Exactlty What Do You Owe.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

To the country in which you hold citizenship? Obviously for most of us, this would be the United States, but it would be great to get some foreign replies, too.

I can think of an mini encyclopedia volume of what Austrians believe they owe their country, but for myself and the United States? Years ago fear of the US killed off any notion of owing society anything, but I am content that my current taxes are paying back some of what I have withdrawn. I don't feel I owe this given how dark I see the US - but it is classy regardless to put something back into the system, I would agree with that much.

I can tell those of you who are well off and wonder why the poor feel they are owed handouts - the cards in the United States are too heavily stacked against them. You could point to me as an exception, true, but I am a rare exception. It's kind of like Scarlett O'Hara says in Gone With The Wind - "Anything you can steal from the Yankees is fair gain" - many poor people see handouts this way and I don't blame them one bit, though I will say at my current income level I am deserving of no handouts.

But enough about me - what do you'all think you owe to whatever country in which you hold citizenship? Rob

[iris lilies]

Oh please…more of this? The chip on your shoulder keeps you from appreciating what you have.

whatever.

but to contribute in a positive way to this thread: sure, you are paying taxes. That is a positive contribution. I’m not sure you’ve got an option there but again, OK, whatever.

[LDAHL]

I believe myself rarely fortunate to have been born in this country. It allowed me to leverage years of study, hard work and delayed gratification into a fairly comfortable retirement. It preserved my (and a lot of other peoples’ worldwide) freedom to say and do and think as I pleased. There’s a reason so many are willing to risk so much just to sneak in here.

In return, I felt I owed it several years of military service, participation in benevolent civic organizations, and living a law-abiding and productive life. I try to keep myself informed and vote intelligently, and contribute where I can in retirement.

I’ve had to work pretty hard, but never suffered from the sense of thwarted entitlement or intimidation you seem to. I never thought of government as having some sort of familial obligation to me. I have felt gratitude where you have felt resentment, and that has resulted in a pretty good life.