Last night I watched John McLaughlin interview the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in which the latter made the statement that the United States provides better care for their veterans than any other country in the world. No one ever disputes these claims that we are the bestest country in the whole wide world, but are they true? Are the Brits slackers when it comes to providing for their military veterans? Are their streets filled with homeless veterans who sleep under bridges because their psyches were damaged beyond repair by their war experiences? Does Australia? How about Sweden?
How do our international friends feel about us when "we" make those outlandish statements? (Disclaimer: I'm using the royal we - I don't say stupid stuff like that.)
I have some religious relatives who live in red states and who are avid supports of the Bush cabal. I don't have the patience to talk to them any more, but my sister does. Sis is more tolerant of religious people than I, but she can't stand Bush. Recently a Repug cousin told sis to remember that we live in the best country in the world and sis replied, "I don't know if that's true. I haven't traveled to all the other countries." Neither has the cousin.
That's one point for sis and a big zero for religious, faith-based, fear-based cousin.
