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.


John432 said...
on Apr. 26 2013 at 10:53 am
It's not right to say the country as a whole is wrong. It's the people in it; what they're doing.

Gav13 said...
on Apr. 18 2013 at 12:14 pm
America is a great country and we may have some problems but that doesn't mean you should hate America.

Vikki05 said...
on Mar. 20 2013 at 2:23 pm
You tell'em

on Mar. 14 2013 at 1:03 am
You know here in America we are trying to fix these problems. I totally agree with the global warming and all by the way. The thing is.... Most schools in America are trying to teach us teens about the future and how to make it better. Including stopping the problems that are distroying our homes. I think blaming all americans for the problems in the world is wrong. Yes some are at fault, but not me! Not my family! The thing is a lot of americans have a hard time believing these issues. How can we stop something that people cant seem to believe? Well thats my opionion. I like your courage to post yours!

Jarred74 said...
on Mar. 4 2013 at 12:10 am
America is the country all other countries turn to in times of need. We give billions in foreign aid to many countries even ones that hate us. Their governments waste the money given to them because they are corrupt. The United States of America is by far the best country on this broken world and you're a fool if you don't see it. If you were in one of many other countries you would not be alive right now because in most countries what you just did is treason which the penalty is death. In America we have freedom of speech. Also if we were to stop buying the economy would crash you would learn this in economics. We can't just all be hippies living off the land. The economy goes through cycles but always comes out stronger. Yes our government is screwed up but you know why because we put those people there. Our system isn't perfect but damn it's the best one out there. Get your head out of your ass.

on Mar. 2 2013 at 9:04 am
LinkinPark12 PLATINUM, Lincolnshire, Other
45 articles 1 photo 198 comments

Favorite Quote:
Work like you don’t need money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching. ¦ I like change - but only when everything stays the same.

Sorry, your article just implies that you're like: "OMG NOT AMERICA WE ARE PERFECT WE SHOULD NOT TAKE ANY BLAME". That's all.

natcac SILVER said...
on Mar. 1 2013 at 9:57 pm
natcac SILVER, Folsom, California
5 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
1John 4:16

I wasn't blaming only England.  It was just the fact that the article was written by someone from England and had titled it "How Many of You Hate America?".  My family is from England as well, and I am not specifically blaming England for pollution.  I was just retaliating.  I agree that pollution is caused by all the countries and is collective.

Darkstorm13 said...
on Feb. 12 2013 at 11:37 am
You know, we are a huge country so it shouldn't be a surprise thatwe use up so many resources. I agree we should use renewable resources in place of fossil fuels, but placing all the blame on America won't do anything. And how can you blame us for loaning money to a country? they CHOSE to accept the loan and it is their fault they are having trouble paying off. I am not trying to be negative, im just saying.

on Feb. 4 2013 at 2:39 pm
CDHLegend BRONZE, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
4 articles 0 photos 14 comments
Uk helped us in the war too

on Feb. 4 2013 at 2:38 pm
CDHLegend BRONZE, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
4 articles 0 photos 14 comments
I disagree, I am American and I believe we (were) a bit trigger happy and power hungry, but the unecessarry  war is over, and America is a great country

on Jan. 25 2013 at 11:39 am
insovietrussia, Elk Horn, Iowa
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
You are just mad because of our energy consumption, also whos millitary has done the most around the world and the most for the UN? Also what is your participation in the war in Afghanistan compared to ours? who killed Osama Bin Laden, the leader of Alqueda? Thats right us, so all of you UK people can shove it.

on Jan. 21 2013 at 12:20 pm
DuctTapedDuck, Jericho, New York
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments
  Ermm... I'm not sure I really understand your argument, AlmostPublished. First you say that Communism is a nation, and then you say that America isn't unfair at all, and then you go on to call all Americans stupid. While I do have a few choice words for you running through my head, I'll try to counter your arguments as logically and as civily? as possible.  First of all, Communism isn't a nation, it's a philosophy that was developed by Carl Mar and was taken, modified, and applied by the likes of Stalin and Mao to various countries.  Second, if your definition of equality is Rawlsian in nature (i.e. everyone gets the same of everything no matter what), then you could say that Communism is equal (though obviously in practice it failed miserably in this regard). However, my definition of equality is something much more different. My definition of equality is meritocratic, equality based on giving each his due, based on giving each person rewards based on the amount of effort they put in. Not some happy-go-lucky system where the government hands out everything to everyone regardless of whether or not you worked a thousand times harder than the drunken bum next to you. And I consider myself to be Democratic. So while I do realise that the UK is more socialistic, I reject your version of equality.  "It may be an amazing place to live and text on your iphone's". Sorry to bust your bubble, pal, but much more goes on here in the good ole USA than "texting on iphones." In 2012, NASA sent another probe to Mars, American Scientists put forward the first steps in decoding memories in the brain, and oh yes, Apple became the largest corporation in the world, so that it can make even more iPhones, of which the UK consumes a sizable chunk. I won't even try to adress your attack on the intelligence of Americans.  All in all, I just wish that this article was written more going against the government or something, not the entire population, and also with less inflammatory words. Eh.. *End Rant*  

on Jan. 13 2013 at 8:46 am
LinkinPark12 PLATINUM, Lincolnshire, Other
45 articles 1 photo 198 comments

Favorite Quote:
Work like you don’t need money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching. ¦ I like change - but only when everything stays the same.

Don't blame England, dude. I'm not blaming anyone, not the U.S., China or England. It makes me angry, 'cos when you say "England should take some of the blame", I'm sat here, like "Oh really?" (I come from England) So, me, a young teenager, someone who helps out ecologically, who's room consists of wind-up radios, wind-up torches and barely any plastic. Me, a teenager who writes articles about how to keep the world safer, who gets protective about global warming and is very keen to cut down on electricity. Me, that's who gets blamed? And you, I'm sure, are sat in America with exactly the same thoughts. Probably not the same room and opinions, but close enough. You might be thinking "America?! Eh?! That's where I come from, and I don't cause global warming!" Well can I tell you something? It's not England, or the U.S. It's not anyone. It's just a collective, no-one can be blamed, nor must we say phrases such as "couldn't Americans throw some of the blame for global warming at *enter country name*". It's just the rich minority who don't care about the future, and throw electricity and petrol away like pennies. It's not anyone. It's everyone. *Done with my speech now*

on Jan. 10 2013 at 6:35 pm
radioshaq77 BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problem with just potatoes' -Douglas Adams

Sorry for the grammar and typos.

on Jan. 10 2013 at 6:32 pm
radioshaq77 BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problem with just potatoes' -Douglas Adams

I typically only post positive comments, but this is insanely illogical Ecuador is crippled, because we loaned them money? Ecaudor is being bullied because we're asking our money back? Should we let them keep it. And as to the energy usage, Brazil has implimented excellent laws to preserve the rain forest while keeping up with the needs of humanity. USA uses this much energy because we require it. We're a huge country. You too, are a part of the problem. I don't see where guns come into this, given that you're talking about loans sent out into other countries that we're trying to collect on. Have you actually seen the statistics of how much all of your little projects will help? The problem is that we're a large population, and in order to completely decrease our effect (our being the dominant species on the planet) we should die out completely. We should stop living so our planet can thrive? That is against the most fundamental idea of evolution, and if people like you were more dominant, we would have never risen t othe dominant species on our planet. And lastly, would you or anyone else be willing to live a horrible, Dark Ages style life in order to save a couple seconds of light for our planet? America is a well populated, developed country, and we're doing a lot of research into renewable energy Quote your sources next time. I'm not sure"what my parents told me" counts.

on Jan. 10 2013 at 11:32 am
RonaldMcDonald, Laguna Hills, California
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
if you cant join 'em, eat a big mac

It wasnt an actual "war" that we went into. it was an opperation. so many of you are wrong just by saying we were at war  

natcac SILVER said...
on Jan. 2 2013 at 1:57 am
natcac SILVER, Folsom, California
5 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
1John 4:16

I find it interesting that America is being blamed for global warming when many countries around the world have a higher population than the U.S. and cause worse pollution.  Also, I would like to point out that Manchester, England was the leading industrial center during the industrial revolution and is one of the largest service-based countries today.  England is a leading industrial country, therefore couldn't Americans throw some of the blame for global warming at England?  You call the United States out on its reaction to terrorism, but I hardly find the fact that we were upset by the bombing of the Twin Towers unimaginable.  I believe that England would react the same way if it were faced with terrorism today.  England and the United States have been longtime allies, and the United States helped to defend England from bombings in World War II.  This article I have just read is opinion based, so here is mine.

DevilDog77 said...
on Dec. 18 2012 at 2:33 pm
  The article I have chosen to read is a slanderous article, filled with unsubstantiated “facts” of the American rise of consumption and lack of productivity. The paper goes on to call our war of terrorism a war of greedy politicians who had indeed decided to blow up their own source of economic growth for access to Middle Eastern oil. The author, a person from London, UK, is obviously unpleased with not only the American politician, but the average American person. Well, if the author is finished with the slander, please allow me to retort. The American people were attacked in the late morning of September 11, 2001, by a terrorist organization of the name Al Q’uaida. The author is under the impression that the American political leader George W. Bush and the CIA. This attack was organized and followed through with for means of economic growth. However, logic and the following events would dictate otherwise. The American people suffered greatly in an economic decline the following years, and this can be simply explained. The World Trade Center was just that, our center for world trade. With that gone, the American economy was stunted briefly and slowly began to fall, our stocks becoming worthless and other countries pulled out.  The foundation of the authors argument has just become void. The english author obviously knows nothing of 9/11 and the subsequent war, convincing be to believe the rest of the author’s “facts” are nothing more than the rantings of someone with a computer.

DevilDog77 said...
on Dec. 18 2012 at 2:19 pm
If this is your true opinion, you are sadly mistaken. You and all the other conspiracy theorists are what is wrong with the nation.

on Dec. 13 2012 at 10:40 am
AlmostPublished GOLD, Phoenix, Arizona
11 articles 0 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live for today,because yesterday is gone and tomarrow may never come.

Equality? They nuclear threatened the last nation that tried TRUE equality; Communism. It'snot unfair at all. It may be an amazing place to live and text on your iphone's but the american people are truly ignorant and the governments stupid rich while it posseses to position of the rest of the worlds affairs.