Science-minded people tend to be liberal (and I count myself among them). However, I've read some mild America-bashing in this forum and I wanted to respond.
America has serious flaws to be sure. I would argue that the death of millions (well over 10 million by some estimates) of native american-indian's was the single worst chapter in human history (worse than the holocaust even). Their race has been nearly wiped out and colonial American's played a key role. Empire building and slavery also come to mind as flaws.
However, in defense of America, I provide these points:
- More than 150 nations failed to give voting rights to women before America (including Sweden, Switzerland, and France).
- Obama has more power than any black person in world history and America was the vehicle. What European nation has elected a non-white person their leader? (there may be one but I can't think of any)
- In America, you are allowed to stand near an in-progress funeral of a dead U.S. soldier and yell the most vile criticisms at: the dead soldier, his family, the U.S. government, and the most popular American religion. This is not allowed in most other nations (perhaps every other nation).
- No other nation provides so many resources in foreign aid. Indeed, when major natural disasters happen (Indonesian tsunami, Japanese tsunami, and Haitian earthquake), America leads the way in helping.
- If not for America, much of Europe may very well have been conquered by Nazi Germany and who knows how many more jews would have been killed.
- Perhaps no other single nation has contributed more to modern science, and in the case of medicine, has contributed more to increasing the human life span.