# America is the leader of the free world **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 18, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921 "2015-11-18T22:16:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/41 "2015-11-19T03:11:12Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > What a fucking joke. > > America is too fucking scared to take any Syrian/Muslim refugees. Well the rest of the free world that share our values are showing a lot more courage. And let me tell you, cowardice does not help to hold a following. > > I feel shame. I feel betrayed. I used to hold your country in high regard. But when I hear that 53% of Americans follow the Republican governors with “not in my back yard” I can only feel that we are all fucked . > > Even if Obama prevails, the memory the current American attitude towards the refugees will not be erased. > > And to think that American leadership created the refugee crisis in the first place in 2003. > > Here in Canada we are going to take in 25,000 refugees before the end of the year. > > Fuck you America Free loading militarily off big brother isn’t enough? And watch your tone or you’ll be reported to Canada’s Hate Speech police. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/42 "2015-11-19T03:30:36Z")
Merged duplicate threads. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/43 "2015-11-19T03:39:45Z")
If you can’t polish a turd, at least you can smoosh it together with another one. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/44 "2015-11-19T04:12:32Z")
Clothahump, do the people around you show their derision and contempt for you openly, or do they try to hide it? I mean, I’m sure your utter cowardice evokes some sympathy from some people, but even that must come with more than a tinge of disgust. People just really struggle to respect a giant pussy. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/45 "2015-11-19T04:51:03Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Dude, the word is smart, not scared. We have abundant evidence the first part doesn’t apply to you, so it must be the second. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/46 "2015-11-19T05:06:35Z")
I’m not detecting that much fear, really. Sort of disdainful anger and dislike, but not fear. Its just that when challenged to give a good reason why we shouldn’t help these wretched, they talk about shit like terrorists sneaking in with the refugees. (Kinda surprised they didn’t lead with “they got diseases!”). For the most part, I think its just a visceral and thoughtless reaction to a vision of a horde of brown strangers flooding into our country. But they won’t say that, so they grab the first justification at hand and simply refuse to be talked out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/47 "2015-11-19T06:56:12Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I’m not detecting that much fear, really. Sort of disdainful anger and dislike, but not fear. Its just that when challenged to give a good reason why we shouldn’t help these wretched, they talk about shit like terrorists sneaking in with the refugees. (Kinda surprised they didn’t lead with “they got diseases!”). > > For the most part, I think its just a visceral and thoughtless reaction to a vision of a horde of brown strangers flooding into our country. But they won’t say that, so they grab the first justification at hand and simply refuse to be talked out of it. I think we can all agree that’s there’s not just one reason that adequately explains everything that’s wrong with **Clothahump**. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/48 "2015-11-19T07:32:31Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I’d also like to know what’s up with all European countries spending so little on defense but speaking so frequently about a war on ISIS. Or Canada for that matter. Before the Paris attacks Trudeau had already said he was going to bring Canada’s planes back and end their involvement in bombing ISIS. **What’s funny is no one actually cares because it’s four planes. Four.** (emphasis mine) Not only that, but I believe the four planes are Cessnas and their mission is to drop leaflets asking ISIS to please “be nice”. :rolleyes: You should at least check your facts before ranting. The present resources include: [ul] [li]six CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft;[/li][li]one CC-150T Polaris aerial refueller to support coalition air operations;[/li][li]two CP-140M Aurora surveillance aircraft to contribute to coalition intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities; [/li][li]aircrew support elements; and[/li][li]600 CAF personnel[/li][/ul] As of 16 November 2015, Air Task Force-Iraq conducted 1751 sorties: - CF-18 Hornet fighters conducted 1121 sorties; - CC-150T Polaris aerial refueller conducted 305 sorties, delivering some 18,024,000 pounds of fuel to coalition aircraft; and - CP-140 Aurora aircraft conducted 325 reconnaissance missions. Anyway, I have no pit-worthy contribution here except to highlight the fact that there’s such a vast difference between the Canadian commitment of 25,000 refugees versus the 10,000 to which Obama committed versus the Republicans’ preferred quota of zero. Even Hillary’s commitment of 65,000 is vastly disproportionate to Canada’s 25,000 when adjusted for population. But as I pointed out in my thread praising Trudeau on most issues, I personally think Canada’s numbers are too high and the US numbers are too low. To get the numbers proportional with population, which also implies infrastructure capacity and ability to effectively vet, you either multiply Canadian numbers by 10 or divide US numbers by 10. The difference is staggering. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/49 "2015-11-19T07:58:19Z")
Be fair, it’s just a slogan. Britain’s got a national anthem that says it “Rules the waves”, but no-one seriously believes that either. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/50 "2015-11-19T08:50:15Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > [Here in Canada,](http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/majority-of-canadians-oppose-trudeaus-plan-to-bring-25000-syrian-refugees-over-in-just-six-weeks-poll) > > So don’t get on your high horse. It would seem that we’re exactly the same. And a promise to take in 25,000 does not equal reality. We’ll need to fight the 54% to make it happen. Not to mention bringing 25K over by January means pretty much no vetting. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/51 "2015-11-19T09:21:32Z")
America is the leader of the free world, in that unlike other countries, the people here actually get a say in who gets to join the club. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/52 "2015-11-19T10:14:56Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > America is the leader of the free world, in that unlike other countries, the people here actually get a say in who gets to join the club. …like every other country in the west. What, you reckon we don’t get to consider a parties immigration policy come election time? Anyway, everyone knows you’re going to claim the USA is the freest, etc, because you’re pretty much a walking/talking Fox News Op-Ed. For anyone who’s not being treated for head trauma though, it’s the sort of claim you file with the other jingoistic bollocks that all countries are guilty of. ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/53 "2015-11-19T10:20:59Z")
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door. As an admiring outsider, this is the America I believe in. ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/54 "2015-11-19T10:53:22Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Largely in the middle, so I prefer to think that it’s just eric. Blame him. …Loves Eric semi-carnally Monty Python were prescient lol [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlrsqGal64w) ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/55 "2015-11-19T11:10:20Z")
Do you guys really want to stop using all those fancy toys you have and radically downsize your military? What will you spend all that budget money on? Your sick people? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/56 "2015-11-19T11:29:54Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > America is the leader of the free world, in that unlike other countries, the people here actually get a say in who gets to join the club. What a fucked up defintion of “leader” that is. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/57 "2015-11-19T11:30:25Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > Be fair, it’s just a slogan. Britain’s got a national anthem that says it “Rules the waves”, but no-one seriously believes that either. What, you’ve never seen Queen Liz greeting a crowd? The ol’ broad can move a hand like nobody’s business! ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/58 "2015-11-19T11:33:30Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Technically, it can’t be eviscerated as **Clothahump** has no guts. Well, castrate it then. Wait… :smack: > [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > Be fair, it’s just a slogan. Britain’s got a national anthem that says it “Rules the waves”, but no-one seriously believes that either. Not actually our national anthem, but I know what you mean. As it turns out though, we’re too soft-hearted to leave refugees to starve even if it’s policy to do so. You might say that Britannia waives the rules. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/59 "2015-11-19T11:40:38Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Exactly. > > **Clothahump** repeats terrorist propaganda like it’s gospel. I find it disgusting. That seems to be the trend: Idiots getting their idea of what Islam is from other idiots. I mean, why would anyone bother learning a fact or two before going on a rant along the lines of “They’re all terrorists” or “We should just kill them all” or “Let them all die”? After all, they’re “just Muslims”, right? Fuck the facts. One day, the frothing loons such as Clothahump will wake up and realize how fucking insane they’ve been sounding. At least, that’s my dream. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921/60 "2015-11-19T11:47:34Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > What a fucked up defintion of “leader” that is. That our government listens to the people? Okay. The fact is, it’s doubtful that a majority of any country wants Syrian refugees at this point. The only difference is that some countries will listen to their people and some won’t. And some populaces will punish their leaders for not listening and some won’t. In the liberal view, the most moral country is the least democratic, because then the leaders are free to do the “right” thing, while beefing up their personal security heavily, of course. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-is-the-leader-of-the-free-world/737921.md?page=4)