Thread by @rory20s

1/I need to vent.
This thread is kind of a “J’accuse”.

Presumably along with many other non Americans, I’m watching what’s happening in the US with bafflement.
tRump has placed a magnifying glass on everything that is wrong with the US and the world is watching with disgust.

2/The US is the richest country in the world. Yet this exists
You wonder why people’re receptive to tRump’s populist demagoguery & lies?
To me this is the result of a basically selfish and corrupt society.
“As long as I can get my $$ the rest of you can die”
tRump is the epitome

3/European countries are seen as socialist countries which they obviously are not.
In America, socialism apparently is synonymous to government interference, something to be afraid of.
This is a remnant of when they were an English colony;
They’re fighting a 240 yr old king.

4/It only shows many Americans & politicians can't apprehend the idea that structurally taking care of each other is important for a stable society.
They’re so opposed to governmental interference that they prefer to deny millions a decent life
“Each for himself & God for us all”

5/Most people in the world know a lot more about America than Americans know about the world.
Having been raised in the myth of being the best, Americans have lost curiosity about other cultures, and the ability to learn from how other countries deal with their problems.

6/Why should there be homeless people? Give them a house.
Are people poor? Give them money.
Are people sick? Give them healthcare.
That’s the task of a government because those are human rights.
To be dependent on charity is humiliating.

7/Why should somebody who lost their job go bankrupt,fall into poverty, loose their house, never again have the chance to contribute to society? Do you find satisfaction in knowing there are people doing worse than you, in blaming them for being in a situation they never chose?

8/Offer them a social safety net; a universal basic income, affordable or free education, a state pension, affordable healthcare, a house.
Is this Socialism? No! It’s taking care of eachother.

9/An alcoholic, a drugaddict, a mentally ill person who committed a crime is ill.
Don’t put them in jail. Oblige them to treatment and offer them a chance to participate in society again, to have a job.
Those who facilitate the addictions are the real criminals.

10/It’s injust that in the richest country in the world some people have it all while others endlessly struggle to make ends meet.
Social inequality and poverty must be faught at all time.
It’s a fundamental task of a government.

11/Americans pay less taxes than Europeans
But they spend a lot more out of their own pocket e.g. for education, legal system, child care, healthcare etc. In the end Americans pay much more than Europeans for basic needs.
The risk of social exclusion is much higher in the US.

12/Social security & social justice must apply to everybody because everybody is equal under the law. Man, woman, POC, any gender orientation, sick, healthy.
Both lead to less racism, less crime, less mysogyny, less fear, less stress. They lead to a safer and a stable society.

13/Is Europe Socialist? Ah no, not by far!
Europe isn’t one country. Some have some good solutions.
Some solutions are eroding due to corporate capitalism and austerity. Improvement is still needed in many countries.
There’s still a gap between rich and poor.

14/Am I a socialist? No
I am a supporter of a just society that offers equal opportunities to all citizens, where everyone has access to basic human rights, where everyone can live in dignity, “can make it when working hard” with a solid basis to fall back on when things go wrong

15/It’s time America looks into the mirror and accepts what’s wrong.
Accepting one’s flaws is the first step to improvement.
It’s time America accepts they were lied to about being the best.
It’s time America looks over the fence and learns from other countries.