“God Bless America.”

Three words commonly used to describe this country. Three words to unify all of America’s citizens. Three words to say “I’m an American and I am very proud of it.”

And yet, those same three words, when repeated over and over again, help to conceal and hide all of the many flaws and cracks that this country possesses.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love this country. Having been born and raised here all my life, the US is where I call home, just like millions of other proud Americans. I’m not suggesting that America is doomed, nor am I suggesting that it’s a complete failure.

But let’s be honest with ourselves for a second; is our country really that far ahead of other highly successful countries?

Take the COVID-19 pandemic, for example. The US has been known for being one of the best countries at dealing with medical diseases. Yet, despite their advanced medical technologies, America was one of the worst countries at handling the pandemic.

Why? There are multiple factors at play, but a part of the answer lies with the US government. Government health agencies were slow to produce data on the virus, resulting in local governments and communities lacking information and guidance when deciding how to respond to the pandemic. School systems, for example, had no idea whether or not to transition to virtual learning (if there even was virtual learning in your area).

But COVID exposed a bigger problem in America. When health professionals released guidelines to wear masks and social distance (six feet apart), many people ignored the guidelines, either because they didn’t trust the science or simply didn’t want to be told what to do. If people don’t trust scientists, what makes anyone think they’d trust the government?

Speaking of the government, I think it’s pretty evident that America is very polarized. We’re living through a time period where our country’s political parties are getting further and further divided, unwilling in some cases to even listen to the opponent of any given issue or policy. Politicians on both sides of the political spectrum are corrupted and are facing legal troubles. And 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most polarized elections in US history.

Polarization in the government is a clear representation of our country as a whole. If our very government continues to prove that they can’t work together on policy issues, then the rest of us are going to have difficulty connecting on a social level. A lack of understanding is often a key source of disdain and hatred among different people.

How is a government of any size supposed to take charge and lead a country too stubborn to follow simple scientific guidelines? And how, exactly, is a government supposed to unify a country that has more political and social conflicts than can be counted?

Despite all of America’s problems, there’s a positive: America has hope. We are lucky to be living in a country with so much diversity, so much inclusivity and so many people of all different cultures. Yes, I believe that our country has some very serious flaws that are in dire need of fixing. But if there’s one country that can create change, it’s America, a country that has created social change many times through its 250+ years of existence.

But, there’s work to be done.

No country is without its flaws and the United States of America is no exception, but is our country really as bad as many describe it to be? The problems and constraints of life in the US are displayed prominently across the media, both from within our country and from outside, but America also has its positives. 

There are many negative stereotypes about America; everything from our education system to our infrastructure gets criticized. America does have very real issues, but the constant calls to attention about these issues leave many forgetting the good things about our country, which do, in fact, exist.

The first reason the US is not that bad is that we have one of the strongest economies in the world. Our average wage is ranked among the top ten according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), showing that the average person in the US is being paid substantially more than citizens of other countries. America’s total Gross Domestic Product is also the largest in the world according to the World Bank. Our wealth compared to that of others allows many people to live very comfortable lifestyles, and live in quality conditions. 

Another reason the US is not that bad is that despite many stereotypes of American education being subpar, our K-12 education system is generally considered to be highly rated in comparison to other countries. The US scores above the OECD average in both reading and science according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). On top of that, the US is home to some of the best universities across the globe and our secondary education system is second to none in terms of quality and quantity. Additionally, our public school systems are funded by our government, and we don’t need to rely on private primary education for our children.

Another reason the good outweighs the bad in the US is that we have a constitutional government, Bill of Rights and representative democracy. The people get to elect political leaders on every level to represent them in office, creating a country ruled by the will of the people. 

The US aims to secure certain freedoms and rights that are very important to individuals, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to a trial by jury and others. The rights and liberties of Americans are protected under the constitution, ensuring certain freedoms for those who are citizens that are not ensured worldwide.

A final reason that the US is not as bad as it is made out to be is that historically and currently, the US is a hub of innovation and creation. US inventions include the lightbulb, the internet, the telephone, the airplane and many, many more. Through its innovation, the US has been key in technologically advancing the globe as a whole. The US is also making efforts to create eco-friendly technology, such as electric vehicles and increased solar panel production.

While the US is not without its faults, no country is. It is not as bad as it has so frequently been made out to be by many people. There are many great things about our country that we tend to forget about or underappreciate because we are too busy focusing on the negatives. 

Our country has not always lived up to its ideals and values and has not always protected all people equally, but progress has been made in recent years. We are very lucky as citizens of the United States to have freedom of speech and the right to gather in protest, as the US is a constitutional democracy that only properly functions because people are allowed to have a voice and make change happen. The United States of America is objectively not a bad place to live in the grand scheme of things, and I believe that it picks up a bit too much slack.