4 ms·

> So yes, the US CAN claim moral superiority in many areas. Oh really? The biggest patriot of the US is forced to live in Russia because he pointed out, that

> So yes, the US CAN claim moral superiority in many areas. Oh really? The biggest patriot of the US is forced to live in Russia because he pointed out, that the US has built an apparatus for mass surveillance. That man is Edward Snowden. If he would go back home he would be killed, legally, that is, because your highly moral superior nation allows to sentence people to death (just like China, which is such a worse place to be). In general people that speak against the US are threatened. The US actually goes out of their way to try and silence these voices. Even as far as bullying other countries into their crap. Look at Julian Assange, who is forced to live in a tiny room for years now, because the US made sure to catch and extradite him as soon as he leaves the embassy in London. Which by the ruling of the United Nations in against basic human rights, yet Assange is sentenced to death in the embassy (just like dissidents in China). North Korea is bullyied by the world (on behalf of the US) because they have not opened to capitalism and they have a nuclear bomb. Which by the way the US has, yet the US arsenal is not only one bomb but more like one hundred bombs per country of the world. To be honest, I am more afraid of the lunatic in the white house to launch one of those bombs than the fatty in North Korea. The US always points at the free press and free speech, yet they created such an environment of leftist propaganda, that Sam Altman feels more safe to say things in China than in the Valley. The free press is so damn broken that they spent the last year talking about Russians manipulating their elections that Donald Trump can slip everything he wants into congress without anyone actually noticing. And while NYT, WashPo, LATimes, etc. keep talking about the bad Russians your nation turns into shit. Oh and I did not even mention the broken capitalism and lobbyists yet... I could do this for hours. The point is, nope moral high ground is long gone for you guys, in fact I think after Hiroshima you never had it.

athrun 9y ago
The US (along with the democratic free world) may have its own problems but it absolutely can claim some sort of moral superiority in many areas. You cite Julian Assange and Edward Snowden. Well, you can freely support, advocate, demonstrate or petition for their cause, in the open. Let me know how it goes for you if you were to try defending political dissidents in Russia, China or North Korea. The fact that we can debate these things in a public forum is proof of our moral superiority. This does not mean there aren't plenty of things we need to learn from these non-democratic societies. We just don't need to reject our moral beliefs to do so.
outworlder 9y ago
Oh geez, here we go. > your highly moral superior nation/ nope moral high ground is long gone for you guys Let me start this by saying that I am not a US citizen. Also not Chinese. > The biggest patriot of the US is forced to live in Russia because he pointed out, that the US has built an apparatus for mass surveillance. I understand his motivations. However, can you point to me a single country in the entire planet where theft of classified information would not be prosecuted to the full extent of the law? > If he would go back home he would be killed, legally, You don't know that. I don't know that. That is for the legal system to decide. > In general people that speak against the US are threatened. No they are not. There is a very big difference between "speaking out against" and actively leaking classified information. Go try it yourself, book a plane, go to the white house and go speak out. Nothing is going to happen to you, and you will find that you won't be the only one doing that. > yet Assange is sentenced to death in the embassy This hyperbole deserves no comment. > North Korea is bullyied by the world (on behalf of the US) because they have not opened to capitalism and they have a nuclear bomb There are other countries which share the same description and are not being "bullied". What the 'people's democratic oxymoronic country' has is a deranged lunatic, playing with weapons and oppressing his people. > To be honest, I am more afraid of the lunatic in the white house to launch one of those bombs than the fatty in North Korea. Checks and balances. You should look up those. > The free press is so damn broken I'll concede this point. Actually, we could say that the press is too goddamn free, to the point where channels can spread outright lies and nothing ever happens. But then again, you can choose who to listen to, there is no state propaganda (even though there is one network that would love to become one). > in fact I think after Hiroshima you never had it. Oh by the way, I love Japan. Been there, great country. But it is not like they were minding their own business in WWII and got surprise attacked with a new type of weapon. They were at war. Please, leave your couch, go to the US, see for yourself. Then do the same for other countries. I bet that at least some of your tone is going to change.
- dang 9y ago
  Nationalistic chest-beating and political flamewar are poster children for the kind of comments that do not belong on Hacker News. Would you please not do this again, regardless of how wrong someone else is or you feel they are? https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
dang 9y ago
Could you please not use HN for political and national flamewar? This is the last thing we want here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

athrun 9y ago

The US (along with the democratic free world) may have its own problems but it absolutely can claim some sort of moral superiority in many areas. You cite Julian Assange and Edward Snowden. Well, you can freely support, advocate, demonstrate or petition for their cause, in the open. Let me know how it goes for you if you were to try defending political dissidents in Russia, China or North Korea. The fact that we can debate these things in a public forum is proof of our moral superiority. This does not mean there aren't plenty of things we need to learn from these non-democratic societies. We just don't need to reject our moral beliefs to do so.

outworlder 9y ago

Oh geez, here we go. > your highly moral superior nation/ nope moral high ground is long gone for you guys Let me start this by saying that I am not a US citizen. Also not Chinese. > The biggest patriot of the US is forced to live in Russia because he pointed out, that the US has built an apparatus for mass surveillance. I understand his motivations. However, can you point to me a single country in the entire planet where theft of classified information would not be prosecuted to the full extent of the law? > If he would go back home he would be killed, legally, You don't know that. I don't know that. That is for the legal system to decide. > In general people that speak against the US are threatened. No they are not. There is a very big difference between "speaking out against" and actively leaking classified information. Go try it yourself, book a plane, go to the white house and go speak out. Nothing is going to happen to you, and you will find that you won't be the only one doing that. > yet Assange is sentenced to death in the embassy This hyperbole deserves no comment. > North Korea is bullyied by the world (on behalf of the US) because they have not opened to capitalism and they have a nuclear bomb There are other countries which share the same description and are not being "bullied". What the 'people's democratic oxymoronic country' has is a deranged lunatic, playing with weapons and oppressing his people. > To be honest, I am more afraid of the lunatic in the white house to launch one of those bombs than the fatty in North Korea. Checks and balances. You should look up those. > The free press is so damn broken I'll concede this point. Actually, we could say that the press is too goddamn free, to the point where channels can spread outright lies and nothing ever happens. But then again, you can choose who to listen to, there is no state propaganda (even though there is one network that would love to become one). > in fact I think after Hiroshima you never had it. Oh by the way, I love Japan. Been there, great country. But it is not like they were minding their own business in WWII and got surprise attacked with a new type of weapon. They were at war. Please, leave your couch, go to the US, see for yourself. Then do the same for other countries. I bet that at least some of your tone is going to change.

dang 9y ago
Nationalistic chest-beating and political flamewar are poster children for the kind of comments that do not belong on Hacker News. Would you please not do this again, regardless of how wrong someone else is or you feel they are? https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

dang 9y ago

Could you please not use HN for political and national flamewar? This is the last thing we want here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html