyone, never takes advice, never listens to the other side, etc, is considered a sign of strength.

[dietcokewithlemon]

And my current two favourite tv shows are Real Housewives of Beverley Hills and Doomsday Preppers.

[rookie]

America has this strange "its my right to be a fucking ignorant arsehole" attitude. It's everyone's right to be a dick, but in the US its something a lot of people aspire to. Being an offensive loudmouth who talks big, shouts loud, insults everyone, never takes advice, never listens to the other side, etc, is considered a sign of strength.

We do have that right, and sometimes people do take that approach. But we also suffer from the problem of w can't keep the most ignorant gasbags off the television. And you having been here and worked with us, I have to assume you've seen that.

[TheReasonator]

Been to the US, have worked there and have worked with lots of Americans over here in the UK. Most of them are nice people, some of the kindest most educated people I have ever met, but....

In Europe we have certain rights such as free speech. We believe that you have the right to say whatever you want but are expected ( kind of unwritten rule ) to try not be be blatantly offensive. Obviously we have dicks over here but they are rightly confronted by the mainstream and marginalised. The debate on evolution pretty much ended when Life of Brian came out.

In America you have similar rights, however many Americans believe that if you have the right to something then YOU MUST DO IT. TO THE MAX. ITS YOUR RIGHT. Freedom of speech becomes a REQUIREMENT to be rude, confrontational and abusive. You get lawmakers making blatantly racists statements that in Europe would finish their career. To the American mindset calling Obama a "dirty brown communist" is not racist - its freedom of speech. Its my damn right to say whatever I want no matter how offensive or factually incorrect it is.
Allowed to own guns? Yeah I want a fucking machine gun. No I want five. And a flamethrower. Just because.
Like big cars? Yeah I want a fucking humv. Climate change is bull. I am going to burn even more gas.

America has this strange "its my right to be a fucking ignorant arsehole" attitude. It's everyone's right to be a dick, but in the US its something a lot of people aspire to. Being an offensive loudmouth who talks big, shouts loud, insults everyone, never takes advice, never listens to the other side, etc, is considered a sign of strength.

A lot of people don't get that "government" is just one form of "social control" and that "freedom of speech" is a restriction only on that particular form of social control. Criticism, even disdain is a perfectly acceptable response to someone's speech.

When someone brings up "free speech" to justify being a douchebag I remind them that I also have free speech and I can use my free speech to call them a douchebag.

[RavynousHunter]

1) Our gun laws are quite lax compared to the rest of the world, but its as much an issue of wrangling with the 2nd Amendment as it is simple practicality.  America has a total landmass of ~9.83 million square kilometers.  For comparison, England has a landmass of 243,610 square kilometers.  We're over 40 times the size of England.  Policing that much area on a federal level is very difficult, logistically. 

Aussie here, we have gun laws that are arguably the strictest in the world. Much lower population density than you and 7,741,000 km².

True, but you also don't share a border with a country that's more famous for drug cartels and illegal gun shipments than it is for clean drinking water.

[Lt. Fred]

The net gun trade goes INTO Mexico, not out of it.