# Things I like about the USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 5, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582 "2005-05-05T19:47:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![guinnog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@guinnog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guinnog)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/1 "2005-05-05T19:47:56Z")
(Background: a poster claimed I was being ‘anti-American’ for criticising the actions of certain of his compatriots, wrt Iraq and “Creation Science”. I thought I would put together a (non-exhaustive) list of things I like about the country. Note that I have put ‘free speech’ pretty high up the list. This is after only four visits spanning about 12 weeks, and nearly all of that in Northern California) The size and connectedness. The vibrancy and diversity The spirit of adventure, of ‘lets have a go’ The Revolution. The successful insurgency war after it. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The traditional respect for democracy. Free speech. The right to burn the flag. The Underground Railroad. Martin Luther King and all he achieved. Abolition of capital punishment. Traditional American isolationism. Mark Twain Raymond Chandler Nathanel West Joseph Heller John Steinbeck Kurt Vonnegut Robert Sheckley Philip Dick Isaac Asimov Harry Harrison JD Salinger ee cummings Steve Martin Lenny Bruce Taxi Driver Fight Club A lot, but not even slightly most, but still a lot, of films. A lot, but not even slightly most, but still a lot, of TV. Star Trek (original TV series only) MASH Jefferson Airplane Michelle Shocked Hersh, Donnelly et al. Belly and The Throwing Muses. The Pixies Tom Waits Public Enemy Sonic Youth The Black Keys Keith LeBlanc Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong Gilbert Shelton Franklin D Roosevelt Thomas Jefferson Abraham Lincoln Muhammad Ali, more for his refusal to fight in Vietnam than for his considerable boxing prowess Jesse Owens, for being there to beat white athletes in front of a racist. The Interstate Freeway system The Hoover Dam The Marshall Plan Gemini Apollo Skylab Hubble Space Telescope Polaris, Poseidon and Trident (with reservations about the morality of the weapons they carry; to launch underwater and carry five thermonukes at a time 4,600 miles with high accuracy is an awesome achievement) P-51 Mustang (late models only) B-24 Liberator F-86 Sabre F-104 Starfighter (late models with upward-firing seat!) SR-71 X-15 XB-70 F-16 Falcon Boeing 707 Boeing 737 Boeing 747 Quality beers cheap in every corner shop Big Sur Coast; the Pacific coast in general Oakland Bay Bridge Commonalities and differences in language. Both. Quaint old dollar bills Quaint old public phones The Internet; joint credit that one but substantially the US Libraries and the US Mail Time capsule quality of places like Niles. Refusal to have any truck with any unit of measurement developed after 1650. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/2 "2005-05-05T20:27:14Z")
And that’s just one coast! (But Skylab? Are you high?) You left out our wonderful cuisine. Yes, I’m serious. ---
**Author:** ![CateAyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@CateAyo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CateAyo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/3 "2005-05-05T20:34:45Z")
I agree with most of that list. For those who equate dissent with “Unamericanism”, I would remind of the importance of discourse and free speech to healthy PARTICIPATIVE democracy. Hawk ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/4 "2005-05-05T20:35:49Z")
As much complaining as I do about some of our policies/administration, I should say something positive, as well. I love the regionality of our country. Hearing the accent of someone in Wisconsin or Minnesota, then conversely hearing someone from the deep south. Cultural differences can be quite dramatic depending on where you go. The food people eat, the tone of their skin, the size of people heads??? er… being tied to the Pacific NW or East Coast, etc… kind of interesting to think about how things developed and why they are they way they are today. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/5 "2005-05-05T20:46:33Z")
You left out Harvey Fierstein! Just how long did you think your homophobic Americaphobic theatraphobic showtunaphobic anti-Semitism would last before being unmasked? Scottish Things I like: J.K. Rowling (technically English, I know, but she wrote most of HP&t[S/P]S in Scotland) Dougray Scott Alexander Graham Bell (I don’t blame him for the cell phone) Bloody history John Knox (not really, but the beard was cool) The Bay City Rollers kilts (whether tartan or traditional) Dougray Scott in a kilt Dougray Scott in formalwear wool Robert Burns Robert Louis Stephenson David Hume Whiskey Dougray Scott drinking whiskey until he loses his kilt Highland dancing bagpipes Clan MacLeod Angus cattle Allan Cumming (and his new [cologne line](http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/cumming%20poses%20nude%20for%20cologne) ) Lots more I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/6 "2005-05-05T20:59:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Abolition of capital punishment This is a puzzling entry. And you forgot NPR - National Public Radio. Give 'em a listen next time you come through. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/7 "2005-05-05T20:59:58Z")
> [@guinnog](#): > > Abolition of capital punishment. Uh… ---
**Author:** ![Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try_As_I_Might)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/8 "2005-05-05T21:38:53Z")
> [@guinnog](#): > > (Background: a poster claimed I was being ‘anti-American’ for criticising the actions of certain of his compatriots, wrt Iraq and “Creation Science”. I thought I would put together a (non-exhaustive) list of things I like about the country. Note that I have put ‘free speech’ pretty high up the list. This is after only four visits spanning about 12 weeks, and nearly all of that in Northern California) > > The size and connectedness. > > The vibrancy and diversity > > The spirit of adventure, of ‘lets have a go’ > > The Revolution. The successful insurgency war after it. > > The Constitution and the Bill of Rights… …and TWINS! ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/9 "2005-05-05T22:03:48Z")
Yeah… about that “Abolition of captal Punishment” bit. Yeah, that hasn’t actually happened. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/10 "2005-05-05T22:13:24Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Yeah… about that “Abolition of captal Punishment” bit. Yeah, that hasn’t actually happened. We did abolish it. Of course, we brought it back later, but we abolished it. ---
**Author:** ![guinnog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@guinnog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guinnog)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/11 "2005-05-05T22:30:23Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Yeah… about that “Abolition of captal Punishment” bit. Yeah, that hasn’t actually happened. Gosh! Three real-life Americans who don’t know their own history! And on SDMB as well! **Regallag\_The\_Axe** , **Bruce\_Daddy** and **UncleBeer** : > **[Death Penalty Update](https://www.infoplease.com/us/crime/death-penalty-update)** > > Here & Abroad by John Gettings Related Links Deadly Questions: New Study Raises ConcernsCountries of the World and Their Death Penalty StatusMethods of Execution in the U.S.U.S. Prisoners Under Sentence of DeathWomen on Death RowNumber of Persons... > [@](#): > > The United States’ debate on the morality and efficacy of capital punishment reached an important juncture on June 29, 1972. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional because in some cases it violated the Eighth Amendment, which protects citizens from “cruel and unusual punishment.” > > National Moratorium > > Beginning in 1967, while awaiting the Supreme Court ruling, and for the next nine years, the states stopped executions. In July of 1976, however, the Court upheld the death penalty as a legitimate punishment for certain crimes, opening the door for Congress and the state legislatures to make the death penalty an option again. > > Today, while more than half of the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice, the United States continues to use the death penalty in all but 12 states (plus the District of Columbia). From January 1977 through April 2001, 710 executions were carried out in this country: 545 by lethal injection, 149 by electrocution, 11 by gas chamber, three by hanging, and two by firing squad. **UncleBeer** , you were right about NPR. I listen to them regularly on webcast. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/12 "2005-05-05T23:33:47Z")
Say what you want about the U.S. but we have the best bathrooms, not to mention the softest toilet paper, in the world. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/13 "2005-05-05T23:39:47Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > Say what you want about the U.S. but we have … the softest toilet paper, in the world. You bet. As I have remarked before, I wrote my mother a letter with a ball-point pen on Scottish toilet paper and never tore it once. So there too. ---
**Author:** ![guinnog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@guinnog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guinnog)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/14 "2005-05-05T23:54:47Z")
Damn! I forgot to include Frank Zappa! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/15 "2005-05-05T23:58:51Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > You bet. As I have remarked before, I wrote my mother a letter with a ball-point pen on Scottish toilet paper and never tore it once. > > So there too. Was this the same pen that even now is resting on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/16 "2005-05-06T01:13:59Z")
Baseball Jazz National Parks Hawaii Rock ‘n’ Roll Will Rogers Amusement parks Hot dogs Walt Whitman The Roaring 20s Alaska San Francisco The Grand Canyon Lena Horne The Chrysler Building The Model T, Mustang and Corvette Stephen Spielberg Dorothy and Lillian Gish James Stewart Walt Disney Leonard Bernstein Susan B. Anthony Eleanor Roosevelt The Lower Manhattan skyline George Gershwin Cole Porter Rogers and Hammerstein Stephen Sondheim Silicone Valley The Brooklyn Bridge The Wright Brothers Oprah Winfrey Lance Armstrong Nat “King” Cole Laurel and Hardy Katherine Hepburn Charles A. Lindbergh Frank Lloyd Wright The post-WW2 economy The Rocky Mountains Marilyn Monroe The transcontinental railroads National Geographic Ken Burns ---
**Author:** ![CateAyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@CateAyo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CateAyo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/17 "2005-05-06T01:18:47Z")
> [@guinnog](#): > > Gosh! > > Three real-life Americans who don’t know their own history! And on SDMB as well! > > **Regallag\_The\_Axe** , **Bruce\_Daddy** and **UncleBeer** : > > [http://www.infoplease.com/spot/deathworld1.html](http://www.infoplease.com/spot/deathworld1.html) > > **UncleBeer** , you were right about NPR. I listen to them regularly on webcast. > > 🙂 Not to quibble but, the U.S. Supreme Court established a moratorium on Cap. Pun. with Furman v. Georgia. The Death Penalty was only set aside until the states drew policy in line with the Supreme Courts view of due process. The states unfortunately did so and the moratorium was lifted with Gregg v. Georgia. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/18 "2005-05-06T01:22:32Z")
The Simpsons ---
**Author:** ![guinnog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@guinnog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guinnog)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/19 "2005-05-06T01:29:27Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > And that’s just one coast! > > (But Skylab? Are you high?) > > You left out our wonderful cuisine. Yes, I’m serious. I have seen Newark, Cincinatti, Atlanta etc airports only. It is frustrating. I would so like to see the East. NYC obviously then Chicago, Wash DC… What would fellow Dopers recommend? Skylab rocked. One wing down, it was a casualty from the day it launched. I loved it. But it was the end of any meaningful manned space programme on your part. The Mars Rovers and the unmanned stuff. That is double-plus-brilliant! But where are we going with manned? Your cuisine rocks in that it is slightly cheaper than where I live. Plus: quality of produce, fresh fruit, fresh herbs. Minus: no decent Indians, my staple when travelling here. Big minus: cannot easily find decent wholemeal bread without sweetener. Your advice is welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582/20 "2005-05-06T01:34:03Z")
> [@guinnog](#): > > What would fellow Dopers recommend? Avoiding Newark and Cincinnati, for starters. > [@](#): > > Minus: no decent Indians, my staple when travelling here. Big minus: cannot easily find decent wholemeal bread without sweetener. Two things. 1) You’re not looking in the right place if you can’t find good Indian. I’ve got two places a five minute walk from me that both received enthusiastic thumbs up from a couple of UK friends. Although, come to think of it, I can’t recall getting good Indian on the west coast. Which brings me to point 2), you should be eating stuff you can’t get back in Scotland. Like good Mexican food, especially when you’re on the west coast. Hmmm…most bakeries and whole food stores should have the bread you’re looking for. At least I would think. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-like-about-the-usa/302582.md?page=2)