What is being considered by many political experts as the worst American presidential election in our country’s history since John Adams called his opponent Thomas Jefferson “hermaphroditic” in order to slander his name, is, thankfully, coming to a close. We’ve been through quite a lot this election cycle, and it can be hard to remember exactly why anyone would want to live in the self-proclaimed Home of the Brave in the first place. What, with the constant protesting, large amount of gun violence, and our weird worship of the American flag, it seems like emmigration from the states is the only choice. I, like most of the American people, have considered such a drastic move multiple times, especially after the 2016 election. So, I’ve compiled a few reasons not to get that green card so soon, and appreciate America for what it does have to offer. Really.
1. Homogeneity is Dead and America Killed It.
Despite what stereotypes and fear-mongering politicians might tell you, there is no one way to look or be American. Christianity and English are considered the default here, but even those aren’t constant enough for the country to declare them national norms. Representation in the media doesn’t always do this justice, but America really is the land of complexity, the land of varied identity, and that’s something that’s admirable in any country.
2.The World Is Pretty Cold to Those With Multiple Intersections
By this, I mean, America is the land of identity–the word “me” is in the country’s name. I cannot think off of the top of my head of another country where someone who is considered “diverse” or a “minority” is encouraged by the general public to be tolerated and celebrated.
3. We Have Quite a Hold on Social Media
Netflix. Pokemon Go. Facebook. What do these internet-based product have in common? They’re all American-based (along with almost all of the internet)! There are countries within North-America that still don’t have Pokemon Go, for goodness sakes. Because the Internet is an American invention, most websites are centered around us, which means we’re the first ones to get new memes, new trends, and even the best rates on shipping from online stores.
4. Monster Food Portions and Free Refills
These are not common elsewhere in the world. Sure, it can be argued that this only adds to our food waste, but if you order big in America, you will get big. Foodies and broke college students rejoice!
5. We Really Do Feel Entitled to…Everything
This can be framed in a negative connotation, but hear me out. Remember how I pointed out that there’s constant protesting here in the USA? That’s because we don’t shut up about what we think is right. In fact, that attitude is encouraged here, easily more than anywhere else in the world. Injustice and oppression is ubiquitous in our nation, but so is opposition to these horrid things. We do not accept things lying down; we fight for them. We use our voices to express our disdain about wrong doings, and we rarely regret them. The Black Lives Matter movement, for example, is based here in America, and efforts from this group have since heightened the public’s awareness on crimes against Black people within our context, to the point that the term “Black Lives Matter” is less of a statement and more of an assertion that can be recognized in any household. We are innovative and we ask questions. We don’t just go ‘well, that’s how things are,’ because we know it doesn’t always have to be that way.
This article isn’t meant for you to become the most patriotic person in the world, but I do hope it helps you cope with living under the rule of our next president.