I'm optimistic about America because the people still have the freedom to speak frankly and critically of their government without fear of imprisonment, torture, or death.

[–] Addfwyn@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

long look at Assange

[–] TankieCatgirl@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

And MLK.

And Malcom X.

And Fred Hampton.

Hell, many people were arrested during McCarthyism simply for being communist. Lucille Ball and many others had to stand before the HUAC because they were members of the Communist party.

Freedom of speech (unless that speech poses a threat to the status quo)

[–] Aria@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 2 years ago

But the USA has the most political prisoners in the world and they have torture death camps?

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml -1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Except for the Black protesters that keep turning up """mysteriously""" murdered.

This country has a long history of silencing people who speak frankly and critically of the government, especially (but not limited to) when minorities speak out against systemic oppression. They're banning books that talk about those struggles! Surely you see it?

[–] PrimeVest@lemmy.world 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

And black people in China are all totally accepted? If not can they protest for acceptance and not get murdered ( unlike the US ) ?

[–] Addfwyn@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago

Despite being an extremely diverse country, nobody is going to try to tell you that China has magically solved racism, they haven't. You hear stories like that horrible washing machine ad that went out, but the government also cracks down on things like that. I feel like there is a lot ignorance-based racism as opposed to malice-based racism. Still an issue, but people are usually more willing to change in the former case.

I have black friends that left the US to live in China and I can say that they definitely feel safer. To be totally fair, that's just a few anecdotes and not a wide study or anything like that. I don't think that is exclusive to China though either, I have heard nearly the exact same things from people who have come from the US to my country.