America- what makes this country different?
We are all immigrants from somewhere (yes, even the Native Americans came here from somewhere else).
Here, blood and lineage means nothing. In some places, who your father's father's father was is a vital key to where you stand socially.
We all have equal chances, for both success and failure. Granted, the outcomes may be different because of talent, interest, skill, or ability (seriously, I would be a sorry candidate for the NBA or NFL, NHL, MLB, etc)- but the option is there for those who are passionate.
Here we are free-er than anywhere else on the planet. We can vote, carry guns, disagree and dissent. We have the right to a fair trial, and appeal if we so choose.
So what was it that made America great in the first place?
Many think it was the middle class. The US was essentially the first place with a decent-sized middle class.
Others think it's "The Land of Opportunity".. which it used to be, but not so much anymore. New immigrants are encouraged to sign up for benefits, rather than being encouraged to find work, gain an education, or start their own entrepreneurial experience.
Is it the protection of the individual's rights? Maybe it's the concept of "rights" in general- we do have more here than anywhere else.
What do you think?
