3 ms·

This is deflection, nothing more. Based on what exactly? You made a claim, without anything to back it up.

munk-a 4y ago
As someone who isn't a huge cheerleader for America I'll add a few specific points. The US rather recently used tear gas to disperse a crowd in an absolutely unjustifiable action - while China has been regularly assaulting Hong Kong residents that are trying to preserve their comparatively free local government. China is chomping at the bit to seize and annex the Republic of China (aka Taiwan) while the US has (granted, with a fair bit of awful execution) generally entered into wars without the explicit goal of bringing more territory under a dictator. On American internet I can criticize Biden, Trump, Manchin and Cruz without being concerned over what consequences the government will try and visit on me for my disloyalty. As a young teenager I watched a neighbor of mine flee the country after 9/11 due to their Omani heritage and relations and I was horrified at how middle-easterners were treated. Some Americans were even kidnapped in the middle of the night and detained (I'd argue illegally) in Gitmo. China has routinely rounded up anti-party agitators. In my early adulthood I watched a semi-serious debate in Vermont about voluntarily leaving the union - anyone even talking about advocating for a free and independent Tibet is routinely arrested. America has shifty credit score companies that dictate what you can and can't afford through opaque, mysterious and often quite flawed metrics - China has social credit. America, as flawed as they may be, has elections, and, again as flawed as they may be, does have two parties - precisely one more party than China has. It'd be really nice if both countries actually had a sane number of political parties but hey 2 > 1.
- alaricus 4y ago
  > America, as flawed as they may be, has elections, and, again as flawed as they may be, does have two parties - precisely one more party than China has. It'd be really nice if both countries actually had a sane number of political parties but hey 2 > 1. All those elections didn't stop a murderous rampage in the Middle East, resulting in the death and displacement of millions.
  - munk-a 4y ago
    As mentioned above, I'm not a cheerleader for America and I think I've quite clearly pointed out a lot of awful qualities about the country - my comparisons weren't "Here's why America is unimpeachably awesome vs. something terrible about China" - I tried to pick especially warty examples for America. If you want to say "America Bad" hey, I'm with you - but if you want to say "America is worse than China" then I think you've got some pretty rose tinted glasses on. And, lastly, this entire thread has reeked of whataboutism. Given your objection I tried to actually provide an explanation, so feel free to take that as you will.
    - alaricus 4y ago
      "Whataboutism" is what hypocrites say when their hypocrisy ia pointed out to them.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]

As someone who isn't a huge cheerleader for America I'll add a few specific points. The US rather recently used tear gas to disperse a crowd in an absolutely unjustifiable action - while China has been regularly assaulting Hong Kong residents that are trying to preserve their comparatively free local government. China is chomping at the bit to seize and annex the Republic of China (aka Taiwan) while the US has (granted, with a fair bit of awful execution) generally entered into wars without the explicit goal of bringing more territory under a dictator. On American internet I can criticize Biden, Trump, Manchin and Cruz without being concerned over what consequences the government will try and visit on me for my disloyalty. As a young teenager I watched a neighbor of mine flee the country after 9/11 due to their Omani heritage and relations and I was horrified at how middle-easterners were treated. Some Americans were even kidnapped in the middle of the night and detained (I'd argue illegally) in Gitmo. China has routinely rounded up anti-party agitators. In my early adulthood I watched a semi-serious debate in Vermont about voluntarily leaving the union - anyone even talking about advocating for a free and independent Tibet is routinely arrested. America has shifty credit score companies that dictate what you can and can't afford through opaque, mysterious and often quite flawed metrics - China has social credit. America, as flawed as they may be, has elections, and, again as flawed as they may be, does have two parties - precisely one more party than China has. It'd be really nice if both countries actually had a sane number of political parties but hey 2 > 1.

alaricus 4y ago
> America, as flawed as they may be, has elections, and, again as flawed as they may be, does have two parties - precisely one more party than China has. It'd be really nice if both countries actually had a sane number of political parties but hey 2 > 1. All those elections didn't stop a murderous rampage in the Middle East, resulting in the death and displacement of millions.
- munk-a 4y ago
  As mentioned above, I'm not a cheerleader for America and I think I've quite clearly pointed out a lot of awful qualities about the country - my comparisons weren't "Here's why America is unimpeachably awesome vs. something terrible about China" - I tried to pick especially warty examples for America. If you want to say "America Bad" hey, I'm with you - but if you want to say "America is worse than China" then I think you've got some pretty rose tinted glasses on. And, lastly, this entire thread has reeked of whataboutism. Given your objection I tried to actually provide an explanation, so feel free to take that as you will.
  - alaricus 4y ago
    "Whataboutism" is what hypocrites say when their hypocrisy ia pointed out to them.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]