Hi Dragan,

>>Just curious, why are you here?
>
>Market. Despite being what I am, and running a successful company, I couldn't feed my family. We had customers, wrote good software, but the customers couldn't pay.


I can sympathize.

>
>>Our country and its government have many faults, but we continue to try to improve upon it. We may be one of the youngest nations, but we are the oldest democracy. I have been all over Europe and Central America, and while there are many great countries in our World today, personally, for me, there is not any other country I would rather live in or be a citizen of. However, I was born in this country, so I am partial to it of course and believe in trying to improve it as much as possible. Your reason for choosing to live in our country while you continously deride it is?
>
>I did the same with my own country, for years. I wouldn't consider it friendly if I knew my friend is doing something wrong, and I kept the knowledge to myself. IMO, it's better to speak openly, maybe step on a few toes and get a few slaps on the wrist, than to keep my mouth shut. And I know how to accept it if I'm proven wrong. My opinions are not carved in stone.
>


That is one of the great benefits of living in the U.S. Freedom of speech (of course that is as long as you do not voice the overthrow of our govt :o) and a right many fought to have and it is appreciated by us all. It is also funny that many foreigners come to the U.S. and wonder why we, as Americans, complain so much when we have so much. It is my personal opinion that one of the reasons we have so much is because we refuse to 'settle' for anything less than we feel we deserve. Not so much complaining, but DOING, can still change things for the better and our country can only improve (I hope.)

>>Are you trying to improve it without voting rights?
>
>Good description, I like it.
>
>> Or do you have the right to vote now?
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>No, unless I travel home. The current laws at home have no provisions for voting in embassies.
>
>> I don't mean to sound derisive myself, because I still believe in allowing people of other nations emigrate to the U.S. (it is how we came be be afterall and was built as a melting-pot and the more customs here the better IMHO) but you do appear to denegrate the U.S. in many of your posts
>>yet you elect to live here so I am curious as to why if you feel our country is so terrible? Or is not so terrible in comparison?
>
>I didn't say the country is terrible - it's just that some aspects of its foreign policy are wrong and damaging in the long run. And the backing this foreign policy has at home comes from self-perception of the country.
>
>So this is not actually derisive - it's more like telling a friend his shoelace is untied.


I agree with you on this one entirely. That is why I asked. It's amazing that few Americans are actually 'aware' of our foreign policy. The possibility of war with Iraq has at least made some people become more knowledgeable of their own country's foreign policies. They have yet to change anything though.


>
>The things I find great here are impossible to explain to someone who hasn't lived in Serbia - like having a tax return, having good roads, having good communications network, having shortage of practically nothing. Things you take for granted. I would gladly write about that, but who would want to read it?


Well, I can certainly understand. Or did I neglect to mention that I have lived in other countries as well? I have lived in Germany, East Berlin (this was in 1984 and it was not so pleasant then), Panama (1989-1991), El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. I have traveled to many other countries as well. I have been shot at while driving down a road attempting to go to the local store (to buy whatever I could since there was not much there to be had), been arested by the local policia for speeding at 25 miles per hour, crashed into a tree while attempting to drive down a road that really was not a road during the rainy season, lived in a house with dirt floors and without electricity, and I could go on. It is why I love my country-faults and all. We still have many poor people and homeless people, but the chances for all to succeed in this country exist. Maybe not doing what you want, but doing something that pays. But I agree wholeheartely that even the most advanced country in the world (well actually on a par with some European countries in some areas and behind in other areas as well) can always improve and in some areas (like foreign policy) can improve tremendously to even be considered adequate.

Maybe you should consider becoming a citizen so you can use your voice and your vote to help make America better since you choose to live here? Your humanity and intelligence would be a welcome 'voice.'

Tracy

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