How Many Of You Hate America? | Teen Ink

How Many Of You Hate America?

August 21, 2009
By Eilina Sealtman SILVER, London, Other
Eilina Sealtman SILVER, London, Other
7 articles 0 photos 15 comments

The common view of things is often different from the reality. They can be twisted, beautiful images that shield us from the truth. Sometimes people should think of it not as a shield, but as a blindfold. Because a world superpower is taking steps too far. By consuming more fossil fuels than is necessary, by standing still and making no military progression when it was needed, and by waging war on a country and attacking soldier and civilians over a mere dispute for oil. This “great” country, is America.

Many people look to America and sigh with envy at “the American Dream” . However, that dream cannot last long, while America is guzzling up precious resources left on a rapidly crowding planet. These figures speak for themselves about the evident greed of America:



Coal > Production
531,822,000 ton


Coal consumption
1,060,000,000


Commercial energy use
8,148.38


Electric power consumption > kWh
3,920,613,000,000 kWh


Electricity > Consumption
3,892,000,000,000 kWh


Gasoline prices
0.77


Geothermal power use
5,640


Natural gas > Consumption
652,900,000,000 cu m


Natural Gasoline > Production
12,275,000 ton


Nuclear electricity generation
780.1 terawatt-hours


Nuclear energy consumption
821.1 terawatt-hours


Nuclear reactors operable
104


Oil > Consumption
20,680,000 bbl/day


Oil > Exports
1,165,000 bbl/day


Oil > Production
8,457,000 bbl/day


Oil imports > Net
10,400,000 barrels per day


Oil reserves
22,450,000,000 barrels


Usage per person
8.35 TOE per person


Wall plugs > Voltage
110 V


Wind energy installation
6,740 MW






These crimes are forgivable, as other nations are guilty of many similar crimes, such as Brazilians chopping down the Amazon. But global warming is not the most important aspect that we can hold against America. America has extorted countries beyond the point of recovery. Equador, for example, was reduced to a poor scrabbling wreck once America dealt out loans to them. Now Equador only has 5% of its national budget to spend on public services, whilst the rest of the money goes into paying off foreign aid, almost all of which goes to America. Is this right? Is it fair that Americans can bully nations? Furthermore. America threatens, assasinates, and then goes to war with the presidents of countries who refused to run their countries as they like. The war with Iraq is a simple example. America wanted oil. Iran refused to give for no good reason. Why should we just let them do this to us? Us as a world?
Oh yes, because they have guns!

The U.S.A government is a trigger-happy collection of murderous power figures, They do so much to the world, and yet they have nuclear arms and their military to point at other nations, and say “give me your money!” They succeeded for so long due to pure fear, but now other countries have the chance to strike back. America doesn't have all the power anymore. A single grain of rice can tip a scale. Somehow, America has set in a system which everybody likes. A system where people don't think. Where they impulsively buy items that will break very soon. In America, only 10% of items bought for a house are kept for more than a month, and only 5% of those remain for 6 months. America designs products to be made so they break as soon as possible, but will still leave the client with faith in the product, enough so to buy themselves more.

But who benefits from this system?

The aristocrats do. Right up in their trees, lording over us. There are bankers who awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses whilst creating a recession that would cripple thousands of struggling individuals around the world. This doesn't cause stress for people living on government benefits, but for the people who are just above the poverty line. America makes those people struggle and work every day. It does so by enforcing a system where the elite (namely money-posessing) people take hold. Can nothing be done to create a fair and happy world?

Well, there is something you can do. You can be fair. You can be smart, and you can think before reaching for your credit card while watching an auction channel. You can PAUSE and WAIT before buying that “wonderful new shave”. We have to know our limitations, and stretch them. Whoever is reading this, YOU are the workforce. You are the people economically enslaved. There is hope. You can work together towards goals such as Project Venus, Save The Forests, Oil Conservation, and Fairtrade. These small lifestyle changes will help you sleep at night. How can we sleep after reading this, knowing that we are only here through the turmoil and suffering of potentially hundreds of other men, women and children.

When a child reaches to the future, who will have the heart to say, “we've used it up, son.”


The author's comments:
Many of you will be enraged by this article. I mean no offence to any human being, merely a minority's actions. And if you can condemn a terrorist group, can you condemn a group of terrorist that don't use guns and use the American people to shield themselves?

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This article has 392 comments.


DillN GOLD said...
on May. 9 2011 at 3:03 pm
DillN GOLD, Centerville, Iowa
10 articles 2 photos 18 comments
I live in America and i agree.. Its not that great of a place, yes there is worse places to live, but alot of better places. Our goverment keeps things from us and lies to us. And do be really have a say in what they do? not really

on May. 9 2011 at 11:51 am
Ahbreejerae SILVER, Eagle Creek, Oregon
8 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world."
-Marilyn Monroe

Also though, America is just as bad as other countries. If America is superior to other countries, why do we have people being brutally murdered and then consumed, or tortured. Everywhere you go there is hate and pain. Poverty is also everywhere too, and FYI most women aren't forced to cover their faces with a Hijaab, its by choice:]

on May. 8 2011 at 7:23 pm
WritingSpasms, Los Angeles, California
0 articles 0 photos 121 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Devils run when a good man goes to war."
- River Song from Doctor Who (Ep. A Good Man Goes to War)

Yes, we Americans point our toy guns at other countries and rob 'em in their sleep. Yes, every five seconds we throw out some random object because its taking up so much breathing room. Yes, we are totally unaware about the nation's economy and how it impacts us, or more importantly, how the American bankers have cheated American CITIZENS. Their own countrymen. And yes, we all don't care about the environment and la di dah.

Until you live with an American or experience being an American, you cannot understand what we go through.


on May. 6 2011 at 9:06 pm
SkyDeer PLATINUM, Mebane, North Carolina
20 articles 19 photos 49 comments

Favorite Quote:
Respect the nerds, they will be your boss someday- The Computer Guy.
The best is yet to come and baby won't it be fine- A band.
Defiant is the best word in the dictionary!

This is truly a new one. All I can say is you have a lot of nerve to make fun of such a great place.

Talitha BRONZE said...
on May. 6 2011 at 4:55 pm
Talitha BRONZE, Temple, Georgia
4 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
"All of us are in the gutter, but some of us are looking up at the stars." -Oscar Wilde

Wow, you must really hate America to spend your spare time looking up numbers to back up your feeble argument. How can you accuse America of bullying other countries when your own has a long list of transgressions throughout history? True, we are not perfect, but that does not change the following: 

America bailed out its allies in Europe after WWII, eventually dropping the debt.

America liberated the people of Afghanistan from an oppressive dictator. (Yes, I realize that are some bad things on our part in this situation, but the fact remains that the citizens of Afghanistan are now a free people who no longer have to fear their own government.)

America is the leader when it comes to searching for alternative fuel. (In his State of the Union speech, President Obama says he plans for 80% of energy to be renewable by 2020, I believe.)

Also, how dare you be so arrogant as to compare America to a terrorist organization? We may have mistakes, but we never bombed a London subway or ran two airplanes into the World Trade Center. 

This article is neither intelligent nor mature. Do you really believe America is the only country responsible for the loss of fossil fuels? A lot of countries use them, hon. Perhaps you've forgotten about China, for example. Also, for your information, not everyone buys cheap items. (I've had my school bag for three years.) Besides, if you take care of something it doesn't matter if it's cheap or not. 

In addition, America is not the only country with "aristocrats." The United Kingdom has them too, so don't go there. 


on May. 5 2011 at 8:02 pm
calleysings BRONZE, Tyler, Texas
1 article 0 photos 4 comments
no offense to anyone, but hating america is kindof pointless. would you rather go to mexico, where people are killed on the streets everyday for a war over DRUGS? would you rather live somewhere where there is no clean water, or where women are forced to cover their faces? even in places like england, there are pickpockets around every corner. even if you don't agree with some things, life is never gonna be a utopia. we have to think about the alternatives.

on May. 1 2011 at 1:12 am
The.King SILVER, Golden, Colorado
9 articles 1 photo 69 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A story's beginning is a sudden event. The start, a happy accident; the end, the fate for which it's meant. A story that never ends is a sad fate."-Miss Edel

As I read this article, I was among the ranks of those who "respectfully disagreed". That was until I read the authors comments. How dare you compare the actions of our government to that of a terrorists? This accusation is patronizing and arrogant, and incredibly disrespectful to the real victims of terrorism. The Oklahoma bombing, 1995 Japanese sarin attack, the Munich massacre, 9/11, these are real examples of terrorism. A group of extreemists in various social, religious, and governmental states using violence or the threat of violence to cause chaos to further the groups objectives. Comparing our government to a terrorist group is, put bluntly, insane. I completely disagree with this article, and not respectfully either.

on Apr. 23 2011 at 8:47 pm
AnnaBaldwin BRONZE, Hixson, Tennessee
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
“There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.”
-- Howard Zinn

Viva la Revolucion......

Archy said...
on Apr. 17 2011 at 6:35 pm
Archy, Honolulu, Hawaii
0 articles 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone, it's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone"
~Robin Williams

Sorry but I have to disagree. And I happened to notice your are in the UK. No disrespect meant, but the UK isnt an innocent country either it copies most of what we(America) does. So it makes them just as bad as us. America isnt perfect, no one is, but think of it this way if we hadnt been there for the 2 World Wars and the wars after, I very much doubt that the UK and more than half of Europe would be here today. Including you. So While we do have our downsides, we make up for it. Funny how we save everyone so others can turn around and critize how we saved them. Otherwise you pretty much just summed up American.

massacre said...
on Apr. 8 2011 at 4:41 pm
massacre, Lakewood, Washington
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Hate is a word for somebody you love but no longer believe in."

I'm afraid that I also have to respectfully disagree. I understand that America is by absolutely no means perfect, but all of the aristocrats and elites that you speak of make up only the top 1% of America. The rest of us are struglling along with the rest of the world, in one way or another. I know that the war in Iraq was the stupidest thing ever, for lack of a better phrase, but it is what it is.

on Apr. 6 2011 at 7:55 pm
Crossfire SILVER, Duncan, South Carolina
7 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest. I'm still working on kind..." ~ Four A.K.A Tobias

I agree with you, on some aspects.  When we step into a dispute or war, we choose which ones we go into.  We choose because America wants its share of the war profit; whether that be oil, weapons, land etc.

on Apr. 6 2011 at 7:52 pm
Crossfire SILVER, Duncan, South Carolina
7 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest. I'm still working on kind..." ~ Four A.K.A Tobias

With all due respect, i disagree with you... I can see why you hate America, i can see how the statistics prove our flaws, i can't see though, how you forgot about the rest of the Americans... The aristocrats are there i assure you, the politicians and the big company CEO's.  But what about the rest of us, are you going to take your hate out on those of us who are innocent?

on Apr. 5 2011 at 7:30 pm
writerchick2095 BRONZE, Lincolnton, North Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
'Why do you try so hard to fit in when you are born to stand out?'
'Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.'

You're a powerful writer. It speaks with passion, and complete belief. However, I disagree with you completely. America does have problems, but all other countries do to. We, yes I am an American, have made some choices people don't agree with (some I don't even agree with), but thanks to the beauty of our system, we have the chance to change them. Some of the wars you indicate were not over oil, as it would seem on the surface to poeple uninvolved, but more to the inhuman treatment of humans in other countries. We tend to have emotional responses to oppressed people (see Revolutionary War 1776), as you may know. I realize that my opinion will not change yours, and I don't intend it to, but I merely want another veiw to be seen.

on Apr. 5 2011 at 8:57 am
ZombieDanceWithMe SILVER, Rockford, Illinois
7 articles 1 photo 98 comments

Favorite Quote:
“To die is nothing; but it is terrible not to live”



-Victor Hugo

freedom of speech? who cares.

on Mar. 31 2011 at 7:37 pm
squeakyshoes GOLD, South Portland, Maine
10 articles 0 photos 4 comments
I would just like to point out. America had it's flaws, quite a few of them actually. Bu honestly every problem the world has ever created in not because of America, we have been here for less that 300 years. Everyone hates America. It's nothing new. Since we beat the British my dear friend the world has hated us. We don;t give many reasons for them not to.

on Mar. 24 2011 at 6:47 pm
ilovedayna BRONZE, Story, Wyoming
3 articles 4 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
i love you

however, what are we gonna do now about the greenhouse gases and all that? we can't just take away everything that causes them. it'll take years to change our ways. america is about selfishness- to put it bluntly. people came here for their own freedom, and when they left, they weren't still thinking about the place they came from. i mean i'm sure they did but they came here to get rich. they came here for freedom of religion-FROM BRITAIN *cough cough*, and other countries. different countries have a different take on things and if this is the take that other countries have on us, its super bad. 

on Mar. 24 2011 at 6:32 pm
ilovedayna BRONZE, Story, Wyoming
3 articles 4 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
i love you

This article has a lot of high points. it is an impressive essay, not stating the other point of view, which is obviously a strength. i live in america. it cracks me up how a lot of people write their own essay (practically) saying whether or not they agree or disagree. and all these posts that are so closed minded could also be something against us americans. 

Dreamboat said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 2:53 pm
Dreamboat, Madison, Wisconsin
0 articles 0 photos 62 comments

Favorite Quote:
My name is Indigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.

I think that most people care, its just that most people are not informed of the issue or do not have a way out. In the words of one of my friends " Worrying about the environment is only for the rich and well of". You may not agree with this but i am not talking about Americans or British, Im talking about all the people in Africa and South America that have to burn wood or propane to heat their houses and cook thier food.

TheAnarchist said...
on Mar. 21 2011 at 3:14 pm
TheAnarchist, Cincinnati, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
“The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.” Albert Einstein

Most points are very good, but by buying things that do not last, the whole economy improves, innovation improves.  You say America, I say Government.  Your Project Venus is a communist ideology though.  I saw the movies on YouTube.  I am an individualist.  I am a  voluntaryist.  No computer shall rule my life.

on Mar. 19 2011 at 12:43 pm
lblume1047 SILVER, Auburn, New York
6 articles 1 photo 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We are a nation that is unenlightened because of religion. I do believe that. I think religion stops people from thinking. I think it justified crazies.” - Bill Maher, My hero :)

We absolutely went to war with Iraq for oil. 9/11 was just good timing. Bush told people that it was because of 9/11, but really when we were supposed to be looking for terrorists, we were claiming major wells and drill sites.