Excellent post. Very succinctly written and supported. It is unfortunate that people can’t read it for the facts you present or the opinion it is of those who do the studies. We all know that statistics can be manipulated, but in this instance, I think they are not. I’ve been, sadly, reading and studying the demise of our freedoms for a couple of decades now and it saddens me. We are also not very good when you read the studies of corruption. I like to think we have the ability to do better, but these days it is so hard to see if anyone is even trying - of the political ilk I mean. I am truly enjoying your posts. I had hoped to retire to Portugal in a few years, but not sure if it will happen. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, Dianna for your kind comments. Every time I write a post like this I lose 10-20 subscribers. I am not trying to "bash" the US, but feel we must all open our eyes to what is happening around us. A frog remains in a pot of water if it is heated slowly only to die as a result. Will this happen to us? On a more upbeat note, my email is ncwhiteman@gmail.com. If you have any questions you don't want the world to see please contact me there.
Hi Nancy..great thought provoking article. There is good to find everywhere...but a place that is good for everyone is not always easily found. I feel very fortunate to live here with the rights and freedoms we enjoy! Stay well....🇨🇦 Kathy
Nancy - a great article which succinctly brings to the forefront some facts arising in the USA and other countries struggling to care for a diverse population and in the case of the United States being in a position as a 'land of opportunity'. One of the factors brought forth during the pandemic was the further unearthing of inequities in our country and the rise of a people to face those inequities be they voter suppression, food insecurity and so much more. We are at a precipitous time to see where the tide will change the tideline for future generations. Thank you for bringing this to the forefront.
Nancy, this was an excellent piece - well written, well researched, and well...sobering. People of every political disposition misuse the word "freedom" in support of their positions, but rarely do they have a standard to measure against. Thanks for providing some useful context and a view of the overall trends.
Thanks Mike. Clearly, not everyone agrees with you. And though it should not bother me, every time a reader (like Serena above) unsubscribed it does kind of bother me a bit. We seem unable to have a discussion with anyone that does not whole-heartedly agree with our views.
I understand your feeling. You're trying to create a community around some shared ideas and a place where different points of view are welcome. It's a shame that too often we adopt a binary position - "us" vs. "them" or "right" vs. "wrong" - and, as your other reader did, we opt out when our particular side is challenged. What we lose then is the chance to have a productive, self-critical discussion about what we need to improve to achieve our common goals.
Excellent post. Very succinctly written and supported. It is unfortunate that people can’t read it for the facts you present or the opinion it is of those who do the studies. We all know that statistics can be manipulated, but in this instance, I think they are not. I’ve been, sadly, reading and studying the demise of our freedoms for a couple of decades now and it saddens me. We are also not very good when you read the studies of corruption. I like to think we have the ability to do better, but these days it is so hard to see if anyone is even trying - of the political ilk I mean. I am truly enjoying your posts. I had hoped to retire to Portugal in a few years, but not sure if it will happen. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, Dianna for your kind comments. Every time I write a post like this I lose 10-20 subscribers. I am not trying to "bash" the US, but feel we must all open our eyes to what is happening around us. A frog remains in a pot of water if it is heated slowly only to die as a result. Will this happen to us? On a more upbeat note, my email is ncwhiteman@gmail.com. If you have any questions you don't want the world to see please contact me there.
Hi Nancy..great thought provoking article. There is good to find everywhere...but a place that is good for everyone is not always easily found. I feel very fortunate to live here with the rights and freedoms we enjoy! Stay well....🇨🇦 Kathy
I always thought you were lucky to be born a Canadian.
Nancy - a great article which succinctly brings to the forefront some facts arising in the USA and other countries struggling to care for a diverse population and in the case of the United States being in a position as a 'land of opportunity'. One of the factors brought forth during the pandemic was the further unearthing of inequities in our country and the rise of a people to face those inequities be they voter suppression, food insecurity and so much more. We are at a precipitous time to see where the tide will change the tideline for future generations. Thank you for bringing this to the forefront.
Just sharing things I come across that I find interesting. Unfortunately, Europe is not immune to right-wing extremists.
I'm out....you may say you're not bashing America but the sentiment comes through too often in your posts.
Sorry to see you go. Be well...
Nancy, this was an excellent piece - well written, well researched, and well...sobering. People of every political disposition misuse the word "freedom" in support of their positions, but rarely do they have a standard to measure against. Thanks for providing some useful context and a view of the overall trends.
Thanks Mike. Clearly, not everyone agrees with you. And though it should not bother me, every time a reader (like Serena above) unsubscribed it does kind of bother me a bit. We seem unable to have a discussion with anyone that does not whole-heartedly agree with our views.
I understand your feeling. You're trying to create a community around some shared ideas and a place where different points of view are welcome. It's a shame that too often we adopt a binary position - "us" vs. "them" or "right" vs. "wrong" - and, as your other reader did, we opt out when our particular side is challenged. What we lose then is the chance to have a productive, self-critical discussion about what we need to improve to achieve our common goals.