USA

Alternativer Bildtext:

to be (not necessarily material goods); depends on your own interpretation; The American Dream means different things to different people, social mobility, money, material success etc CON You only hear about those who succeed, those who don't achieve their goal are unnoticed; Examples are not the rule and real success is rare Statistics show that compared to other countries social mobility in the US is rather limited Recent developments: The rich become richer, the poor stay poor, the middle class decreases in size If you are not able to work hard (e.g. handicapped) you will not receive as much financial help as you would in Europe. There is a welfare system for the handicapped and elderly which is called social security and Medicaid; Emphasis on individual responsibility can lead to isolation and insecurity or indifference from other people Pursuit of material things leads to disaster, climate change, and pollution in the US and in the developing world President Obama, the first black president, is a case in point Free education for everyone Everybody has the same opportunities to achieve their goals (this doesn't mean that everybody will succeed) 37% of Americans still believe in the American Dream The American Dream is an ideal to encourage people to give their best (the ideal never dies) Examples are not the rule and real success is rare High quality schools or universities are very expensive There are not enough well-paid jobs (e.g. due to outsourcing) to get ahead; many Americans have to work two or even more jobs to make ends mee Not everybody has the same opportunities even though this is what the Constitution guarantees (for (rich) whites only?) The ideal has changed from something tangible to a vague idea that seems to become der to reach these days increasingly for many US citizens the Dream is still alive, for some it's an illusion or has even turned into a nightmare Immigration and race Push and pull factors PUSH high unemployment rate famine oppression war the American Dream attracted/attracts many immigrants with the hope for a better life at first mainly from Europe (mid-20th century) since then Hispanics and Asians multicultural society changing the face of America > strengthen + unite OR weaken + divide the country African Americans Slavery, Civil War (1861-1865) and segregation North South slavery was the basis of power conflict with the Declaration of Independence (1776): denying that slaves are people victory of the Northern states 13th Amendment: abolished slavery (didn't mean equal rights) segregation between black and white people in all areas of society Ku Klux Klan (responsible for deaths of many blacks Civil rights movement Second World War was the turning point after the war segregation in the armed forces was abolished 1950s/60s African Americas began to fight for equal rights (e.g. Martin Luther King) peaceful protest, sit-ins, boycotts Black Power movement (Malcom X) PULL good living conditions better chances of finding job opportunity believed that only violence leads to equality race riots in 1960s series of important laws Civil Rights Act (outlawed segregation) Voting Right Act Fair Housing Act (banned discrimination in housing) Black lives matter make African Americans prouder of being black Barack Obama as the first black president racial inequality is still present draws attention to racial discrimination (by the police) America's global role Pros and Cons PRO For all its deficiencies, the US is one of the best models for democracy; they spread universal values like human rights, freedom, equality; Germany is a good example of America's positive influence; democratic countries are less likely to wage war The US is the sole remaining superpower and the only democratic one that has enough military and economic power to intervene and help when things go awry in other countries and their people suffer Current developments and multiple wars in the Middle East and Africa (e.g. Sudan) show that there is the need for a leading humanitarian and political role of the US They can lead the nations in a good way, as there are too many problems in the world that have to be solved multilaterally (pollution, refugees, financial crisis, global warming, nuclear threat...) They support international cooperation and diplomacy (UN) CON Maybe other political models should be respected, because they suit their respective countries best; interfering in other countries' internal affairs is never justified The US should not be the world policeman because other countries want to remain independent and sovereign countries; there is already too much interference The US has not achieved its goals in Iraq and Afghanistan; the invasion was founded on wrong data and triggered by economic rather than political or humanitarian interests, even less so by the will to promote democracy; Intervention against the will of the people in these countries can lead to terrorism and unrest; Democracy cannot be exported, but has to be chosen and supported by the people themselves; the many wars in the 21st century are a result of US interventions Cooperation with dictatorships to ensure economic benefits is ethically not tolerable Other countries might reject the US definition of democracy and human rights; The US cannot assume a leading role in the world, because there are other regional and global powers like China and Russia The current nationalist tendency towards smaller entities, independence movements in GB, Spain, the Balkans etc. shows that a global and united world is an illusion They are the only superpower that can stop the They might want to use/abuse their nuclear proliferation of nuclear weapons weapons in their own best interest Guns Pros and Cons PRO The Second Amendment grants: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." The idea of having a militia of armed citizens was seen as a necessity due to the threat of a British invasion after the US gained their independence from GB In the US, gun ownership has always been a cultural aspect deeply entrenched in society, not just in the Constitution; the right to defend your family and your property has always been considered an extremely important part of American liberties; Americans have the right to protect themselves, their families, and their property Many people need guns for other reasons, hunting is also an important element of rural life; Farmers need guns in order to protect their livestock and crops from various pests, e.g. rabbits, foxes, stray dogs; People who live in remote areas need guns to protect themselves from the wildlife, e.g. polar bears in Alaska Guns don't kill people - people kill people Guns have to be kept in secure places; there will always be irresponsible people, and laws cannot change this fact Most states have already limited gun ownership in some ways Bans on guns won't keep criminals from committing crimes; criminals will always find access to weapons, legal or illegal Armed citizens will be able to stop a crime in its tracks before it becomes worse; If citizens are denied the right to have guns, they will be helpless against armed criminals CON It can lead to tragic death because of "little" incidents but hunting weapons aren't the real problem; there are enough states that allow semi- automatic rifles; these weapons are useless for hunting but have become riot killers' favourites for one reason only - they are made and designed to kill people. Weapons of this type are weapons of war. The ownership of a gun makes it much easier for people to kill other people ("How many people would a riot killer be able to stab with a knife?"); the more guns there are in a society the more likely it is they will be used Even legally owned weapons can lead to tragic deaths, they can be stolen and end up in the hands of criminals; guns in families all too often end up being accidentally and lethally used by children Gun laws still have enough loopholes; It is still fairly easy to obtain a gun While it is certainly true that banning guns will not turn the US into a gun-free country, having fewer guns around will definitely mean fewer gun-related deaths other countries with strict gun laws have a much lower rate of citizens being killed or wounded in crime-related incidents; the prospect of meeting an armed citizen might actually make a criminal use their gun first As they emphasize individualism, they rely less on the government or the police to protect them (self-reliance) Shooting is a major sport enjoyed by many law- abiding citizens It's up to the judiciary to bring these people to justice, not to individuals Shooting as a sport desensitizes people to the potentially lethal nature of firearms