[ivraatiems]

Look, I'm not out here to argue that the United States is some incredible bastion of freedom on every issue for all time - but arguing that it doesn't deserve a favorable comparison to Russia or China or, yes, Chile, on the democracy front is just nonsense. It's not grounded in facts or reality. Arguing that the US itself isn't governed as a democracy because you don't like how the elected government behaves on the world stage is just a non sequitur. That America did something bad doesn't mean other places aren't worse.

Living in the United States now, as oppressive as it can be, is still living in one of the freest societies that's ever existed in history. You may think I'm saying that because I'm ignorant, but no, I am fully aware of all the ways the US is awful towards minorities of every stripe, of the poverty, of the gun crime, problems with access to healthcare, etc etc etc. I made my original post to criticize the US education system. I know about all of that and the United States is still better to live in than most of the world.

It doesn't mean I wouldn't like it to be better, that I'm not worried about how things are changing, or that everything - or even most things - the US has done are good. But we need to talk about the reality of the situation and you're not.

When my point is "the US should live up to its ideals", arguing "the US will never live up to its ideals no matter what" or "well, other people in X country don't like the US" is just unhelpful.