Michelle Obama Confuses USA With Saudi Arabia
About the USA, First Lady Michelle Obama said at the United Nations, "We still struggle with ... harmful cultural norms that tell women how they are expected to look and act."
We have these for men, too. They're called "civilization." This is the most free country on the planet. Norms here, unlike in Saudi Arabia, do not come with morality police slinking around every corner, looking to throw you in a cage and give you a caning.
I've violated "norms" my whole life, like the "get married and have children" norm -- along with the "be normal" norm. Sure, there are tradeoffs, but I choose to be as I am, and it's not a form of persecution when people try to push me to get married or when they look askance for me for being unmarried or working all the time.
"This is the most free country on the planet."
Hey Amy, check out this list comparing freedom around the globe.
You can weight the sort as you see fit (gun rights, drug rights, etc). With all 10 parameters set to "crucial", the USA comes in 10th place, beaten by such countries as Uruguay and Estonia...
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 27, 2014 12:38 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2014/09/27/michelle_obama_3.html#comment-5147067">comment from Gog_Magog_Carpet_ReclaimersThanks, Gog.
Sadly, we're really receding fast.
Amy Alkon at September 27, 2014 12:53 PM
Michelle Obama hates the USA and has never studied US history. The Obamas are white trash.
Pat Hatt at September 27, 2014 6:46 PM
The US is sliding in freedom, no doubt about it. The countries above it in freedom likely wouldn't stay that way if the US just goes away. Mrs Obama is a shallow thinker at best, at probably never occurred to her to notice the difference between purity police who will beat you should you violate their norms and advertising in the US that pushes a certain look or mode of dress.
buzz at September 27, 2014 6:59 PM
" With all 10 parameters set to "crucial", the USA comes in 10th place, beaten by such countries as Uruguay and Estonia..."
But all 10 parameters at crucial isn't realistic. Life is full of tradeoffs and not all the freedoms listed there are equally important.
With only Gun Freedom, Freedom of Speech/Religion, and Property Rights listed as crucial. U.S. is number one. I consider those three absolutely fundamental. If you don't have those, all your other freedoms are illusory.
Cloudbuster at September 27, 2014 7:01 PM
In reply to Gog's post, take a look at the criteria that can be can be scaled and the USA ranking might change. When I made a few changes the USA moved up to 3rd place. Business freedom is critical for me.
Robert at September 27, 2014 7:04 PM
"Hey Amy, check out this list comparing freedom around the globe."
The more I look at this list, the more skeptical I am. Mexico is listed as best in the world for "Drug Freedom." Is Mexico, ravaged by warring drug cartels, really anybody's idea of drug freedom utopia?
Cloudbuster at September 27, 2014 7:09 PM
It's not just slipping, fascist wannabes like our current EffingBI director are trying to push it down:
'BI Director James B. Comey sharply criticized Apple and Google on Thursday for developing forms of smartphone encryption so secure that law enforcement officials cannot easily gain access to information stored on the devices — even when they have valid search warrants.'
Hey, Comey, if we didn't know that you clowns and the NSA have been breaking the law and ethics to read our e-mail and texts and listen to our calls, maybe we wouldn't be so worried about having to lock you out of them.
But you have been, and we are, so screw you. You people had a big hand in causing this, so deal with it.
I'll throw in that nasty little bastard who runs the TSA, who announced that in his opinion flying isn't just a method of travel, it's a 'privilege'.
Firehand at September 27, 2014 7:11 PM
Canada gets "100" for freedom of speech? B.S. That's the country where Ezra Levant got hauled up before a "human rights" panel for QUOTING Muslims saying stuff other Muslims don't want publicized.
Nate Whilk at September 27, 2014 7:50 PM
"Mexico is listed as best in the world for "Drug Freedom." Is Mexico, ravaged by warring drug cartels, really anybody's idea of drug freedom utopia?"
You don't understand! (whine)
Mexico will be Paradise if another nearby country just legalizes the drugs they battle over!
Radwaste at September 28, 2014 1:41 AM
To anyone who checked out that link, I didn't say it was perfection, just that you can crank the values to fit your preferences.
It's built on statistics. Or damned lies. And statistics.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 28, 2014 8:39 AM
That freedom list is not terrible, but it missing several important category -- how about free elections? seems like an obvious component of freedom [and Hong Kong might drop quite a bit if it were included]. Whereas they included "freedom from inflation." which seems a little bizarre [not that it's unimportant, but it's not quite the same sort of freedom]
TMA at September 28, 2014 9:21 AM
Hong Kong rates above the USA? Not any more!
"HONG KONG POLICE use tear gas on pro-democracy protesters"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/28/hong-kong-protests_n_5895380.html
Nate Whilk at September 28, 2014 12:01 PM
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